'There's no reason Pogi can't win the race' but 'Mathieu is made for Paris-Roubaix in every possible' - Luke Rowe's prediction of 2025 Paris-Roubaix

Luke Rowe is one of the riders who, back in his professional cyclist years, used to specialize and thrive in Paris-Roubaix. He's battled for his own results, but as was the case throughout most of his career, he helped his leaders achieve the same. The Welshman shares his thoughts on this year's race.

"There's no reason Pogi can't win the race. Pogacar wouldn't be on the start line if he didn't believe he could win it," Rowe said in an interview with Cyclingnews. However the pure talent of the Slovenian will be rivaled by the defending champion's specialty in this race. 

"But for me, there's one out-and-out favourite above everyone else and that's Mathieu van der Poel. Pogacar is a generational talent but Mathieu is made for Paris-Roubaix in every possible way."

Cyclocross and Gravel World Champion, two-time Paris-Roubaix defending champion Mathieu van der Poel has already won Milano-Sanremo and the E3 Saxo Classic this spring and is a rider who knows exactly what will be faced in northern France. His bike handling skills, endurance and tactical knowhow make him the 'final boss' for everyone in this race including Pogacar himself.

"We talk about the Spring Classics under one umbrella but Paris-Roubaix is a completely different race. Almost every cobbled Classic includes short, punchy climbs but there aren't any climbs in Paris-Roubaix," Rowe points out.

"The strongest ten guys in the Tour of Flanders usually fight for the podium but if you look at the Paris-Roubaix results there is always a surprise in there, an outsider who produces a great ride and result. There is often a surprise loser too, who crashes out or blows up. And that could even be Pogacar."

It is always a magical day of racing where surprises are usually assured, but fans rarely know where it's coming from. To take a win, against such competition, it will be hard to see an outsider; however amongst themselves the big favourites for the race are very evenly matched.

"Paris-Roubaix is one of the few races where watts per kilo don't decide everything. It's a slightly less explosive, so more drawn-out race. It's a battle of smart-thinking survival, tactics and then power."

Rowe will be in Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale's car, however the French team will have only hopes of trying to get in the Top10. "It's tougher in this year's Classics because there's Pogacar, Van der Poel, Pedersen and perhaps [Wout] Van Aert, who are just on another level and have super strong teams to back them too."