The first Monument of the 2025 season provided plenty of excitement and spectacle. A thrilling three-way battle between Mathieu van der Poel, Filippo Ganna and Tadej Pogacar created one of the most memorable editions of Milano-Sanremo of all time. Are such battles set to become a running theme of this Spring though?
Throughout the opening near-three months of 2025, there have been consistent rumours of Tadej Pogacar competing on the iconic French cobbles of Paris-Roubaix this year. Equally as consistent has been the response of UAE Team Emirates - XRG, stressing that the decision will be made post-Milano-Sanremo. For example, in a recent interview with Siol, UAE DS Andrej Hauptman said the following when asked about the Roubaix rumours: "First, we have to wait and see how Milano-Sanremo goes, then we will talk about the next races," he stressed.
Pogacar himself has been no stranger to fanning the flames of speculation. In an interview with tennis star Marion Bartoli for RMC, the Rainbow Jersey refused to outright deny his participation. "There is always a chance. We will see. Let's leave it as a surprise. I really love racing. I thought it was too hard for me but when I did the reconnaissance, I saw that I could. If I am fit, maybe I could try. I think the decision will be made after Milano-Sanremo."
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So now, with Milano-Sanremo firmly placed in the rear window, could a final announcement from UAE Team Emirates - XRG, either confirming or denying their leader's start at Paris-Roubaix be imminent? Well after the race itself, Pogacar, who finished 3rd behind the aforementioned Van der Poel and Ganna, refused to give an immediate answer. "I cannot say," he answered to talk of Roubaix. "Flanders? For this yes."
According to UAE boss Joxean Matxin, those that matter already know what the decision will be. "The decision has already been made," Matxin told Relevo recently. "The decision on the sporting side has been made, but the communication has to be done by the team. The rest is simply speculation. The communications team is responsible for this task, and I don't want to get into concepts I shouldn't get into. I have the utmost respect for the communications team."
One thing for certain is that if Pogacar is to start at Paris-Roubaix later this Spring, we can guarantee fireworks and if Milano-Sanremo is anything to go by, potentially an all-time great edition of the French classic.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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