Sean Kelly urges Tadej Pogacar to focus on Tour de France amidst 'crazy' Paris-Roubaix rumour: "Prove that last year wasn’t a fluke because of Jonas Vingegaard’s crash"

In his most recent outing, Tadej Pogacar starred yet again to take a stunning solo victory at Strade Bianche. That doesn't tell the full story though, as a crash 50km out threatened to cost the world champion more than just the race. Because of this wake-up call, Sean Kelly hopes Pogacar will now put aside the 'crazy idea' of riding Paris-Roubaix in 2025.

"The rumours that the Slovenian might ride Roubaix are still going around, especially after his win on the gravel on Saturday, but I think it’s a crazy idea at this point in his career," writes the Irish cycling legend and former Vuelta a Espana winner in a column for Cycling News. "When he and the team were talking about it I just thought: 'what are they talking about here?' The risk is so high in Roubaix, and for a rider who is at his prime to win another Tour de France and prove that last year wasn’t a fluke because of Jonas Vingegaard’s crash, it’s not a good idea to ride Roubaix."

"This year, he has to confirm that his Tour win in 2024 was a true ride from him, not just because his rival was injured," Kelly insists. "And to do that he has to get everything right and not go to these crazy races. He's also meant to do Gent-Wevelgem, which in my experience is just crazy with the wind and the risks you have to take to fight and be in the front end of the race, which Pogacar always wants to do."

Kelly doesn't see only issues with Pogacar's upcoming schedule though. In fact, the Irish icon believes the one-day focus could be a benefit, provided the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader manages to stay upright and avoid injuries that is. "His program of one-day races and not much stage racing is good, because he’s shown that he doesn’t need to do lots of week-long races to get in shape for the Grand Tours, but Roubaix would be a step too far," assesses the 68-year-old. "It’s not a race for somebody who is meant to be focusing on the Tour de France."

"Even though Strade showed his strength, it also proved just how risky these races can be, and the mistake he made was an amateur mistake," Kelly adds. "He shouldn’t try to go so hard on a descent, especially against a guy like Tom Pidcock. It’s like peeing into the wind. In the gravel sections too, if you’re Pogacar you don’t push it to the limit with Pidcock on your wheel, it’s on the uphills where he should have been trying to do the damage."

Pogacar's crash should also give the Strade Bianche organisers food for thought according to Kelly, especially given the vast number of riders left dealing with injuries at the end of the 2025 edition. "When a rider wins solo from a long way out, and covered in blood, does that mean Strade is getting too difficult, or too dangerous? It’s really nothing new with the race organisers. Every organiser wants to make their race more difficult now, with the most gravel sectors, or the most cobbled climbs, but there is a limit," he concludes. "I think it’s something the UCI has to decide on, for the welfare of riders – not just in terms of crashes, but doping too, because riders are being pushed to their limit, and of course teams and riders making every race so hard doesn’t help the situation either."