Pogacar ‘motivated’ for Paris–Roubaix after Tour of Flanders victory
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Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) said his sparse schedule adds more “pressure” to win ahead of Paris-Roubaix, after the world champion won the Tour of Flanders for a third time.Pogacar’s narrow victory over Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) at Milano-Sanremo in March means Paris-Roubaix is now the only Monument that the Slovenian has not won and while he has only raced three days in 2026, he has claimed prestigious titles on each of them, having kicked off his season by triumphing in Strade Bianche.Pogacar is set to return to Paris-Roubaix next Sunday, April 12, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, yet with the flatter parcours favouring heavier riders, TNT experts Sean Kelly and Matt Stephens questioned whether the world champion can overcome the disadvantage of his lean frame while the rider himself said he just wants to enjoy the race.
”I do not race too much so when I race there is pressure to win and so far everything went perfect for me, I can be more than happy,” Pogacar said in his post-race interview.
”Coming next week to Roubaix I can go motivated and try to enjoy the cobbles.”
Among the riders trying to stop him on the road to Roubaix is Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), who will be hungrier than ever to deny Pogacar having finished second to him once again in the Tour of Flanders.
Pogacar made his Paris-Roubaix debut last year but was no match for Van der Poel, crashing with 38 kilometres to go and eventually finishing 1’18” behind the Dutchman who claimed his third cobblestone.
Highlights: Pogacar drops one rival after another to reclaim Tour of Flanders crown
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Three of the first four superstars beaten by Pogacar in Flanders – Van der Poel, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) – are all at least 10 kilogram heavier than Pogacar who weighs 66kg, and all three are starting Paris-Roubaix alongside fellow contenders Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Britain’s Matthew Brennan (Visma).
”You level the playing field a bit and especially when you throw the likes of Filippo Ganna in the mix, essentially the top five riders today except Remco [Evenepoel, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe], take Remco out put Ganna in, they are the riders that can win this bike race,” Stephens said.
”It is going to suit the bigger riders, the heavier riders, it is a bit more about absolute power and Tadej does not have the same top-end as those bigger riders, that is why he has to go on the climbs.
”So it will be more of a leveller and I think technically as well, as we saw last year Tadej did not exactly throw it away but he was outclassed in terms of technique and on the complete flat roads he was outgunned, outpowered by Van der Poel.
“I think they are very close in form, next week is going to be very very exciting, I just think it will be a much closer affair.”
Few riders can testify to the differences between the two races of Holy Week better than Kelly, as the Tour of Flanders was the only Monument he failed to win in his illustrious career despite three second-place finishes, while he twice triumphed in the ‘Hell of the North’.
‘Don’t anger the beast!’ – Evenepoel dropped on Paterberg as Pogacar and Van der Poel pull clear
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”I think Mathieu van der Poel,” Kelly said when asked to predict the 2026 Paris-Roubaix winner. ”It is a different animal again. Tactics is a big thing, how to ride on the cobbles, where to ride and you don’t have those killer climbs with cobblestones.
”It is not huge power output, it is gradual power over all the cobble sections and that is where a lot more riders are going to be into the equation. And for Tadej to get rid of all those riders that is going to be clinging onto his wheel like a blanket, that is a difficult one.”
Kelly’s hat-trick of near misses means only three riders have completed a clean sweep of the Monuments in their careers – Belgians Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck and Rik Van Looy – a club Pogacar will hope to join on Sunday.
Stream the 2026 cycling season, including the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.