Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) recorded an emotional and unforgettable victory at one of the most pulsating, unpredictable and gripping editions of Paris-Roubaix in recent memory. The Belgian survived a dramatic Sunday in Hell to beat Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in a two-up sprint, after an eventful race that saw punctures for all of the pre-race favourites.

Van Aert attacked in sector 12 and moved clear with Pogačar, and the pair were never reeled back, heading into the Roubaix Velodrome with nothing to separate them. Pogačar had bounced back from two punctures and was aiming to accomplish an historic series of five consecutive Monument victories, but Van Aert proved his equal, coming back from a puncture of his own to launch the race-defining attack, and never allowing the World Champion to distance him.

Article continues below

You may like

Luck was not with the race favourites, three-time winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) puncturing on the Trouée d’Arenberg, and the ensuing drama as he tried to change bikes made for a compelling viewing experience, with a monumental chase from the Dutch superstar keeping the race outcome hanging in the balance all the way to the finish. Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-QuickStep) won the race for the podium from the chasing group, finishing in third.

Speaking immediately after his stunning victory, an emotional Van Aert said, “It means everything to me. It’s been a goal since 2018, when I first did this race, and it’s now eight years ago, and in that race I lost a teammate, Michael Goolaerts, and ever since then it’s been my goal to come here and point my finger to the sky. This victory is for Michael, but especially for his family, for all my friends and teammates in my previous team. It was a really tough day, and ever since then, in some kind of way, I was so many times unlucky in this race, but it brought me also experience, so even today, when luck was not on my side, I kept believing in it, and finally the reward is there.”

Of his experience facing for the victory against Pogačar, Van Aert added, “I did stop believing a lot of times, but the next day I always woke up and fought for it again, and honestly there’s no more beautiful way than going to the line with the World Champion, the World [Champion] says itself but he’s a true champion and he gave me such a hard time, beating him in a sprint mano-a-mano is something really special for me.

“It’s such a chaotic race, I think everybody coming to the line has their own story, and that’s why it’s so beautiful. It can be hard, but on a day like this, it’s the best race there is.”

Wout van Aert of Belgium and Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG compete in the breakaway passing through the Carrefour de l'Arbre

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leads Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) through the Carrefour de l’Arbre (Image credit: Getty Images)