Rate Paris-Roubaix 2026

[Forever The Best]

Torn between 9 and 10. I think Van Aert winning after all the injuries he went through pushes me to 10 though.

 

[Red Rick]

5 reeten.

Should be 8.5 to 9/10. Last 60 km or so were too straightforward to be a legit 10/10

 

[Netserk]

2016 , 2021 and 2022 were better

so 7 / 10

 

[Forever The Best]

2016 , 2021 and 2022 were better

so 7 / 10

I think this is very reductive for Roubaix. I don't think the worst edition was 1/10. Okay, 2024 may have been but that's it. Between 2016-2026, I wouldn't rate any of them lower than 5 with the exception of 2024 and maybe 2018. On the other hand, I wouldn't rate the best Tour of 2016-2025 a 10/10. (okay, 2022 was great but still)

 

[QueenStagiaire]

The race didn‘t play out in an amazing way, after 50k to go it was just nothing going on, but the suspense and Wout winning is just the best outcome for me so 10/10. A bit CyclistAbi this reasoning but w/e.

 

[Red Rick]

The race didn‘t play out in an amazing way, after 50k to go it was just nothing going on, but the suspense and Wout winning is just the best outcome for me so 10/10. A bit CyclistAbi this reasoning but w/e.

That's basically been eveyr Roubaix the last few years. Very aggressive and high octane middle section and prefinale, and then a comparatively tame finale

 

[Forever The Best]

The race didn‘t play out in an amazing way, after 50k to go it was just nothing going on, but the suspense and Wout winning is just the best outcome for me so 10/10. A bit CyclistAbi this reasoning but w/e.

Van der Poel group keeping close until like post Carrefour de l'Arbre was plenty of suspense. Plus Pogacar vs Van Aert aspect obviously.

 

[Netserk]

I think this is very reductive for Roubaix. I don't think the worst edition was 1/10. Okay, 2024 may have been but that's it. Between 2016-2026, I wouldn't rate any of them lower than 5 with the exception of 2024 and maybe 2018. On the other hand, I wouldn't rate the best Tour of 2016-2025 a 10/10. (okay, 2022 was great but still)

i think a good edition of a race is most naturally compared against other editions of the race . i have much higher expectations for roubaix than i have for liege

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The race had the required level of drama with perhaps a little surprise in the end. 9.

 

[Forever The Best]

i think a good edition of a race is most naturally compared against other editions of the race . i have much higher expectations for roubaix than i have for liege

Well thats fair enough. And yes, I can't remember the last great Liege edition, which is a shame. Maybe Seixas can improve it from dismal to decent.

 

[Red Rick]

i think a good edition of a race is most naturally compared against other editions of the race . i have much higher expectations for roubaix than i have for liege

In Liege all the numbers of 3 to 8 are different versions of "solo win from Redoute"

 

[Skalman]

Voted 9, it had everything and the underdog winning

 

[YavorD]

I rate it an 8.
Had a lot of drama, but some bad-timed mechanicals prevented us from a battle for the ages. I know this is Roubaix, but still having a great race mostly because of mechanicals is a bit pity for me.



Just out of curiosity, had Pogacar won would they impact the race rating? I think it shouldn't as the race is what happens for X kilometres and not who wins it, but.

 

[Forever The Best]

I rate it an 8.
Had a lot of drama, but some bad-timed mechanicals prevented us from a battle for the ages. I know this is Roubaix, but still having a great race mostly because of mechanicals is a bit pity for me.



Just out of curiosity, had Pogacar won would they impact the race rating? I think it shouldn't as the race is what happens for X kilometres and not who wins it, but.

May have probably gone for 9 but that's it. (Assuming he wins in sprint vs WvA). If he wins by dropping everyone then obviously rating would have changed based on how race changed.

I also think the sport needed this (a non Pogacar-VDP win).

 

[SpeciaaliJussi]

10. Great race and even better winner

 

[Brullnux]

Probably an 8, but it feels harsh giving it an 8 when it's the best big race I'm likely to see this year.

 

[canina82]

For sure a 10! I would prefer a Pogi win but if I take out my partial glasses, Wout is a better winner!

Regarding the race, it was pure entertainment non stop since Pogacar had a flat.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

7.5/10. It needed the Van der Poel group really getting back into contention to ascend to greatness, but the best edition since either the legendary 2021 race or the also-good-but-not-quite-great 2022 one nonetheless.

 

[Potomac]

It was one of the most exciting and drama filled PRs that I can remember. But maybe for the wrong reasons? Meaning punctures playing to large role.
But since almost all the big riders had bike change at some point, maybe it evened out a bit.
I had a great time watching.

 

[Gratemans]

Enough drama, excitement but as usual it tapered off towards the end a bit. Still, for a long time I didn't rule out VdP making it back. And playing the whole "who is actually feeling stronger, Wout or Pog?" game kept it fun.
All in all, a solid 8 for me.

 

[AmRacer]

Last edition was also an epic drama one, but this one edges the previous, I think.

 

[Tonton]

Action, bike changes added to the drama, the final showdown offered suspense, will Pogacar do it? and what a beautiful winner, after all Wout's been through, I am so happy for him.

8.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Voted 9. I think it needed a bit more suspense in the finale for me to give it 10/10, but the lead up to the finale was epic.

 

[SafeBet]

Not as epic as 2021, but certainly among the best editions I have watched.
9/10

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

This edition gets: 6.5/10 and there is nothing and no one that can convince me it should rank any higher. I love WvA but a lot of ratings are largely based on how people feel about WvA winning. In order to be a bit more objective, I developed a scoring system to rate the race. Far from perfect, but here it goes (feel free to rank every edition in the last 30-40 years according to this system, or suggest improvements!):

1. Wet/dry: dry so 0 (wet = 1);
2. Breakaway with riders lasting deep into the finale: No breakaway so 0;
3. Wind: tailwind so 0.5 (sidewind = 1, head wind = 0)
4. Bad luck / mechanics: either an uneventful number or evenly distributed / even adding to the suspense so 1 (if negatively impacting one of the riders more: 0);
5. Attacks / action: 0.5 (no attacks = 0, this race had a few but the situation was quickly locked in)
6. Favorites coming back after mechanicals: 0,5 (most came back in the group they were in but not all)
7. Crazy situations typical for the hell and entertaining for the audience: 1 (Pogs spare bike, MvdP walking)
8. Crashes taking out favorites excl. own mistakes: 1 (crash taking out favorites: 0)
9. Suspense until the end: 1 (long solo with big gap = 0)
10. A worthy winner: 1 (you could say there aren't any unworthy winners, but I beg to differ in some cases, where I would give 0.5 if they make me feel a bit indifferent, like Colbrelli sticking like glue to MvdP's wheel in 2021).

You can only get 10/10 if the roads are wet, a breakaway has riders lasting deep into the finale, there is side wind with some splits here and there, no top riders suffering from race-defining mechanicals / crashes, loads of attacks, some crazy situations, suspense until the end and a worthy winner.

This edition had a lot, but you can't give it 10/10, e.g. 2016 (8.5/10) and 2021 (8.0/10) come closer.

This edition could have risen to a potential max. of 8.5/10 if e.g. there was a breakaway (+1), some more fireworks in the front group (+0.5) and if MvdP made it back to the front of the race (+0.5), and that would have been the maximum, given that the wind and weather is not controllable. So all in all a 6.5 is a pretty good score. I'm sure some editions (long solos mainly) will get a 4 or 5/10 according to this system.