Tadej Pogacar targets Monument history at Paris-Roubaix 2026 as UAE line-up begins to take shape
CyclingMonday, 23 March 2026 at 16:00
Tadej Pogacar’s long-awaited Milano-Sanremo victory on 21 March has already shifted the focus towards what comes next. After conquering the Monument that had eluded him, attention now turns to another long-standing ambition: Paris-Roubaix 2026.
The Slovenian edged Tom Pidcock on the line to secure one of the most significant wins of his career, overcoming a race often considered one of the most difficult to control. With that milestone achieved, the “Hell of the North” on Sunday, 12 April, now stands as his next major target.
Pogacar has previously made clear that Monuments such as San Remo and Roubaix hold greater appeal for him than the Tour de France. That perspective adds further weight to his upcoming Roubaix challenge, where he will look to go one better than last year.
On his debut in 2025, Pogacar finished second after a crash disrupted his race, leaving Mathieu van der Poel to take a third consecutive victory. A year on, the opportunity to rewrite that outcome is already taking shape, with UAE Team Emirates - XRG reportedly close to finalising the team that will support him.
UAE close to finalising Roubaix support squad
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Ciro Scognamiglio, six riders are already set: Pogacar will be joined by Florian Vermeersch, Nils Politt, Mikkel Bjerg, Julius Johansen and Rui Oliveira. The final place is expected to go to either Antonio Morgado or Sebastián Molano.
Vermeersch is expected to play a key role. The Belgian is widely regarded as one of the strongest riders for Paris-Roubaix and finished fifth at the Roubaix Velodrome in 2025, his first season with UAE. He has also indicated that, depending on how the race unfolds, he could pursue his own chances.
For Pogacar, the stakes extend beyond a single result. Victory at Paris-Roubaix would complete his set of Monument wins, a milestone that would place him alongside Eddy Merckx in discussions around the greatest riders in the sport’s history.
On 12 April, he faces another defining test. The question now is whether he can turn opportunity into history at Paris-Roubaix.
Potential UAE line-up for Paris-Roubaix 2026
| Rider | Country |
| Tadej Pogacar | Slovenia |
| Florian Vermeersch | Belgium |
| Nils Politt | Germany |
| Julius Johansen | Denmark |
| Mikkel Bjerg | Denmark |
| Rui Oliveira | Portugal |
| Sebastián Molano or Antonio Morgado | Colombia or Portugal |
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- He could have had all 3 when he did the Giro-Tour double, and everyone kind of knew it, but he held back for many reasons. He has a few more years to make the attempt. But if he wins all 5 this year (I think he'll get 4 of them, but someone not named Van der Poel will beat the two of them in a crazy moment) then he might as well go for all 3 tours next year. He can't do that in an Olympic year. The man's ambition is beyond compare, and his skills as well. What a time to live in, as a fan.RidesHills23-03-2026
- I think pogi will only race in vuelta if world championship terrain didn't suit climber anymore. 2028 uae route is for sprinter iinmZamorano23-03-2026
- Mentheour says '...all the time....'. He should remember that Pogacar has raced a grand total of 2, yes, 2 days, this year and his 3rd race day is almost 2 weeks away still. By the end of April he will have raced a grand total of 5 days, when he then starts Romandie. That type of schedule makes it much easier to focus, prepare and recover.SuperConfexYokoOno23-03-2026
- Erwann Mentheour? Who is he? Shame on CUTD to provide space for a disgruntled doper from a dark era to air his grievances at a time when the sport is just starting to recover it's glorious past. And he even had the nerve to say “This sport has lied, cheated, concealed, and destroyed reputations, bodies, and entire generations of riders.” when he is partly responsible for such an ignominious episode in the history of the sport. C'mon CUTD.. a bit of responsible journalism is called for here>>FredMan23-03-2026
- i think its good that this subject is being bought up..... If it comes to fruition about Pog cycling as we know it will be back in the dark ages as never before.Davide23-03-2026
- Hope all the girls get well soon.Davide23-03-2026
- Cet ancien coureur, dopé notoire n'a même pas la décence de se taire et de faire profil bas. Ce n'est pas la honte qui l'étouffe manifestement.Pat178923-03-2026
- Innocent until proven guilty. Dopers typically had muscular body. These days cyclists are so lean and fit. Doesn't appear to be the typical doped body. MSR was a close race. It's hard to dope when they have an Athlete Biological Passport. Any variation will be questioned.PogiFan2Day23-03-2026
- Eccolo!!! In these days: taxes, wars, complots, flat-earthers, and doping accusers are never in short supply. PS: Doping accusers only in cycling; when records set by previously heavily doped athletes are broken in other sports, everyone assumes it's due to technological advancements and new training methods, in cycling no, is doping. PS2: So what about Wout? He lost 1 minute more than Tadej changing a bike and finished 4 seconds behind? Was Wout doped yesterday too? COWARDLY SLANDERS,
maria2024202423-03-2026 - This is another example of the disparity in men's vs women's cycling. The women don't have the same financial means to beat current doping controls.
Front24223-03-2026
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