165 kilometers on the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix this past weekend. Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates - XRG will not confirm that Tadej Pogacar has intentions of racing Paris-Roubaix this year. But the question is if the World Champion is really planning to make his debut in the 'Hell of the North' in two months' time or not.
It is a question where the answers are quite mixed. Pogacar made a trip to Western Europe this weekend to do a recon of the Tour of Flanders route, which he will be racing this spring as one of his big goals. However the next day, he and Tim Wellens - together with DS Fabio Baldato - have reconned the Paris-Roubaix route.
Nils Politt and António Morgado were also meant to be there, but illnesses did not allow it. It was an official exploration of the route with Tim Wellens who is seemingly set to race it as well. Pogacar's presence could've been just a reminder of the route, or a relaxed training ride, but one would argue that not many riders will have a relaxed ride on the brutal cobbled sectors of the area.
Pogacar also rode through several cobbled sectors in the region back in 2022, but that year the Tour de France had a stage in the area - where Pogacar gained time on his rivals. This year the Tour does not have a cobbled stage. Some believe that Pogacar may have the plan of racing Roubaix, but the team is not adding that pressure or obligation to him, and it can be something to be decided only on the days leading up to the race - similar to Wout van Aert's surprise Cyclocross World Championships announcement. Pogacar in the meantime has returned to home in Monaco, before travelling to the UAE later this week.
Through the information that has been provided over the past two months, we can access that Pogacar will race the Vuelta a España later this year, but that equally this is an information that was not publicly confirmed - but with a great degree of certainty, it will be shared before the upcoming UAE Tour. So the question remains, should Pogacar race Roubaix?
Many believe that doing so is a big risk, as the French monument is one of the most tense and dangerous races in the calendar. It can be argued as well that over the opening weeks of the racing calendar, crashes have been a constant in both men's and women's peloton. and the Slovenian runs similar risk in all other events.
Mathieu van der Poel, two-time reigning champion, has commented on this possibility: "If he joins us like in the Tour of Flanders, he will be a tough opponent. But I don't lose any sleep over it."
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Should Tadej Pogacar race Paris-Roubaix in 2025?
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Absolutely no. In the several last editions of P-R whole podium was taken by big guys like MvdP, WvA, Pedersen, Philipsen. It shows that W/kg are not that important in that race.
Sure :-) But Pogi is not type of racer that would race without chance for winning...
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- Agree, but just putting it in his head isn’t going to make it happen, or did he doubt himself too much during his 5 MSR attempts? Didn’t look like it.Jumpyjohn28-03-2025
- Marketing for dummiesJumpyjohn28-03-2025
- It's very refreshing and a welcome change of pace to hear a legend from the past share some positive and encouraging words to the now generation for a change. Thank you, Bernard Hinault.
santiagobenites28-03-2025 - And you know this how? Proof?frieders328-03-2025
- This guy lives his live in the past, must be fun for his grandkids.JoostMehrtens27-03-2025
- It’s also no longer allowed. It was crazy back then, almost 200 race days in a year sometimes.Mistermaumau27-03-2025
- Well said. It’s tough to compare across erasmobk27-03-2025
- The level of competition in every sport is so very much higher than it was in the 70s (I'm old enough to remember), and that's fine. You compete against the people you compete against. You win the race you're in, not a race of the past or of the future. Are there any world records from the 70s? Very few, I suspect. The way people train these days, the way they race these days, it's just different. And I am comfortable assuming the following: today's riders are faster and stronger than those of the past. It's a different profession, it's more professional, and that's fine. So is every sport. What de Vlaeminck did was totally amazing in his time, but in this era not only is it not needed (people earn enough without bonuses), it's also not enough (training prepares you for racing more than racing does). Eras change. It's okay. Who knows where we will be in another 50 years.RidesHills27-03-2025
- For once Tadej won’t be the favourite. Maybe that will allow him to be a bit more opportunistic. I doubt Tadej expects to win it this year. But I am sure he will plan a return.mobk27-03-2025
- The guy is only 24? So very very young. At this age, what was MvdP doing, but building up a team as well. He's right, he's an entertainer, and yes, I've been entertained. Between him and MvdP, I started watching XCC and XCO mountain biking (now I want to go to the Quebecois race in Mont Ste. Anne that are only a few hours away), just like WvA and MvdP pulled me into cyclocross a few years ago. Multi-disciplinary awesomeness is fun. Pidcock is his own rider, and I'm curious where he'll be in 5 years. It will be fun to wait and watch.RidesHills27-03-2025