Paris-Roubaix 2026, one day monument, April 12

[jono]

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.

He very much dislikes MVDP which colors his comments, but he has a point that P-R is not likely to be compelling as that race has typically been in the past.

 

[Boehmand]

You guys are way too confident in the big favourites

In no other race does luck play such a big role

It's what makes Roubaix so special

 

[ingsve]

Very excited to see Per Strand Hagenes tomorrow. In several races this season he has looked extremely strong specifically on pavé sections. Hopefully he can show something special in the race of races on pavé.

 

[canina82]

He very much dislikes MVDP which colors his comments, but he has a point that P-R is not likely to be compelling as that race has typically been in the past.

But I think the same can be said about RVV.

 

[Oldman]

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)

I'd actually move Philipsen to #3. He's a better sprinter than all of them and has shown good form this year. He and Mathieu play the field well together and that's a threat to everyone. It also makes pack control better when you get down to the final 30. Who else will have threatening teammates still in the mix?

 

[dobrien]

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.

Hey, I'm Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Central Standard, so that's 3:30AM for me!! Totally worth it though, now off to bed with me!

 

[dobrien]

Which beers?

It changes every year, one of my buddies usually brings a nice surprise; Duvel, Leffe Blonde, usually Trappist Ale, we're not too particular, it's the idea that counts! I need a regular supplier of Jupiler just for this day so I can REALLY be legit!

 

[Rob5091]

Apart from the usual goat story, the big talking point is, who's stealing the cobblestones? Has someone got a very fancy garden path now or are they up on the dark net somewhere for "cobblestone aficionados"?

I see De Lie is still on the startlist so hope he's feeling better.

Roubaix the town -
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ocal-election-victory-bellwether-town-roubaix

...the northern French town of Roubaix – once the glory of the textile industry before decades of factory closures and unemployment made it the poorest town in mainland France.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

You guys are way too confident in the big favourites

In no other race does luck play such a big role

It's what makes Roubaix so special

I understand why you'd see it that way, but you could also argue that skill plays a bigger role here than in any other race. There's a reason why the best cobbled riders almost never crashes or punctures.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A short prerace interview with the former winner of PR, Degenkolb

View: https://youtu.be/KrdfMIIeoQw

 

[Salvarani]

MVDP and Pogacar

From 2005 to 2013 there were only two editions that Boonen or Cancellara didnt win in PR.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So today Teddy will try to win the fifth consecutive monument making history and making the forum experts the happiest people on Earth!

 

[Netserk]

@Lequack , please, add a poll.
My prediction: Van der Poel beats Pogacar in velodrome.

please never add it to the race threads

 

[KZD]

Third Pogačar vs Van der Poel battle this year, the first two were won by Pogačar so Van der Poel is under pressure to turn at least get one major win this season.

I am going with Van der Poel to win this and become the first rider ever to win 4 Paris Roubaix in a row. Very hard to see him getting dropped (bad luck aside) and in the sprint he should have the upperhand against Pogačar.

Pogačar still has a decent chance of winning though because I see him dropping everyone not named Van der Poel and then benefitting from some bad luck. If he does it, not only he will all 5 monuments but also will all 5 of them in less than 12 months which would be one of the biggest feats in the history of this sport.

I wouldn't mind Van Aert or Pedersen winning this though. Both of them have a decent chance of taking the winning if they don't get dropped which is obviously a big if.

 

[Netserk]

i hope for a slow editions with plenty of punctures and mechanicals and train crossings

 

[Krzysztof_O]

please never add it to the race threads

Why? Its better to have them in one place. I had to create a separate thread for it.

 

[Netserk]

Why? Its better to have them in one place. I had to create a separate thread for it.

separate threads are good

its annoying to have to scroll past the poll on each and every page of a long thread

 

[Netserk]

❤️❤️❤️ laporte
❤️❤️ larsen , abra
❤️ ganna , segaert , fedorov

 

[HashRouge]

I still don't see Pogacar winning today. MdvP to me is the overwhelming favourite, but unlike Flanders there are a number of other riders who could conceivably take the victory. It makes the whole race very unpredictable - I can't wait!

 

[RedheadDane]

its annoying to have to scroll past the poll on each and every page of a long thread

Why would you do that?
You know that when you click the time-stamp for when the last post was made, you'll get to the end of the last page, right?
(It's getting to the first post of the thread that can be tricky.)

 

[AmRacer]

Third Pogačar vs Van der Poel battle this year, the first two were won by Pogačar so Van der Poel is under pressure to turn at least get one major win this season.

I am going with Van der Poel to win this and become the first rider ever to win 4 Paris Roubaix in a row. Very hard to see him getting dropped (bad luck aside) and in the sprint he should have the upperhand against Pogačar.

Pogačar still has a decent chance of winning though because I see him dropping everyone not named Van der Poel and then benefitting from some bad luck. If he does it, not only he will all 5 monuments but also will all 5 of them in less than 12 months which would be one of the biggest feats in the history of this sport.

I wouldn't mind Van Aert or Pedersen winning this though. Both of them have a decent chance of taking the winning if they don't get dropped which is obviously a big if.

Whoever of those two win today, history will be made.

 

[Taxus4a]

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 understabd the point of view to add km to PR, as today they go faster and the race is shorter in time.
But anyway is a long race, I think we have to Focus at make longer mountain stages al Grand Tours. Some stages can be short, but today most of them are clearly short. Roubaix is today at a good lenght, and I dont think the role of the break should be more important. Anyway, I dont have any problem if they add 20 km more.

 

[tobydawq]

i hope for a slow editions with plenty of punctures and mechanicals and train crossings

And climate activists gluing themselves to the ground! Let's go!

 

[Netserk]

Why would you do that?
You know that when you click the time-stamp for when the last post was made, you'll get to the end of the last page, right?
(It's getting to the first post of the thread that can be tricky.)

why would i go to the next page in a live thread over and over again ?

 

[Netserk]

And climate activists gluing themselves to the ground! Let's go!

no