PARIS – For the first time, Tadej Pogacar, a dominant three-time Tour de France winner, is preparing to face the notorious Paris-Roubaix cycling challenge. This demanding event is set to take place in northern France next month, as confirmed by his team on Wednesday. Initially, the Slovenian champion, who also holds the title of the reigning men’s road world champion, planned to participate in the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem. However, he has decided to forego these events to focus on gearing up for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, which are among the prestigious five “monuments” in one-day cycling—alongside Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Tour of Lombardy, and Milan-San Remo.
The UAE Team Emirates announced that Pogacar has realigned his schedule to concentrate on achieving top performance in these celebrated races.
Established in 1896, the Paris-Roubaix race is renowned for its unpredictable challenges, including punctures, crashes, and myriad other dramatic events. Dubbed by the French as the Enfer du Nord—meaning the Hell of the North—the race earned its notorious nickname back in 1919. A journalist coined this title, referring to the devastated post-World War One terrains through which the race was routed. In that year, Henri Pelissier slogged it out for over 12 arduous hours to reach the Roubaix finish, significantly longer than last year’s champion, Mathieu van der Poel.
For Pogacar, Paris-Roubaix remains one of the major accolades missing from his already formidable list of cycling achievements. At 26, he is widely regarded as an electrifying cyclist, drawing comparisons to legendary figures like Eddy Merckx for his adaptability and unyielding pursuit of victory across varied terrains.
Although new to Paris-Roubaix, Pogacar has previously encountered its infamous cobblestones amid a chaotic fifth stage during the 2022 Tour de France. His remarkable performance that day saw him gain an edge over numerous competitors as he masterfully navigated the challenging cobbles.
This year’s Paris-Roubaix will again feature van der Poel as a formidable competitor, following his recent victory over Pogacar at Milan San Remo.
Race organizers have introduced fresh cobbled sectors to the course, particularly challenging competitors with no respite of pavement leading up to the formidable Trouée d’Arenberg—a notoriously lengthy and rough cobbled stretch.
According to race director Thierry Gouvenou, these new segments create a continuous sequence of cobbles, posing a relentless test to riders.
The upcoming men’s race, spanning 259.2 kilometers (161 miles) from Compiègne to Roubaix, involves 30 cobbled sections comprising 55.3 kilometers (34 miles) of the course. Additionally, an alternative route has been devised to replace a sharp U-turn, previously added for safety measures but criticized by riders, including van der Poel.
Meanwhile, the 148.5-kilometer (92-mile) women’s race remains unchanged. The women’s peloton will tackle the final 17 cobbled sections of the men’s course, covering 29.2 kilometers (18 miles) of cobblestones.
This gripping and iconic race, steeped in history and known for its daunting challenges and unpredictability, awaits Pogacar and his peers as they gear up to showcase their resilience and skill against the menacing cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.