Paris-Roubaix 2026, one day monument, April 12

[Berniece]

No, normally he should not. He's racing with Pogacar for crying out loud and he should absolutely have no selfish agenda at all like he did in Flanders.

Selfish in Flanders? Didn’t see that, but again, he was promised a free role in Roubaix. That’s why I’m looking forward to see if they honour it.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Top favorite Florian Vermeersch will have a solid team around him.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Before San Remo, some thought Del Toro should play a free role.

Vermeersch has as much chance of beating Van der Poel post 2022 version as Del Toro has of winning San Remo this year.

 

[jotafap]

Before San Remo, some thought Del Toro should play a free role.

Vermeersch has as much chance of beating Van der Poel post 2022 version as Del Toro has of winning San Remo this year.

Agreed… I only see them possibly trying to use Florian as bait, or getting him up the road and waiting for Pogacar to bridge across. Any other scenario, under normal circumstances, won’t happen.

 

[canina82]

Before San Remo, some thought Del Toro should play a free role.

Vermeersch has as much chance of beating Van der Poel post 2022 version as Del Toro has of winning San Remo this year.

Don't forget Roglic in Kigali.

 

[Jan the Man]

Selfish in Flanders? Didn’t see that, but again, he was promised a free role in Roubaix. That’s why I’m looking forward to see if they honour it.

Either way he must be pretty happy at UAE having signed his extension until 2029.

Roubaix always comes down to an element of fortune - if for whatever reason Pog finds himself in G2 and Florian in G1 for sure he won’t have to sacrifice himself, or if he is in the final selection with Pog and can play a tactical joker role he will.

Otherwise I think everybody knows/realises he’ll end up working for Pog.

 

[The bald fraud]

Either way he must be pretty happy at UAE having signed his extension until 2029.

Florian is already the UAE captain in races such as E3/Wevelgem/DDV and if Pogačar decides to focus specifically on GTs in any of the following years (which he might have to due to rise of Seixas) and skips the cobbles altogether, Vermeersch is also sole UAE captain for Flanders and Roubaix. All he has to do in exchange is being Pog's domestique in Flanders if he decides to participate. No wonder he extended.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Could Paul Seixas win this if he was racing?

The only question remaining is, will Remco race?

You said there was only one question left to answer.

Anyway, I can't see them drop Seixas on the flat, but it will be hard for him to win in a sprint.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I find it hard to gauge Wout‘s level for this race. Last year he had zero explosivity, but was a bit better on long efforts, this year he has had way more punch but has gotten dropped on the Kwaremont. I think he has a better chance of following MVDP and Pogačar‘s attacks now, but I still don‘t think that chance is that high. I fear the Big 2 will just ride off into the sunset, happily working together until Pogačar either drops MVDP or loses in the Velodrome. Or one of them crashes out and we get bored to death.

 

[Eagle_Alps]

Rain this weekend?

 

[canina82]

Rain this weekend?

Saturday, but we will have wet cobbles on Sunday for sure.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Selfish in Flanders? Didn’t see that, but again, he was promised a free role in Roubaix. That’s why I’m looking forward to see if they honour it.

Pogacar was pulling more from Molenberg to Kwaremont, thats 50 km. Thats not good enough. Similarly he didn't even do a leadout on Kwaremont, and instead of pulling, he tried to sneak away which resulted in Pog needing to close down riders like Laporte from jumping.

He should just have done his job in Flanders, but got greedy and was more preoccupied with getting a result himself. Roubaix is a different race obviously, but no excuses for the way the rode on Sunday.

 

[Berniece]

Pogacar was pulling more from Molenberg to Kwaremont, thats 50 km. Thats not good enough. Similarly he didn't even do a leadout on Kwaremont, and instead of pulling, he tried to sneak away which resulted in Pog needing to close down riders like Laporte from jumping.

He should just have done his job in Flanders, but got greedy and was more preoccupied with getting a result himself. Roubaix is a different race obviously, but no excuses for the way the rode on Sunday.

That's true, thanks for reminding me. I forgot there was a small moment different riders tried to ride away. I agree that it's weird Vermeersch didn't just ride for Pogacar. There is a case to be made that if he attacks, stays away, the likes of MVDP/RBH had to sacrifice riders and puts Pogacar in an easier position.

 

[Brullnux]

There's a half chance an outsider wins this. It's at the very least much more open than Strade Bianche, RVV, Liege, GdL, or even Milano Sanremo.

My dream is that we get to Carrefour and it isn't already a straight shoot out between van der Poel and Pogacar.

 

[pastronef]

There's a half chance an outsider wins this. It's at the very least much more open than Strade Bianche, RVV, Liege, GdL, or even Milano Sanremo.

My dream is that we get to Carrefour and it isn't already a straight shoot out between van der Poel and Pogacar.

OR, when Pog and VDP get to Carrefour, there's a group/rider ahead too far to catch (because of crashes, mechanicals, tactics, bad weather, teams not working together, etc)

 

[Brullnux]

OR, when Pog and VDP get to Carrefour, there's a group/rider ahead too far to catch (because of crashes, mechanicals, tactics, bad weather, teams not working together, etc)

Yeah that's very much in the same category – not a guaranteed win for Pogacar/MvdP by the time we get to Carrefour.

 

[canina82]

Break doesn't have a chance. These days, Pogacar kills every early move because he also goes very early. UAE will rip the peloton until the last 100 km and then Tadej will do his thing.

 

[pastronef]

in any case if it's Pog vs VDP, I'll cheer Pog

 

[pastronef]

Break doesn't have a chance. These days, Pogacar kills every early move because he also goes very early. UAE will rip the peloton untik the last 100 km and then Tadej will do his thing.

that's where the mud after the rain in the night could sway the plans of some teams. let's see

 

[Flamin]

Pogacar was pulling more from Molenberg to Kwaremont, thats 50 km. Thats not good enough. Similarly he didn't even do a leadout on Kwaremont, and instead of pulling, he tried to sneak away which resulted in Pog needing to close down riders like Laporte from jumping.

He should just have done his job in Flanders, but got greedy and was more preoccupied with getting a result himself. Roubaix is a different race obviously, but no excuses for the way the rode on Sunday.

Pogacar didn't seem bothered about it not even a tiny bit, did he? I very much doubt Vermeersch went against team orders, although Vermeersch pulling less than Pogacar obviously didn't make sense to me either, but hey, it's 2026. Cycling laws are changing.

 

[Brullnux]

Break doesn't have a chance. These days, Pogacar kills every early move because he also goes very early. UAE will rip the peloton untik the last 100 km and then Tadej will do his thing.

A strong break becomes a sort of anticipation move with UAE, so it is still worth it and can put people in decent positions (more time riding hard, but less time riding super hard). Paris-Roubaix often has members of earlyish breaks in the top ten so there's definitely a potential benefit to be had.

 

[canina82]

that's where the mud after the rain in the night could sway the plans of some teams. let's see

A wet PR makes the race even more attritional which is good for a certain slovenian. I'm pretty sure this is Pog vs MVP with Wout as a wildcard. Everyone else will not be relevant for the 1st place.

 

[search]

Rutsch and Hoelgaard both finished Top 8 from the break last year, so it can still be an option for a good result. Most riders don't have a shot to finish top 10 from the peloton anyway.

In 2024 the race opened up super early due to splits behind, but I would think a scenario like last year is normally more likely. And then the breakaways automatically is in a good position.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Pogacar didn't seem bothered about it not even a tiny bit, did he? I very much doubt Vermeersch went against team orders, although Vermeersch pulling less than Pogacar obviously didn't make sense to me either, but hey, it's 2026. Cycling laws are changing.

Did you need Pogacar to get visibly frustrated or yell at Vermeersch? I dno, he played his role on Molenberg (which he personally benefitted a lot from as well), but nothing really besides from that. Many riders have done that in the past, but this is Flanders and had Pogacar been 2% worse, it could definitely had mattered. His role was only to keep the group going and doing a leadout - very simple. He did neither, and actually actively worked against it trying to go up the road.

Everybody knows all Pog need is a complete group going into 2nd Kwaremont with as much energy as possible, but Florian was riding selfishly.

 

[Brullnux]

Florian was riding selfishly.

Let's hope he's taken a shine to it and joins a random attack by a bunch of outsiders like Pedersen, Ganna, Philipsen with 80km to go.