And “Pogi” joins the battle

March 26 ^th 2025 - 14:15

The announcement was discreet, buried within a press release detailing the final lineup of UAE Emirates XRG for the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem—two races that were initially on Tadej Pogacar’s schedule but were ultimately dropped as he decided to “adjust his calendar to focus on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, aiming to peak for these two iconic races.” The Slovenian champion, who is determined to win cycling’s five biggest one-day classics, had already hinted at this shift by sharing a video on his social media, filmed in the Trouée d’Arenberg during a visit in February with his teammate Tim Wellens. Since then, “Pogi” has kept the suspense alive regarding his participation in the 2025 edition. But now, just days after once again stepping onto the podium at Milan-Sanremo (3rd), he has made his decision official.

His long-awaited debut in "l'Enfer du Nord" also sets the stage for another showdown with Mathieu Van der Poel, last year’s winner in the rainbow jersey. This time, it will be Pogacar himself donning the world champion’s colors, ready to coat them in mud or dust on the cobbled sectors of the Queen of the Classics, hoping to reach the velodrome as the victor. Should he succeed, he would be the first Tour de France winner to triumph in Roubaix since Bernard Hinault in 1981. Race director Thierry Gouvenou sees this as another milestone in Pogacar’s career: “Paris-Roubaix is a challenge worthy of his talent. It’s far from a guaranteed victory because he will face a course that doesn’t suit him naturally, but I think that’s exactly what drives him—the chance to make cycling history. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Tour de France winner truly capable of fighting for victory in Roubaix. This is a huge moment for cycling. If he ever manages to win this race, it will be through sheer difficulty. This challenge will only make him greater.”