Paris-Roubaix 2026, one day monument, April 12

[Tim Cahill]

Flanders 2022, Amstel 2025.

The desire for Van Aert to win is blinding people, framing this sprint as if Pogacar were Cavendish and Van Aert were Landa.

Amstel was 3-up, Flanders has already been mentioned, he came 4th so it isn't classified as a sprint à deux

 

[Pippo_San]

Really gutted for Mathieu. Still the ride of the day.

 

[Netserk]

Nobody can possibly think its better to have 2 in a group of 8 or so, 1 of whom is Pedersen, than 1 in a group of 2.

pedersen cant sprint now . see him in e3

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

It's also true that Van Aert has messed up a LOT of small group sprints.

I'd say it's 65-35 Van Aert.

Pogacar looks as coocked as he saw in last year's Amstel. He lost that sprint.

 

[bah]

We've seen the movie over and over against Van der Poel. Aside from the epic fail against Powless last year, how often has he lost a big classic in a sprint against someone who was clearly slower on paper?

Lost to Evenepoel last year.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

pedersen cant sprint now . see him in e3

Did you also see him in Sanremo?

 

[Didinho]

Rooting for G2 for once.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Lost to Evenepoel last year.

That was a pretty significantly uphill sprint.

 

[KoopaCycling]

12 monuments apparantly since anyone not named Pogacar or MVDP won a monument.
Let's go Van Aert, hoping you end that streak

 

[Red Rick]

We've seen the movie over and over against Van der Poel. Aside from the epic fail against Powless last year, how often has he lost a big classic in a sprint against someone who was clearly slower on paper?

Yeah I've thought for a while now that Pogacar's flat sprint against the big guys is pretty overrated.

 

[Salvarani]

Is the timing really correct?

 

[Brullnux]

Pogacar looks as coocked as he saw in last year's Amstel. He lost that sprint.

It's true, but Van Aert's finishing ability is always a bit dodgy. He's the favourite, but it's understandable to be a bit nervous.

 

[KoopaCycling]

uphill road coming up

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Lost to Evenepoel last year.

after an uphill effort... Not the same as this.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Van Aert will still find a way to loose this.

He looked very good on decisive cobbles, should have enough in tank for a good sprint. The guy won on Champs Elysees while Teddy can smash petite climbers

 

[Hugh Januss]

And bang goes PCS!

 

[Boehmand]

Incidentally, when was the last time a rider was the reigning champion of all 5 monuments simultaneously?

That happens if Pogacar wins.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Lost to Evenepoel last year.

Van Aert was coocked that race, today looks better.

 

[Red Rick]

Incidentally, when was the last time a rider was the reigning champion of all 5 monuments simultaneously?

That happens if Pogacar wins.

Never.

 

[Poursuivant]

Not guaranteed it’s going to be a two up if they start looking at each other.

 

[Rackham]

Smallest gaps in Roubaix in years. Probably (so far) the most human Pog has looked for a while as well. It's not just relative Van Aert, it's the large group close behind too.

 

[KoopaCycling]

so many second places for van aert already, i want him to win this one. pogacar will win plenty still this year anyways

 

[Gigs_98]

Will Pogacar attack on the small hill in Roubaix?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

And bang goes PCS!

PR sucks in lost of fans....

 

[Boehmand]

This is the first time I've seen Pogacar so tired since Amstel. If Skjelmose beat him in the sprint because he was coocked, Van Aert should beat him more easily.

But WvA looks cooked too