Paris-Roubaix 2026, one day monument, April 12

[dobrien]

It's my favourite monument hands down.

Same!! Look forward to this one every year; I live in the US (unfortunately) so the start is around 4AM…I host a gathering of a few Roubaix crazed buddies every year, and we drink Belgian beer and go bananas! I live in an apartment in a quiet house where all the neighbors are quite considerate of one another, and on rare occasions when someone has a party they’ll warn everyone it might be loud a bit later into the night. Not me though, no, I’m the guy in Apt 2 who has to warn people about drunken shouting around 8 in the morning…🤣😜

 

[rghysens]

[1.WT] Paris-Roubaix (12.04) - Page 3 - Cyclisme sur route : Professionnels - Le Gruppetto - Forum de Cyclisme

[1.WT] Paris-Roubaix (12.04) -

legruppetto.fr

Assessment of the real difficulty of the cobblestone sectors (in french).

 

[dobrien]

In an era of watts-fests, do we really need races to become even harder and more attritional? It's not like anybody finishes Paris-Roubaix with energy to spare. Adding 30km would make it as long as Milano Sanremo and multitudes harder.

I see your point re the break, but I think what is more likely is that the makeup of the break is weaker as big teams will be more cautious, or that the break goes after a very, very extended fight (making Paris-Roubaix even more attritional). Back in the days of Terpstra attacking out of a fifteen man group maybe that made sense, but nowadays? Wouldn't it just lead to even longer solos and tactical battles than end after the first hour?

I think the length is generally ok, but what I have really felt is that the race needs one more really hard section of cobbles after the Carrefour, say a 4 star with about 8k to go. (Not sure that’s feasible, it’s just what I think the race needs.) I just feel like the air kind of goes out of the race a touch once they come of the Carrefour and take that right turn, though I accept that 2016 was one of the most exciting finishes ever and most of that happened in the last 15k. A contradiction perhaps, but I just recall being really ticked off that Sep was the strongest on the Carrefour but was not rewarded for that.

If nothing else I would for sure like to see more effort put into keeping the riders on the cobbles by preventing/discouraging/blocking the riders from riding the packed dirt on the side of road; that stuff is like riding fresh tarmac compared to the cobbles and really reduces the effort massively.

Anyway, I’ll be tuned in at the start, can’t wait for this one. Heart says Wout, but head says Pog. I think Pog has the momentum, hes on a quest to make history, and I think barring disaster he will find a way to win this one.

 

[vappa]

Wind from SW, right? If so we might have crosswind in all 5 stars sectors

Yes, SW to NE, at least according to the forecasts I checked

 

[fenns]

will be dry tomorrow

 

[search]

28 interviews from today's team presentation are up on Youtube already, if anyone is very bored:

Cycling Pro Net

FR www.velopro.fr ITA www.spaziociclismo.it

www.youtube.com

 

[Peyresourde]

Yesterday I rewatched some parts of last year's race:

- Philipsen really impressed me with his ability to draft perfectly on the cobbles (even though he exploded in the end). No other rider is that close to the back wheel of the rider in front of him

- Van Aert was weaker than I remembered, though his problem was not 100 % physical in the Arenberg Forest. But even afterwards he often lost the wheel on the cobbles and he was overall far less in the wind than I remembered.
If that was not just a bad day last year (he was around equal or even worse this year in Flanders compared to 2025), then I don't see how he can be competitive for the win

- MvdP was clearly the strongest rider in the race and his attacks after Arenberg were brutal. Later though he 'exploded' just a few k later than Pogacar (around 15 km from the finish) and subsequently rode at similar speed to Pogacar

- Pogacar went through a really rough patch for 20k after Arenberg, but recovered later. He exploded about 22 k to go in his chase of van der Poel. Then from 15k to go to the finish he was the same as MvdP again.


I would assess the overall level of the rider last year like that:

MvdP > Pogacar > Pedersen > van Aert / Vermeersch / Philipsen


Since Pedersen is in worse shape this year and van Aert is also not better, then in absence of bad luck it should just be between van der Poel and Pogacar (if they continue to just ride all-out without using any other tactics)

 

[Dazed and Confused]

[1.WT] Paris-Roubaix (12.04) - Page 3 - Cyclisme sur route : Professionnels - Le Gruppetto - Forum de Cyclisme

[1.WT] Paris-Roubaix (12.04) -

legruppetto.fr

Assessment of the real difficulty of the cobblestone sectors (in french).

I agree with Haveluy especially if it is wet.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Happy to see del Grosso on the startlist, his debut. Then I'm keeping an eye on Hagenes, brute force on cobbles.

 

[Boehmand]

I just read on TV2.dk, that Niklas Larsen got told he was riding Ronde 4 day before the race - without having ever done the race before, and without having done any recon until the day before (he got 25th, as the best Rocket).

Now the Rockets are taking it up a notch - because he got a last minute selection for Roubaix and will again ride a monument without having ever done it before - but this time without having done any recon, at all, he has simply never been on most of the the pavés (those not used in Denain) as a senior, when the race starts tomorrow (he did ride it twice as a junior).

Seems like rather chaotic planning

Imagine seeing Arenberg (which the juniors didn't do in his day) for the first time in your life, when the race hits it tomorrow

 

[KoopaCycling]

lets hope for a van aert upset.
do not care for another pogacar win, and mvdp tactics have been dissapointing this season.
Perdersen would do as well, but rather see Van Aert get rewarded.

 

[vappa]

I just read on TV2.dk, that Niklas Larsen got told he was riding Ronde 4 day before the race - without having ever done the race before, and without having done any recon until the day before (he got 25th, as the best Rocket).

Now the Rockets are taking it up a notch - because he got a last minute selection for Roubaix and will again ride a monument without having ever done it before - but this time without having done any recon, at all, he has simply never been on most of the the pavés (those not used in Denain) as a senior, when the race starts tomorrow (he did ride it twice as a junior).

Seems like rather chaotic planning

Imagine seeing Arenberg (which the juniors didn't do in his day) for the first time in your life, when the race hits it tomorrow

At least they modified the Arenberg entry, he won't have to hit it at 70km/h😅

 

[YavorD]

According to Decathlon, there will be 513497 impacts on the cobbles.
That's oddly specific... did they count?

They hope someone counts and corrects them if they're wrong for future development.
All eyes on you tomorrow, RhD.

 

[Boehmand]

According to Decathlon, there will be 513497 impacts on the cobbles.
That's oddly specific... did they count?

Prove them wrong

 

[Oldman]

Prove them wrong

Impact to what? Not sure I want to know where they put the sensor to accumulate that many hits!

 

[canina82]

PR is not what it used to be. MSR and RVV were discussed more before the race. What happened to the Queen of classics and most beautiful race in the world?

 

[Bertram Wooster]

we drink Belgian beer

Which beers?

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Same!! Look forward to this one every year; I live in the US (unfortunately) so the start is around 4AM…I host a gathering of a few Roubaix crazed buddies every year, and we drink Belgian beer and go bananas! I live in an apartment in a quiet house where all the neighbors are quite considerate of one another, and on rare occasions when someone has a party they’ll warn everyone it might be loud a bit later into the night. Not me though, no, I’m the guy in Apt 2 who has to warn people about drunken shouting around 8 in the morning…🤣😜

You East Coasters...I start watching at 1:30am...but I'll put the race on loud enough that I can hear through my half-sleeping attention. I always wake up fully aroung Haveluy-Wallers, tomorrow I'll get on my trainer to pedal and watch...Unbound ain't getting any shorter.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Yesterday I rewatched some parts of last year's race:

- Philipsen really impressed me with his ability to draft perfectly on the cobbles (even though he exploded in the end). No other rider is that close to the back wheel of the rider in front of him

- Van Aert was weaker than I remembered, though his problem was not 100 % physical in the Arenberg Forest. But even afterwards he often lost the wheel on the cobbles and he was overall far less in the wind than I remembered.
If that was not just a bad day last year (he was around equal or even worse this year in Flanders compared to 2025), then I don't see how he can be competitive for the win

- MvdP was clearly the strongest rider in the race and his attacks after Arenberg were brutal. Later though he 'exploded' just a few k later than Pogacar (around 15 km from the finish) and subsequently rode at similar speed to Pogacar

- Pogacar went through a really rough patch for 20k after Arenberg, but recovered later. He exploded about 22 k to go in his chase of van der Poel. Then from 15k to go to the finish he was the same as MvdP again.


I would assess the overall level of the rider last year like that:

MvdP > Pogacar > Pedersen > van Aert / Vermeersch / Philipsen


Since Pedersen is in worse shape this year and van Aert is also not better, then in absence of bad luck it should just be between van der Poel and Pogacar (if they continue to just ride all-out without using any other tactics)

Yeah, things got dicy in the Arenberg, and he pulled the ripcord, which cost him any chance, if he had any at all.

And FWIW, I think he is in a bit better shape than last year.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Happy to see del Grosso on the startlist, his debut. Then I'm keeping an eye on Hagenes, brute force on cobbles.

Very good chance, that he is Visma's best placed rider tomorrow. Maybe something similar to when Boonen rode for Postal at P-R.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

PR is not what it used to be. MSR and RVV were discussed more before the race. What happened to the Queen of classics and most beautiful race in the world?

In MSR and RVV it‘s clear how the race will generally unfold so people get caught up in discussions about details more I think while in Roubaix nobody is confident that the top riders will have no incidents so Nobody makes a detailed game plan. And people have Pog-MVDP fatigue by now I think

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

PR is not what it used to be. MSR and RVV were discussed more before the race. What happened to the Queen of classics and most beautiful race in the world?

MVDP and Pogacar

 

[canina82]

MVDP and Pogacar

I don't understand your point.

 

[jono]

I don't understand your point.

He is saying Paris-Roubaix is not interesting because it will just be another Pogacar-MVDP duel.

While I agree, the chances of other characters getting involved are greating than last weekend in Flanders.

 

[canina82]

He is saying Paris-Roubaix is not interesting because it will just be another Pogacar-MVDP duel.

While I agree, the chances of other characters getting involved are greating than last weekend in Flanders.

So I continue to not understand his point. RVV was clearly a duel between Pogacar and MVP. At least in PR, the difference for other riders is smaller.