Question Who will win Paris Roubaix 2026?

[canina82]

Not Van der Poel as he hurt himself more than Pogi.

I think Pogi's only real luck apart from that in MSR was that no team understood the assignment on Cipressa. Ride fast and block the road (I know that those two in combination are hard to accomplish but nobody did much to prevent him from getting to the front really easily and quickly).

We will never know how bad he was but let's not assume he was more hurt than Pogacar.
For example, the eye test clearly says the opposite, even Pogacar told to his team he hit his knee really bad when he crashed.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

According to all known laws of cycling, there is no way Pogacar should be able to win Roubaix. His legs are too small to get his skinny little body over the cobbles. Pogacar, of course, will win Roubaix anyway, because Pogacar doesn't care what physics thinks is impossible.

 

[tobydawq]

We will never know how bad he was but let's not assume he was more hurt than Pogacar.
For example, the eye test clearly says the opposite, even Pogacar told to his team he hit his knee really bad when he crashed.

The eye test told me that Pogacar could ride as fast over the hills as last year and that Van der Poel couldn't.

 

[Peter von]

I vote Phillipsen, I just have this idea that he is going to win it one year because MVP slows down the front for tactical reasons and JP is dragged to the velodrome and wins the sprint.

vaguely similar to the 2024 edition of Milano-San Remo, but of cause totally different.

 

[canina82]

The eye test told me that Pogacar could ride as fast over the hills as last year and that Van der Poel couldn't.

And I can always say: "Imagine what he could do without his crash".
Despite his crash, MVP beated his time on Cipressa.

This can go both ways and I think we will never agree. My point is, Pogacar wasn't lucky in MSR and this is very obvious. Those who claim he was, are for sure his main detractors here on the forum. Unfortunately I can't write names.

 

[Berniece]

And I can always say: "Imagine what he could do without his crash".
Despite his crash, MVP beated his time on Cipressa.

This can go both ways and I think we will never agree. My point is, Pogacar wasn't lucky in MSR and this is very obvious. Those who claim he was are for sure his main detractors here on the forum. Unfortunately I can't write names.

I don't think the crash itself had much of an impact on their physical capabilities, but it changed how the race had to be approached. Instead of MVDP only having to fight his way up the Cipressa, he first had to fight his way back to the front of the peloton and then fight his way up the Cipressa. It cost him way more effort and energy, which he could've used on the Poggio.

 

[tobydawq]

And I can always say: "Imagine what he could do without his crash".
Despite his crash, MVP beated his time on Cipressa.

This can go both ways and I think we will never agree. My point is, Pogacar wasn't lucky in MSR and this is very obvious. Those who claim he was, are for sure his main detractors here on the forum. Unfortunately I can't write names.

I'm certainly not one of his main detractors, but it was quite obvious to me that the only really important factor in MSR was whether Van der Poel was on the top of his game or not. And he didn't seem like he was.

 

[canina82]

I'm certainly not one of his main detractors, but it was quite obvious to me that the only really important factor in MSR was whether Van der Poel was on the top of his game or not. And he didn't seem like he was.

For me there are 2 reasons that show he was "1% off":
1 - He went too deep in TA
2 - He didn't recover well enough after Cipressa because Pogacar went faster on the descent and MVP didn't have a guy like Ganna in front of him or 2 places in front of him. So he "ate more wind".