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Keeping on the power for over five and a half hours takes a serious amount of calories
the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix are some of the most energy-intensive of the season
Only Liège-Bastogne-Liège can be considered in the same league for energy expenditure
courtesy of its ridiculous elevation profile. 
the 2025 edition of Paris-Roubaix was a little shorter than in previous years
but with a winning time of just over five and a half hours
it was still by no means a short day in the saddle. 
riders faced about an hour less of racing before hitting the first sector of cobbles
This means that the relative intensity of Roubaix is likely slightly higher than Flanders
with fewer kilometres of ‘easy’ riding before the intensity ramps up as the fight for position begins
Ahead of the race's start, I got up close and personal with Van der Poel’s Canyon Aeroad CFR and got a glimpse at the defending Roubaix winner’s fuelling strategy. This revealed <a href="https://escapecollective.com/the-pros-are-eating-more-carbs-on-the-bike-than-ever-should-you/" rel="noreferrer">just how energy-intensive</a> the Queen of the Classics is if you have your eyes on victory.&nbsp;
Van der Poel’s stem-mounted fueling strategy used icons for solid foods
and liquids; those icons were colour-coded
and exactly what each colour denotes is open to debate
by applying some general assumptions based on the team's nutrition sponsor
we can at least get close to working out what the former world champion consumed on his way to a third successive victory at The Hell of the North.&nbsp;
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Former champ Alison Jackson leads EF Education-Oatly onto the cobbles; Kasper Asgreen returns for our men’s squad
It’s time for the grand finale of the cobbled classics: Paris-Roubaix
<a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://www.instagram.com/amisdeparisroubaix/">Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix</a> have laid their final cobbles into the French dirt and set their goats onto the course to trim the last blades of grass from between the stones
The forecast predicts dust for the women’s race on Saturday and mud for the men on Sunday
Roubaix is always going to be one of the hardest
That is what our riders love about it: you have to be a badass to even get to the finish
Alison Jackson knows a thing or two about how to win Paris-Roubaix
Back in 2023, the Canadian <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="/videos/alison-wins-paris-roubaix-femmes-what-or-paris-roubaix-femmes-or-racetv-or-ef-education-tibco-svb/">danced on the infield of the Roubaix velodrome to celebrate her sprint win</a> after a huge effort to drive the break across the cobbled sectors
It was a life-defining moment for the Canadian Olympian
“It just confirmed for me that I was in the right place at the right time
“The biggest difference for me was with my family
that I was a really good farm operator and I could drive the tractor really well
And then I won Paris-Roubaix and honestly his story has changed to be
‘Alison won the Paris-Roubaix in 2023.’ It is something that&#x27;s gone beyond my cycling world and become something that my whole family is proud of
Those character qualities are cool to be associated with
I think that&#x27;s what makes it special.”
Kasper Asgreen will make his comeback to the peloton for Sunday’s race. The Danish classics veteran was <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="/racing/kasper-asgreen-misses-spring-classics-fatigue-illness-2025/">forced to miss the cobbled races leading up to Roubaix due to illness</a>
but his recovery has gone better than expected
Kasper feels good again on the bike and wanted to come to France to pin a number on his back and lend his strength and experience to his teammates
“It’s been a few weeks now of getting easing back into training
I&#x27;ve added a bit more intensity,” Kasper says
but I&#x27;m really happy that I can still go and not miss out on the classics entirely
I am going to smash around on the cobblestones  and support the guys for as long as I can
Colby just came up from the devo team and I hope I can give him some good advice
The guys did some amazing races the last couple of weeks
 Roubaix is a race course like no other in the sport
It requires something really special from the whole team
from the rider to the mechanics to the staff at the side of the road supporting us and the preparation that our sport directors have to do
Everybody has to put in that extra effort to make the race work
And Roubaix is always a race where surprises can happen
where somebody pulls something out of the hat
Madis Mihkels wants to be the rider who does
Madis raced to tenth at Roubaix and this year he wants to do better
“Paris-Roubaix is absolutely my favorite classic
And it is the one that suits me the best,” Madis says
in your wrists; your whole body is in pain
but  if you don&#x27;t have too much bad luck and you can race in front
the cobbles don’t even feel that tough anymore.”
Alex remembers watching Roubaix back home in Alberta
“I was watching at home in Canada,” Alex says
“Alison was in the break and the favorites were chasing behind
She did all of it herself and then pulled off the sprint in the end
It was super cool because people who knew nothing about my sport would come up to me and be like
‘I saw on the news that Alison won this huge race.’ It was pretty big where I&#x27;m from
especially because she&#x27;s Albertan as well
It feels really cool to just be able to start the race
I want  make a difference early on and help the team
but selfishly I would like to make it to the velodrome
Just to make it to the finish would be pretty cool.” 
Every rider who starts Paris-Roubaix wants to make it to the velodrome and ride onto its silky surface after racing hard over the stones
wearing the number one and not racing for the win anymore
but with all the fans packing out that stadium
it&#x27;s pretty special getting to ride into the velodrome after all of the chaos
 I&#x27;m going to tell Alex that you have to be really aggressive in this race and force yourself to the front
but then notice the atmosphere and how much the people love it and all the dirt
You&#x27;ll get rattled and it will feel nuts
That&#x27;s the love-hate relationship with Roubaix
It&#x27;s so hard when you&#x27;re doing it
‘I&#x27;ll never do it again.’ But really you&#x27;re thinking
Roster update: Vincenzo Albanese will replace Alastair MacKellar, who is out <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://x.com/EFprocycling/status/1910355072350847252">due to a concussion</a>
His ambitions were first sparked when he went to watch the Tour Down Under as a child. His dad was a cyclist and would take Alastair and his mates to see the race from the roadside. As soon as he saw the peloton race past, Alastair knew that was where he wanted to be.
All of the work he has put in to make his dream come true has now paid off.
For his first WorldTour season, Alastair is going to focus on controlling what he can control and making the most of every chance he gets. Long term, Alastair’s great ambition is to race the Tour de France. He would also love to close the circle and compete in the WorldTour peloton at the Tour Down Under.
He still spends his winters in Australia, hanging out on the beach and rallying cars with his mates. Before the end of the Aussie summer, he’ll head back to Europe, where he now lives, just outside of Nice, France, where he has found beautiful mountain roads to ride, a great group of training buddies, and lots of sun and sea. It’s a great place for Alastair to unwind and get ready to throw himself into all of the WorldTour action.
That is what Alastair is going to do in his rookie season.
</a><a class="featured-item__image" aria-label="Alison Jackson" href="/our-team/alison-jackson/"></a>Alison JacksonYou’ve seen her dancing on social media, on the podium, and everywhere in between. Alison’s love of movement, whether it’s dancing, riding, or being outdoors, is infectious.
Alison earned the biggest win of her career to date in 2023 when she won Paris-Roubaix from a breakaway that she kept alive from the race’s early kilometers. She followed it up the next month by winning that year’s Canadian road race national championships in her native Alberta. Alison is a two-time Olympian and has raced ten times in the world championships, including a sixth place finish in 2021.
In 2024, she won a stage at the Vuelta, rode a strong Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for her teammates, and competed for Canada in the Olympic Games. Just as important as her results was the leadership that she showed on the road.
For Alison, winning is important, but it doesn’t matter to her whether she’s atop the podium or if it’s one of her teammates. She’s more interested in making a difference in each race and contributing to the best result possible for the team.
</a><a class="featured-item__image" aria-label="Jack Rootkin-Gray" href="/our-team/jack-rootkin-gray/"></a>Jack Rootkin-GrayJack Rootkin-Gray decided he wanted to become a professional cyclist when he was seven. The determined young Brit made his WorldTour debut in 2024 and got stuck into his first year with the pros, racing everywhere from Australia to Belgium to China.
Jack brings talent, grit, and pure racing instinct to our team. He had to stick to his line to make it to the pros. He won three races in his final year as an amateur and finished fourth at the U23 world championships. Just a few years before, he was ready to give up the sport and take up a spot at the London School of Economics.
A trip to Belgium to race kermesses with some friends when he was 15 got him even more excited about cycling. Riding around tidy parks in England was one thing. Rattling over cobbles at 200 heart beats per minute, chopping corners through corn and wheat fields, and outwitting his wiliest rivals from winning breaks—that was bike racing! And Jack was good at it. He was pretty good at riding around in circles on wooden boards too, but the track didn’t get his heart racing like road racing did.
Jack earned his WorldTour chance with his exploits on the road. He returned to racing with new fire. He trained smart and raced hard every chance he got and racked up an impressive tally of results, both at home and around Europe. His ride in Glasgow, on that formidable world championship circuit, proved that he was one of the best U23 riders in the world. Going forward, Jack still doesn’t know what kind of pro he is going to be.
Long term, he wants to be competitive in the classics, and throw down with the best riders in the world when the hardest, most tactical races of the season are being decided. He’ll keep trying to get better. He’s going to make sure he enjoys the process too.
That’s how Kasper loves to race, too – when the peloton explodes, and he has to make split-second decisions on the fly, pick his moment to go, and then ride with everything he has got to the line, he comes into his own. That’s why he loves the spring classics. Kasper can’t wait to lead his new teammates onto the cobbles at races like Flanders and Roubaix.
He learned how to race when he was a kid in Denmark, where he started out riding for the local club in Kolding, the small university city where he now lives with his wife and which he will always call home. Before he took up cycling, Kasper rode horses. From the age of four, he competed in dressage. He still draws on his childhood equestrian experience now as a pro bike racer. It taught him discipline: the value of showing up and putting in the work no matter what.
Bike racing was tough for him at first. Kasper didn’t win a race for his first three years. He loved the sport nonetheless and was soon making fast progress. Now, he is one of the best one-day racers in the world. 
Still, Kasper’s love of the sport is what drives him. Being a pro comes with pressures and hard times, but he knows that it is a privilege to be a bike racer. He races better when he is enjoying the sport, and he enjoys the sport most on a winning team.
Madis honed his speed on the BMX track, where he raced until he was 15. He&#x27;s always been an athlete. He started competitive swimming at four years old and did all kinds of sports when he was a kid. He was pretty good at them all, but it was on a bike that he started to dream of being great.
</a><a class="featured-item__image" aria-label="Max Walker" href="/our-team/max-walker/"></a>Max WalkerMax Walker is raring to go for his first pro season with EF Education-EasyPost. The soft-spoken 23-year-old from the Isle of Man pushed hard to earn his spot on our team. Second in the British national time trial championships last summer, and third in the corresponding road race a few days later, he caught our scouts’ eyes. 
They saw a versatile talent, who had already shown that he has what it takes to go up against the pros. Max raced the Volta ao Algarve last February, rubbing shoulders with WorldTour riders in his first pro-level stage race, before going on to win two stages in the Tour of Japan, a stage victory in the Sibiu Cycling Tour, and securing his two podium places at the British nationals.
This year, Max wants to continue to develop as a racer. He is set to become a key rider for us in the classics and a valuable teammate in stage races. He also wants to hone his time trial skills.
Long term, Max’s great dream is to ride the Tour. He got into the sport at Dot Tilbury’s racing league on the Isle of Man when he was a child and heard all of the stories of Manx legends like Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh racing in the big leagues; the Tour is the biggest race of them all.
To get there, Max has moved to Europe to be closer to his teammates. He is already great friends with our Girona crew and riders who live in Andorra and is looking forward to lots of rides with them in the sun. It’s another journey for the British rider but one that he thinks will help him flourish within the team.
Lidl-Trek Future Racing came to Paris-Roubaix with a plan in mind
A massive crash in the opening phase disrupted the race and claimed Hector Alvarez
who unfortunately broke his elbow and was taken to hospital
Albert Withen Philipsen was also caught in the chaos and needed a bike change
The 18-year-old Dane had to dig deep to rejoin the peloton
Withen Philipsen launched his first attack
then jumped across to form a powerful duo at the front
Together they powered through the final kilometers and entered the legendary Roubaix velodrome side by side
but the image of him and Söderqvist finishing arm in arm will stay with them and with us for a long time
With Withen Philipsen’s victory in Roubaix
he inherits the cobblestone trophy from teammate Tim Torn Teutenberg
and Lidl-Trek Future Racing’s record in the Hell of the North remains perfect
I didn&#8217;t really think about last year&#8217;s result
I think it&#8217;s special to win a race like this but it&#8217;s even more special to be able to share the experience with a teammate
Jakob is an amazing guy and to share this victory with him
so he was able to bridge the gap alone and then we were just riding together until the end
We didn&#8217;t really talk much about who was going to win
we just rode together and then whoever got it
“I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve decided which kind of rider I want to be yet
I still want to explore some different races and see how my body develops and then I will take it there in the future
“I think I&#8217;m the person that puts the most pressure on myself so I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s really that big of a problem and the Team is super supportive and they don&#8217;t really push me to do anything so
I&#8217;ve been feeling super comfortable in this first period of the year
I think everybody hopes so [that I could become a world champion] but I don&#8217;t really want to compare myself with other riders
I just want to be myself and see where that takes me.”
Jakob Soderqvist: “We were confident the days before this race and this is something we maybe thought at night yesterday
you don&#8217;t really want to take anything out before it&#8217;s done
I will remember this for the rest of my life
“I wanted to share the moment [coming into the velodrome together and crossing the finish line hand in hand]
and he always made it up to me in the right moment and I think he was the strongest today
“It&#8217;s something big to be on the podium here
and it&#8217;s something I wanted to prove to myself I could do
because these one-day Classics are something different from normal stage racing
I wanted to show myself that if I just focus on one day
I knew that I could be good enough to win today
and what me and Albert showed today was just
I think this is a race that can suit me in the future too.”
The Dane suffered a setback with an unlucky puncture in the thick of the action but his never give up attitude saw him ride a determined race to make it back up into a podium position
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot delivered a masterpiece on the cobbles of northern France
soloing to victory at Paris-Roubaix Femmes&nbsp;and claiming the first-ever French win in the history of the women’s race
The 32-year-old Team Visma - Lease a Bike rider attacked with 25 kilometers to go and never looked back
dancing across the pavé with power and poise
after a dominant ride that adds another milestone to her glittering multi-discipline career
Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly) took a surprise but well-deserved second place after a gutsy ride through the closing sectors
European champion Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx – Protime) edged out Marianne Vos in a photo finish for third
was active early but ultimately ran out of legs
She did what she could for teammate Wiebes before sitting up with three kilometers to go
The 148.5-kilometer race delivered its usual mix of chaos and brilliance
The world and Olympic mountain bike champion is officially back on the road—and now she’s conquered the Hell of the North
The Queen of the Cobblestones reigns in Roubaix
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Filippo Ganna put in a gutsy performance to lead the team home in 13th place at Paris-Roubaix
The Italian battled hard to come back from early issues on the cobbles
before finishing as part of a chasing group at The Hell of the North
Josh Tarling was another rider who rebounded from a puncture to fight his way into the lead group following the Arenberg
The Welshman once again showed great promise on the cobbles but would slip back late on
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Decuninck) claimed a third victory in a row in the Roubaix Velodrome
leading home Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) following another exciting battle between the duo
Van der Poel was able to solo to the finish for the final 38 kilometres after Pogacar crashed briefly on the entry to a corner
Kim Heiduk did a great job to ride his way into the race’s initial eight-man breakaway
giving the team an extra tactical card to play up the road
Heading into the opening cobbled sector the team were brilliantly placed
with Ganna forced to stop and change his bike following an issue
Connor Swift was also taken out of contention early
with Ganna joined by Ben Turner and Ben Swift in a chasing group
Tarling also punctured following sector 29
and eventually slotted back into the same group to help his teammates overcome a gap of one minute
bringing the groups back together after Sam Watson had held his own well up front
The Arenberg proved to be a decisive factor
Prior to the five-star sector Heiduk dropped out of the break to help position Tarling
and Tarling was able to weather a storm of accelerations from the likes of Van der Poel and Pogacar again following the Arenberg
The Welshman would ultimately slip out of the chasing group ahead of the finale phase of the race
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but not before pulling out the fastest ever time in the Arenberg Forest
<a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/Mathieu-van-der-Poel" data-afl-p="0">Mathieu van der Poel</a> and Tadej Pogačar are in the midst of creating an all-time monument rivalry
They have won eight Monuments – each – throughout their careers
and there are no signs that they’re slowing down soon
Pogačar wasn’t even supposed to start this year’s Paris-Roubaix
It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that it was officially announced the world champion would take part in his first Roubaix
Could he will his 65 kg frame over the cobbles and defeat the 80 kg classics men
As the peloton entered the first cobblestone sector at Troisvilles, guess who was at the front of the group — Tadej Pogačar.  Over the next 160 km, Pogačar and MvdP battled amongst the others, and oftentimes battled with themselves on their way to the Roubaix Velodrome. This is the Power Analysis recap of <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/Paris-Roubaix" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a>
Alpecin-Deceuninck dominated Paris-Roubaix from the first cobblestone sector
it was a mix of Ineos Grenadiers and Lidl-Trek who came to the front first
An early breakaway of eight had gotten away at the beginning of the race
Jonas Rutsch and Markus Hoelgaard were two of the strongest riders in the breakaway
with Rutch having finished 11th in the 2021 edition of Roubaix
You might expect crashes to happen on the jagged
but there were actually a number of crashes before the peloton even began riding over cobblestones
These crashes included big names like Wout van Aert
but the other two Belgians made it back to the chase group by the first cobblestone sector
And that’s when we saw race favorite Filippo Ganna suffering a mechanical in the first few pedal strokes of the sector
this is the story of Paris-Roubaix for so many riders
You can be having the perfect race — positioned perfectly
flying across the cobblestones — and then one pointy rock splits your tire open
We will see this pop up again and again during Paris-Roubaix
riders began anticipating in order to get ahead of the chaos
And we’re not talking about third-tier favorites here
we are talking about attacks from Mads Pedersen
and then it was Pogačar who countered on the Haveluy cobble sector
while Van Aert and most of the peloton were being left behind
but this was one of the hardest moments in the race
Pogačar – Attacking before the Trouée d’Arenberg
Pogačar attacked again on the Trouée d’Arenberg
catching remnants of the early breakaway and creating a split that contained Van der Poel and Pedersen
having to chase back with Philipsen on his wheel
The Trouée d’Arenberg is always a decisive moment in Roubaix
Most of the gaps created here would never come back together
Van Aert and Philipsen were two of the few who made it back to the front group
but then you have to wonder how many matches they burned while chasing MvdP and Pogačar
Pogačar’s time of 3:04 is the fastest time ever set on the Trouée d’Arenberg in Paris-Roubaix
and that includes many years where the sector included a downhill run-in at over 60 kph
Fun fact: 17th place on the all-time Strava KOM leaderboard is Marc Madiot who somehow uploaded <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/13749790574/analysis" data-afl-p="0">his file from the 1985 Paris-Roubaix</a>
Madiot won the race by almost two minutes with a finishing time of seven hours and 21 minutes
Van der Poel counter-attacked after Arenberg
nearly going solo on a section of smooth pavement
The wind was coming from the left hand side of the road
and as the camera panned behind the Dutchman
you could see Pogačar grimacing in the crosswind
there were only five riders left at the front of the race: Van der Poel
The world champion nearly crashed into his own team car as it rounded a corner
but this was a turning point in the race for Pogačar
He looked much stronger after that shot from the car
and that’s when the gap to the chase group started expanding
Pogačar’s next attack came on Sector 15: Hornaing
one of the longest cobble sectors of the race at 3.7 km
but the Dane punctured coming around a left hand corner
and this moment completely changed the race
there were two Alpecin-Deceuninck riders versus Pogačar at the front of the race
Van der Poel and Pogačar traded attacks on the next few sectors
but it was the world champion’s dig on Mons-en-Pévèle that split the front group
Philipsen went out the back on the five-star sector
and Pogačar continued to push the pace to solidify the gap
we can expect Van der Poel’s raw power to be slightly higher than Pogačar’s
though the Slovenian will have a much higher ratio of watts per kilo
The World Champion was flying across the cobbles
Pogačar was going so fast that it was amazing to watch MVDP hold his wheel
He was going fast…too fast…and now he’s slamming on the brakes…his rear wheel is skidding
falling into the grass after overshooting the corner
but his chain had fallen off and he needed a spare bike
the gap to Van der Poel was more than 20 seconds
Van der Poel rode solo to his third consecutive Paris-Roubaix victory
Pogačar brought the gap down to 12 seconds at one point
but Van der Poel was able to accelerate again to extend the gap
both Pogačar and Van der Poel were truly suffering
clearly in pain after hours of effort and relentless cobblestones
It looked like they were running on empty; but they were actually gaining time on the chase groups
While it may not look like much on the television screen
it’s important to put in perspective just how fast these riders were going
Van der Poel won this year’s Paris-Roubaix in five hours and 31 minutes at an average speed of 46.9 kph
That included 27 cobblestone sectors and hundreds of kilometers of crosswind on the way to the Velodrome
while Pedersen rounded out the podium two minutes and 11 seconds behind MvdP
What was left of the peloton (all of 12 riders) finished nearly five minutes behind Van der Poel
We are seeing these races open earlier and earlier every year
You have to start watching at 200 km to go to catch all of the action
In the final 30-odd kilometers, both Van der Poel and Pogačar had a bike change due to mechanicals. We know that Van der Poel didn’t grab his bike computer when he switched onto the spare bike, and we’re not just if Pogačar did either. <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/no-radio-no-power-meter-no-problem-mishaps-cant-foil-mathieu-van-der-poel-at-paris-roubaix/" data-afl-p="0">Van der Poel rode the finale without a power meter and without a radio</a>
and it’s likely that Pogačar was riding on feel as well
and still with 30+ minutes of effort to come
both Van der Poel and Pogačar finished strong to maintain their gaps to the chasers
While Pogačar’s bike was on top of the car
we know that he rode the final ~36 km at nearly 45 kph an hour
and Van der Poel was nearly a minute faster
Power Analysis data courtesy of <a href="http://strava.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Strava</a>
Strava <a href="https://saucellc.io/?gclid=CjwKCAiAm-2BBhANEiwAe7eyFNHmsUs00UiD4Bztvv1wH6t6cvlv9IRgWDmWkVlylWUyXZ7T0RVuFxoCCc0QAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">sauce</a> extension 
What’s it like to be an American cyclist living in France
Watch to get professional road cyclist Joe Dombrowski’s view
Picture by REUTERS/Pascal RossignolBy Ockert de Villiers<a href="https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/mathieu-van-der-poel" target="_blank">Mathieu van der Poel</a> conquered the gruelling Paris-Roubaix for a third consecutive time on Sunday (13 April)
<a href="https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/tadej-pogacar" target="_blank">Tadej Pogačar</a> gave valiant chase
but could not deny the Dutch star who became the first man to win three in a row since Italian great Francesco Moser (1978-80)
Octave Lapize (1909-11) is the only other rider to achieve the feat
The French cobbled classic - also known as the &#x27;Hell of the North&#x27; - delivered a good dollop of drama and excitement with race debutant Pogačar crashing with 38km to go after he matched van der Poel’s every pedal stroke
but van der Poel was able to build a meaningful advantage as they navigated the narrow cobblestones on the way to the Roubaix Velodrome
Van der Poel gained confidence and extended his advantage on chasing road race world champion Pogačar who had to change bikes due to a front-tyre puncture
Then it was van der Poel’s turn to suffer a rear-tyre puncture
but a swift bike swap left him more than a minute in front
And he retained that advantage at the finish
winning by 78 seconds after just over five and a half hours in the saddle
🥇&quot;,&quot;event&quot;:null,&quot;destination_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;entry_point_tag&quot;:&quot;base&quot;,&quot;entry_point_type&quot;:&quot;instory_campaign&quot;}" data-tracking="click" href="https://www.olympics.com/en/sign-in?entry_point_type=instory_campaign&amp;entry_point_tag=base&amp;template=base&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Folympics.com%2Fen%2Folympic-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports &amp; Original Series - join now
The cycling excitement continues this weekend on <a class="Link" href="https://www.peacocktv.com/sports/cycling?cid=2101sportscyclingsymedi1952&amp;utm_campaign=2101sportscycling&amp;utm_source=nbcsports&amp;utm_medium=sym_editorial_seoopt_subnav&amp;utm_term=nbcsportsseo&amp;utm_content=cycling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peacock</a> and CNBC with Paris-Roubaix 2025
It kicks off with the Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday
followed by the men’s race on Sunday at 5:05 AM ET
aims to defend her 2024 title and make history as the first female cyclist to win both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the same year
looks to add another victory to his resume
but he faces fierce competition from Tadej Pogacar
the three-time and reigning Tour de France winner
See below for everything you need to know about Paris-Roubaix 2025
and details on how to watch cycling on Peacock
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The Paris-Roubaix Femmes will take place on Saturday
The Paris-Roubaix race begins in Compiègne and concludes in Roubaix. <a class="Link" href="https://www.paris-roubaix.fr/en/stage-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to see the official route map</a>
The total distance is 259.2 kilometers (approximately 161 miles)
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel earned his second consecutive Paris-Roubaix victory last year
Relive the final moments of the 2024 Paris-Roubaix below:
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RELATED: <a class="Link" href="https://www.nbcsports.com/news/pogacar-wins-tour-of-flanders-with-another-solo-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pogacar wins Tour of Flanders with another solo attack</a>
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celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix
approaches the finish line on her own to win the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix
lifts the cobblestone trophy while second placed Tadej Pogacar
on the podium of the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix
pass behind after he winning the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix
pose on the podium of the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in Roubaix
France (AP) — Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel benefited from Tadej Pogačar’s late crash on Sunday to win the Paris-Roubaix race for the third straight year
Pogačar’s debut appearance at the one-day classic saw him seeking to become the first Tour de France champion to win it since Bernard Hinault in 1981
The 259.2-kilometer (161-mile) race is called “The Hell of the North” because of its numerous cobblestone sections and reputation for crashes
Pogačar found that out with 38 kilometers to go
The 26-year-old Slovenian was neck-and-neck with Van der Poel when he misjudged a turn on a cobblestone section and went into the crash barriers
his chain came off and he had to change bikes
when he picked up a puncture with 20 kilometers to go
The grueling race is one of the five “monuments” in one-day cycling along with Liège–Bastogne–Liège
who raised his bike in the air in celebration
I just had to go for it,” Van der Poel said
“I’m just happy I found my good legs again
We know what an incredible champion Tadej is.”
Although Van der Poel had a puncture with 16 kilometers left
he changed bikes without losing much time and entered the Roubaix velodrome all alone
He bowed his head and then raised three fingers when he crossed the finish line in 5 hours
Pogačar got a loud ovation and waved to the crowd when he finished second
Danish rider Mads Pedersen took third place after a three-way sprint to the line
Sunday’s race had been billed as a showdown between two of the greatest cyclists of the modern era: the versatile and tactically shrewd Pogačar versus the super-fast and powerful Van der Poel
Philipsen was then dropped as the pace increased
but Pogačar’s inexperience on the cobbles showed when he entered a turn too fast and ultimately lost the race
“The speed was super-high and he missed the turn a bit,” Van der Poel said
“It was the two of us going into the Velodrome if he didn’t make the mistake
I think it would have been very difficult to drop him.”
Pogačar has won three Tour de France titles and one Giro d’Italia and is notoriously hard to beat
But this time he could not overcome his setback
Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot celebrates the first French Paris-Roubaix victory in over three decades
Mathieu van der Poel is now unmatched as the cobbles king of the 2020s
Two years on from their Paris-Roubaix Femmes victory
Letizia Borghesi delivered another podium for EF
Mads Pedersen leads the chase after puncturing out of the lead group
Two races delivered two long-range solo rides to victory at Paris-Roubaix 2025
Wout van Aert battled to fourth place but wasn't in contention for the big win
and many more even before the cobbles began
not all the fans at Paris-Roubaix respected the race and its winner on Sunday
Digesting all the action from the 2025 editions of the biggest Classic on the calendar
the roads of northern France were back to normal
and all the accoutrements that signified the presence of the biggest one-day race in professional cycling were packed away
The thousands of fans who had packed the roadside for <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/">Paris-Roubaix Femmes</a> and the men's <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a> have travelled home
the colourful signs which transformed 30 strips of cobbled farm roads in the Nord d&eacute;partement into the famous sectors are gone
and the post-industrial city of Roubaix has fallen quiet for another year
but the memories remain following a weekend packed with action on those legendary cobbled sectors
while plenty of the 312 starters will bear the scars of their brutal day on the bike
dusty cobbles of this year's Paris-Roubaix may not quite have matched Sergio Leone's epic Western for brutality
we've sorted the main talking points of the weekend into The Good
Read on for our look back at the action from the Queen of the Classics
French cycling fans had been enduring a lengthy drought at Paris-Roubaix; Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Guesdon's triumph in 1997 was the most recent French victor before this weekend
it's a drought that doesn't look likely to be broken anytime soon
this year racing her fullest road campaign since 2018
wasn't even supposed to be racing the Queen of the Classics following a crash and ankle infection suffered at Strade Bianche
she revealed she only finished her course of antibiotics on Wednesday
later deciding "to ride to try to help Marianne Vos to play a team tactic."
with Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot jumping clear after the Cysoing &agrave; Bourghelles sector
"I wasn't even thinking about winning the race," she said
Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot is far from an unknown racer or breakaway underdog
but her victory was still somewhat unexpected
Few other French riders were in with a shout
while the wait for a home triumph in the men's race continues
TotalEnergies neo-pro Florian Dauphin was France's best finisher on Sunday
you don't even know where you're going," the 26-year-old told L'Equipe after the race
The Dutchman is firmly among the ranks of Merckx
Already tied for the most Tour of Flanders wins in history and one off the record total of Roubaix victories
he looks odds-on to take the outright records at both races before his career is up
Van der Poel went into the race as the top favourite to take a third win in a row
looking assured and in charge all race long
Despite later admitting that his shape wasn't as brilliant as last spring
he was clearly the strongest man in the race
Perhaps his only misstep was getting caught behind a puncturing Mads Pedersen when Tadej Poga&#269;ar attacked on the Tilloy &agrave; Sars-et-Rosi&egrave;res sector
the ease with which he glided across to the Slovenian proved his strength
As Van der Poel celebrated a sixth Flanders/Roubaix title
his longtime cyclocross adversary Wout van Aert sprinted home for fourth place
That mooted cobbled rivalry may not have lived up to those legendary matchups of the past &ndash; such as those of Merckx vs De Vlaeminck
and Boonen vs Cancellara &ndash; but Van der Poel vs Poga&#269;ar could well join that list
The world champion looks to be slightly better suited to Flanders
and he ran Van der Poel closest on Sunday before his cornering mistake and crash out of contention
With much of the pre-race analysis and punditry surrounding star-filled teams such as SD Worx-Protime
few gave up much time analysing the US team's chances at more cobbled glory
But come the end of the 148.5km race, EF had proven everyone wrong once again, walking away with second and fifth place courtesy of <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/letizia-borghesi/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/letizia-borghesi/">Letizia Borghesi</a> and Jackson
albeit with eventual winner Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot already well up the road
in top form after finishing sixth at the Tour of Flanders
including a final burst to secure second in the velodrome
"We always say that this race is who wants it the most," <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/its-about-being-tough-and-who-wants-it-the-most-ef-education-oatly-and-borghesi-clinch-paris-roubaix-femmes-podium/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/its-about-being-tough-and-who-wants-it-the-most-ef-education-oatly-and-borghesi-clinch-paris-roubaix-femmes-podium/">Jackson told Cyclingnews after the finish</a>
It's about being tough and who wants it the most."
Monday's edition of L'Equipe dedicated 11 pages to Sunday's race, poring over the 'big two' at the front of the race while also taking time to report on those finishing further back, including 'Le grand malchanceux', or 'the great unlucky one', <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/mads-pedersen/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/mads-pedersen/">Mads Pedersen</a>
Luck &ndash; or the lack of it &ndash; always plays a part at Paris-Roubaix
and it was no different at this year's race
especially when the men's peloton took to the cobbles on Sunday
Pedersen entered the weekend in some of the best form of his career, having won <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/gent-wevelgem/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/gent-wevelgem/">Gent-Wevelgem</a> and finished second at the E3 Saxo Classic and Tour of Flanders in recent weeks
But all the form in the world can't prevent untimely punctures
He was out in front alongside Van der Poel
and Stefan Bissegger and in contention for the win at the time
Who knows what might have been if one of those rocks hadn't caught his front tyre at the wrong angle&hellip;
Later on, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-ifs-for-mads-pedersen-despite-suffering-puncture-from-lead-group-at-paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-ifs-for-mads-pedersen-despite-suffering-puncture-from-lead-group-at-paris-roubaix/">Pedersen refused to dwell on the race-changing moment</a>
I was unlucky and had a puncture at a really bad moment
Spare a thought for him and the other top contenders who fell victim to the luck of Roubaix
who punctured on the first sector before finishing almost five minutes down
who was on course to finish in the top 10 before bizarrely following a race moto down the deviation route after the final cobbled sector rather than turning right into the velodrome
"Unfortunately, he took the deviation, but so did I. How is that possible? This was my third Roubaix," he told <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250414_94766538" target="_blank" data-url="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250414_94766538" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" data-hl-processed="none">Het Nieuwsblad</a>
I didn't know myself that I was riding for ninth place."
given all the action packed into the 408km of racing over the weekend
with 64 of those kilometres being taken up by solo rides to victory by Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot and Van der Poel
perhaps the run-ins of both races could've been more exciting
we've all grown accustomed to superstar riders pulling off long solo rides to win the biggest races in the world
it's hard not to think back to Pedersen's puncture
and the lack of response to Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot's attack and wonder what might have been
Solo efforts have won three of the five Paris-Roubaix Femmes editions to date. At the same time, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2021/elite-men/results/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2021/elite-men/results/">Sonny Colbrelli's triumph back in 2021</a> was the most recent men's race decided by something other than a lone rider rolling into the V&eacute;lodrome Andr&eacute;-P&eacute;trieux
Here's hoping that future editions will herald fewer solo rides and more fights among larger groups onto the final sectors and the velodrome itself
If you could ever stretch your imagination to finishing as high as fourth in Paris-Roubaix
your immediate celebrations might be cut somewhat short were you to be greeted by questions about why you didn't win
But that's exactly what happened to&nbsp;<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/wout-van-aert/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/wout-van-aert/">Wout van Aert</a>
although the question was posed by his four-year-old son
another cobbled campaign has passed without that dreamed-about Monument win for the Belgian
his once-promising Classics rivalry with career-long opponent Mathieu van der Poel now looks rather one-sided
Van Aert &ndash; dubbed 'Le grand absent' by L'Equipe &ndash; was tackling Roubaix on the Gravaa self-inflating tyre system
which aided Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot to glory a day earlier
He was detached from the front of the race when Van der Poel shot away on the tarmac after the 'Pont Gibus' sector of cobbles in Wallers
he'd be consigned to the chase group before eventually getting outsprinted by Mads Pedersen
"I fell before the first sector and didn't suffer much damage
but I had to race from behind for a long time
it was a surprise I could still fight for the podium."
Earlier this spring, he had come under criticism from fans and the press for underperforming upon his return from a spell at altitude. He'll have a few more chances at glory this spring with Brabantse Pijl and <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/amstel-gold-race/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/amstel-gold-race/">Amstel Gold Race</a> next on his schedule
opportunities to add Flanders or Roubaix to his palmar&egrave;s are dwindling
crashes are part and parcel of Paris-Roubaix
with riders finishing injured and several others suffering fractures that will keep them out of action for some time
In the women's race, Norwegian rider Sigfrid Haugset battled to the finish in 71st place before later finding out that <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sigrid-haugset-finished-paris-roubaix-with-fractured-hip-after-crash-with-60km-to-go/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sigrid-haugset-finished-paris-roubaix-with-fractured-hip-after-crash-with-60km-to-go/">she had fractured her hip in a crash</a> 59km from the finish line
following a crash with another rider on a dusty cobbled corner
As the Coop-Repsol rider told Cyclingnews from hospital on Monday
it probably wasn't the best idea to continue
but at the same time you don't know how bad the injury is
She won't need surgery but won't be able to race again before the end of June
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/davide-ballerini/" target="_blank" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/davide-ballerini/">Davide Ballerini</a>&nbsp;suffered the worst luck of the day in the men's race
The XDS-Astana rider left the race with a fractured wrist for which he has already undergone surgery
Ballerini was in the peloton racing through a feed zone when he barely kept it upright as a soigneur leaned out into the road chasing a dropped bidon
and a subsequent bike change left him off the rear and chasing back on
he wouldn't make it back to the group with a spectator putting an end to his race after stepping out into his path
The crashes came more frequently in the men's race, with numerous falls hitting the peloton as the riders raced towards the first cobbled sector of the day. Big names, including Wout van Aert, Matej Mohori&#269;, Silvan Dillier, Jonathan Milan,&nbsp;<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/jasper-philipsen/" target="_blank" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/jasper-philipsen/">Jasper Philipsen</a>
were all caught up in the carnage of the day
The Dutchman described the impact as "like a stone hitting my face"
noting that it might've broken his nose and calling the incident "attempted manslaughter." Luckily
and carried on to win the race for a third time
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/spectator-who-threw-bidon-at-mathieu-van-der-poel-during-paris-roubaix-hands-himself-in-to-belgian-police/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/spectator-who-threw-bidon-at-mathieu-van-der-poel-during-paris-roubaix-hands-himself-in-to-belgian-police/">The fan turned himself in to Flemish police on Monday morning</a>
while local prosecutors in France have also opened an investigation
another spectator threw liquid at Van der Poel
and the pair of incidents raise questions over what
can be done to properly protect riders from the members of the public who come out to watch them
On Monday, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-alpecin-deceuninck-to-pursue-bidon-thrower-so-that-such-behaviour-is-severely-punished/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-alpecin-deceuninck-to-pursue-bidon-thrower-so-that-such-behaviour-is-severely-punished/">the UCI condemned the bidon thrower</a>
"The UCI will explore all legal means to have such behaviour properly and severely punished
We will take the same measures in the future against any act that threatens the physical integrity of riders."
but one that very much falls under punishing the offenders rather than trying to prevent the offences
Van der Poel's <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/road/teams/uci-worldtour/2025/alpecin-deceuninck/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/road/teams/uci-worldtour/2025/alpecin-deceuninck/">Alpecin-Deceuninck</a> team
pointed out that such incidents are linked with "excessive alcohol consumption"
calling the bidon throw an escalation of previous incidents in road races and cyclo-cross
"We also found that the misconduct of a few has far-reaching consequences," the team stated, according to <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250414_95887282" target="_blank" data-url="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250414_95887282" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" data-hl-processed="none">Het Nieuwsblad</a>
noting that it affects safety while overshadowing and distracting from the racing
"We are pushing for consultation with and cooperation between all parties involved (riders
organisers and governments) so that measures can be taken to keep people with bad intentions away from cycling races and to act more proactively on the critical points known in advance."
it's impossible to police the entirety of race routes
We can all hope that something can be done to prevent a repeat of similar incidents in future
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Mathieu van der Poel. Tadej Pogačar. Wout van Aert. All three will line up this Sunday for Paris-Roubaix, and one thing is certain—no amount of hype will protect them once the wheels hit the stones.
If you’re in Canada, sign up to watch Paris-Roubaix live on FloBikes. It’s one of the best races of the year. And if you’ve never seen it before, you’re in for a treat.
It’s the most brutal Sunday in cycling. A 259-kilometer warpath across northern France. Thirty sectors of jagged pavé. No chicane this year to ease into the Arenberg Forest. This is Roubaix in full chaos mode.
And yes, the titans are here. But so are the spoilers. So are the bruisers. And history says: expect the unexpected.
Let’s start at the top. Tadej Pogačar is making his long-awaited debut in the Hell of the North. He recced the race with Tim Wellens back in February and hasn’t been shy about his obsession with the Queen of the Classics. He’ll be wearing the rainbow jersey, but this isn’t a World Championship course—it’s a battlefield. Can the Slovenian superstar truly contend on terrain that’s ended so many hopes before? We’re about to find out.
Then there’s Mathieu van der Poel, back to defend the crown he won in dominant fashion last year. With Jasper Philipsen and Silvan Dillier at his side, Alpecin-Deceuninck is stacked. And MVDP? He’s already taken Milano-Sanremo and E3 this spring. He’s the man to beat—but Paris-Roubaix doesn’t always reward the favorite.
Wout van Aert hasn’t had the spring he’d dreamed of. His Tour of Flanders didn’t deliver the breakthrough, and neither did Dwars door Vlaanderen. But Roubaix? It’s the race he may be best suited for. The long, flat cobbles reward pure power—and van Aert has it. Alongside Dylan van Baarle and Matteo Jorgenson, Visma-Lease a Bike has the depth. But do they have the timing?
Beyond the big three, the field is packed with danger men. Filippo Ganna was immense at Sanremo and will relish a drag race over the cobbles. Mads Pedersen has the engine and a stacked Lidl-Trek squad including Jasper Stuyven and Jonathan Milan. Jasper Philipsen could even pull rank at Alpecin if the conditions turn tactical.
Tim Merlier, Arnaud Démare, Biniam Girmay, Stefan Küng, Matej Mohorič, Alexander Kristoff, Laurence Pithie, Oier Lazkano—these are not background actors. These are riders who thrive in chaos, and if Sunday turns into a survival match, they could find themselves right in the mix.
Paris-Roubaix doesn’t care about scripts. It doesn’t care about rainbow jerseys or Monument résumés. It cares about legs. Nerve. A bit of luck. And whether you can ride 5-star cobbles at 50kph with dust in your eyes and blood in your mouth.
This is the race where flat tires crush dreams, where bikes break and riders bend, where a forgotten name can write history while the favorites fade.
Pogačar. Van der Poel. Van Aert. The showdown we’ve been dreaming of is on—if they make it to the velodrome.
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Mads Pedersen came into &#8216;The Hell of the North&#8217; as one of the pre-race favorites and made his intentions clear from the first cobbled sector, sitting up at the front of the bunch on the first cobbled sector before Lidl-Trek helped take control of the race.
https://twitter.com/LidlTrek/status/1911381401661735290
As the sectors were quickly ticked off, a stretched out bunch hit the five star sector, Trouée d&#8217;Arenberg and it was clear that it was game on!
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIYzuwsB81I/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by TNT Sports Cycling (@tntsportscycling)</a>
Pedersen was sitting third wheel at the end of the sector and was reacting to every move made by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) and the eventual solo winner
Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin &#8211; Deceuninck)
bad luck struck with just over 70 kilometers of racing to go
with a bike change causing the Danish rider to lose contact with the other key race leaders but
this was perhaps the moment when Pedersen&#8217;s grit and determination shone the brightest
Once he found himself in a group of chasers
showed his class before forcing a split after deciding he wanted to press on to keep trying to close the gap to the leading duo but
it looked certain that the first two spots would go to van der Poel and Pogačar
Pedersen was locked in a battle for third with Wout van Aert (Visma Lease-a-Bike) and Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates XRG) on the final sectors of the day and
despite all the work he had done previously
Pedersen was on the front as the trio made the turn onto the iconic Roubaix velodrome and was the first to start his sprint
as we have come to expect at the end of a hard day&#8217;s racing
he was able to maintain his power to hold off the others to take the final step on the podium for a second consecutive year
I felt really good and I had a good feeling and the team did impressive work the whole day to keep me out of trouble and get me into the sectors in a good position and pulling at the right moments so everything went really well until the moment
You never know what might’ve happened if I didn’t puncture that’s the beauty in this race
sometimes it hits you and sometimes it hits others
It’s nice to watch and anything can happen but sadly today I was the unlucky one with the puncture at a really bad moment
In the moment it happened I felt good and I was also in the right spot
We all tried to come back but it’s not that easy to close the gap on Tadej [Pocagar] and Mathieu [van der Poel] and I also can’t go with everything with 6 or 7 guys on my wheel but we all tried and the whole group was working quite ok
We knew we were racing for third and that was just something we needed to do
You do have have to make your head ready for something else and even in that moment we weren’t even racing for a podium but in this race you never know what happens so keep fighting and yeah
I shouldn’t complain about that but I came to win today and with a puncture in a really bad moment you never know what could’ve happened
It took me out of the chance of fighting for a win
I’m not saying that I would’ve been able to win but at least I could’ve given it a better shot
All in all I finished with a podium in a Monument and it was a good classic campaign
At that moment [after the puncture] you try and get the best out of it because you never know what can happen
We heard that Tadej crashed and we thought maybe we will make it back to him but you never know with this race
Anything can happen so keep fighting and maybe it turns around
Mathieu was so impressive to win three times in a row
I tried everything to come back at that moment
There were still three guys ahead so we weren’t even racing for the podium so we did everything we could to fight and make it back and fight for a podium
I heard [Wout van Aert & Florian Vermeersch] talk together and I’m not stupid
I don’t speak Flemish but I can use my ears and my brain and I had the feeling they wanted to attack
but I tried to keep the speed high and give them the impression that I was ready for anything
I tried to keep them on one side so they only had one side to attack on and use the track as much as possible
I learned this on the track with Michael Mørkøv
and development squad raced heroically through the Hell of the North making for an unforgettable weekend
Hincapie’s tenacity shows the spirit of road cycling
The Team USA juniors wrapped up their classics block at Paris-Roubaix with pre-race favorite <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/ashlin-barry" data-afl-p="0">Ashlin Barry</a> securing an <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/ashlin-barry-2nd-enzo-hincapie-forced-to-run-final-2km-to-finish-paris-roubaix-junior/" data-afl-p="0">impressive second place after a highly tactical finale</a>
For many of Barry’s teammates farther back in the pack
the focus was on simply finishing the race
We witnessed some amazing riding in all categories during <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/enzo-hincapie" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a> this year
but nothing made me more emotional than watching the video of Hincapie running with his bike to finish the juniors race in the Roubaix Velodrome
I am Enzo’s coach and have seen him grow up and progress in cycling from up close for many years now
but seeing his grit and determination in this situation dwarfs any race result or data point that he has reached in training
I can only imagine what was going on in his young 16-year-old head as he ran towards and into the velodrome with everyone watching
he showed the mentality that it takes to succeed in the sport of cycling
Most riders have more bad days than good in this demanding sport
so you must learn to overcome obstacles and push through adversity
Hincapie’s resilience was just one of many examples of this that we witnessed last weekend
but the experiences at Paris-Roubaix will serve as valuable lessons for the future
Hincapie shared his experiences with me shortly after the race
highlighting the challenges of racing on the cobbles and the crucial role of mindset in cycling
even running the last 2 kilometers until his dad handed him a teammate’s bike so he could cross the line on two wheels
Bike racing is a demanding sport with numerous uncontrollable variables that can influence the outcome
While riders begin each event with aspirations of performing at their best
often the most inspirational stories emerge from those at the back of the race rather than the front
I had the opportunity to sit down with <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/enzo-hincapie" data-afl-p="0">Enzo Hincapie</a> and ask him about his first experience racing on the cobbles in Roubaix
as well as his first trip to Europe with the Team USA juniors
Bobby Julich: What did you learn from your first experience racing with the USA National Junior Team over the past three weeks
Enzo Hincapie: I learned that it&#8217;s just a completely different world
You always must be aware of your surroundings
and you can&#8217;t slack off at any moment in any of the races
BJ: What was your first Paris-Roubaix experience like
EH: It was obviously really sketchy but that&#8217;s part of it
It was just an unfortunate day with a couple crashes and then some bike problems
but I just kept fighting to finish the race
I feel like if you don&#8217;t have the right mindset then it&#8217;ll just be an off-day
I think it&#8217;s important just to see where you are
with the crowds of people on the sectors cheering you on is amazing
I feel like that&#8217;s the cool part about it
BJ: We all saw you running around the famous velodrome in Roubaix on social media and later found out that you had to run the last two kilometers until your dad handed you a teammate’s bike so you could finish
EH: I crashed twice and then my derailleur was pretty messed up
The three biggest gears were a problem to ride in
I was just riding towards the finish and eventually the derailleur just snapped off
it seemed easier to just wait for the broom wagon
but at the same time I&#8217;ve never been raised to be a quitter
and I just wanted to finish no matter what
I&#8217;m going to come in more prepared and strive for a better result
BJ: What was your favorite memory of your trip over there with the Team USA boys
EH: I would either be racing E3 or my win in Germany
Racing over the Paterberg and the Kwaremont was a great experience and super cool with all the people
Taking home my first European UCI race win was also a really great experience
I was super happy to come home with that win
Mathieu van der Poel could become the first back-to-back Paris-Roubaix winner since Tom Boonen
But don’t expect the reigning champion to go it alone
A cold after Milano-Sanremo turned into antibiotics by the time he hit the Tour of Flanders
A crash on the cobbles there left him sore
I felt really under the weather,” Van der Poel said
but I could defend myself fairly well.” Now
I think I’m reasonably okay to try and defend my title on Sunday.”
we’ll do everything we can to keep the victory within the team
Jasper has shown over the past two years that he’s more than capable of winning this race too.”
Philipsen knows what it’s like to come close—he’s been second here twice
That would still feel like a victory,” Philipsen said
A crash at Nokere Koerse left him with whiplash
and he admits he’s not totally comfortable yet
I was able to regain some confidence,” he said
Hopefully that effort will be rewarded on Sunday.”
Paris-Roubaix is built for riders like Philipsen
“It’s more about positioning and surviving the cobbles,” he said
I really enjoy the rattle and rhythm of the pavé.”
Both men joined their team for a recon of the updated course Friday
particularly the new approach to the Trouée d’Arenberg
replaced with a smoother—but still technical—series of right turns
“It’s a great improvement,” Van der Poel said
which makes things safer and more manageable.”
“Paris-Roubaix might just be the perfect race for Ganna,” he said
Alpecin–Deceuninck enters with a near-identical team to last year’s dominant display
the guts—and the willingness to go deeper than anyone else
But make no mistake—Alpecin is ready for war
Total cobbles: 55.3 km (slightly shorter than 2024)
Details on the teams opting for a 35mm wide tyre
and one of the best top tube cue sheets we've ever seen
The sun wasn&#8217;t out at the 2025 Paris-Roubaix
but the mood was as vibrant and excited as ever on the start line
with the race rolling out from the start line in Compiegne
there was a treasure trove of tech to delve into
this year certainly seemed to bring interesting setups
Below is part one of our Paris-Roubaix tech gallery
We have details on the teams opting for a 35mm wide tyre
Josh Tarling&#8217;s massive 62t chainring
and one of the cutest top tube cue sheets we&#8217;ve ever seen
If you&#8217;re reading this after the finish
I&#8217;m willing to say that a few of the Intermarché-Wanty guys had wheel changes once they&#8217;d taken on a few of the grubby sectors because there is no way their wheels were going to rotate with even the slightest of dirt on them
Just look at the photos of the minimal gap between their Cube Litening Aero C:68 X forks and the Hutchinson Racing Lab tubeless tyres in 35mm
Others were being a touch more realistic with wheel rotation hopes, by using the Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab All season tyres in 32mm, another product that was only released a few weeks back. Those tyres were wrapped around the <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/eurobike-2024-tubeless-valves-tires-pumps/" data-afl-p="0">Newman Streem Allround</a> wheels in a 49/54 mm depth
Intermarché-Wanty seemed to be the only team I spotted that was using a wheel with a carbon spoke
and this might just be the best top-tube cue sheet we&#8217;ve seen
A wonderful reminder of the bigger picture
Swiss team and wildcard invitees Tudor lined up on the BMC Teammachine. We&#8217;ve seen the UCI ProTeam racing much of the season on what might be the most expensive bike in the peloton: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/bmc-teammachine-r-mpc-masterpiece/" data-afl-p="0">the Teammachine R Masterpiece</a>
Swiss-made version of the standard Teammachine R
So why weren&#8217;t they riding the very best version here
Two reasons: the Masterpiece is only slightly lighter
and BMC can currently produce just 30 frames per year
as the 24 mm internal and 36.5 mm external rim widths match the wider tyre profiles much more seamlessly than DT Swiss&#8217; road wheels
running a 1x drivetrain was an easy choice for the relatively flat Paris-Roubaix
Every rider used either a 56- or 54-tooth chainring up front
35mm tires were on show at Bahrain in the form of Continental Grand Prix 5000 All Season TR
The team had a mixed bag of chainrings in many sizes there was of course the standard Shimano chainrings but in sizes not available to use mere mortals
but also chainrings from CarbonTi and Digirit
The largest was on Kamil Gradek&#8217;s bike with a 56/44 setup
I managed to sneak a look at the mechanics&#8217; phone to see what tyre pressures they were running
they&#8217;ve played with different pressures
they&#8217;ve settled on 3.2 bar (46.4 PSI) and 3.3 bar (47.9 PSI) for most riders
Last but certainly not least was Pogacar&#8217;s collage V4RS
but it&#8217;s the standard V4RS for Roubaix
There&#8217;s no major change on his bike from other races
our guess is that it&#8217;s for a touch of comfort rather than the blades rattling
That is matched to what looked like a 11-30t cassette
Wheels are his standard Enve SES 4.5 with the hugely popular Continental 500S TR tubeless tyres in 32mm
We got a look at his bike earlier this week
Let&#8217;s start with a French team and one I got to hang out with earlier this week
their bike sponsor and title sponsor brand
officially released the new aero bike from the French brand
The team had all star Oscar Chamberlain on the new bike
And after riding both earlier in the week at a Van Rysel event
It&#8217;s a bike that wants to force you into one of two aero positions on the bike
and a bike you&#8217;ll struggle with if you don&#8217;t do pilates
and they&#8217;ve watered nothing down to make it appeal to the average consumer
and that is why Oscar will have used the RCR
but I found it the ideal bike in their line-up to take on the cobbles
If you want to know more about Decathlon AG2R gossip and dad tips
then please check out this interview here with Chamberlain and Naesen
The team were on 32mm Continental 5000S TR tubeless tyres with no inserts across the board
Pressure was 3.2 bar (~46.4 PSI) out front and 3.3 bar (47.9 PSI) out back
they don&#8217;t need to wait for a mechanic with an Allen key
they have skewers already installed in the thru-axles
EF Education-EasyPost were one of the first teams using tubeless tyres at Roubaix a few years back
so there&#8217;s no change there; Vittoria Corsa Pros in 32mm throughout with inserts on Vision Metron SL 45 or 60 wheel sets
were using the &#8220;older&#8221; SL version of the metro wheels rather than the recently released Metron RS version
As one of the few teams on Speedplay they were running one of two models
The only noticeable difference in kit at EF was their swanky custom lids
Poc and Muc-Off partnered to produce the ventral in a pretty striking colourway
Alpecin-Deceuninck were pretty coy in letting me near the team bikes
But Mathieu van der Poel was using the same bike he&#8217;s used this year: a custom-painted Canyon Aeroad CFR. The tyre choice was the <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-gear/first-ride-pirelli-p-zero-race-rs-tires/" data-afl-p="0">new Pirelli P-Zero Race RS</a>
more supple version of the P-Zero Race and a tyre that was released just over two months ago
These were 32mm in width shod on the same wheels he&#8217;s used for the past few years
There are zero deviations in that department across any of the Shimano components
as the team is one of a few that the Japanese company officially sponsors
Cofidis moved from Shimano to Campagnolo this season for their group supplier
the Italian company had the team on the Super Record groupset
with just a small classic Campagnolo winged logo on them but no model name
or are the components just minimalist team issues
we don&#8217;t see much double-wrapped tape
One rider&#8217;s bar and stem setup stood out with its double taped bars
Ineos Grenadiers have a solid squad for the race; not just Ganna but Tarling and Conner Swift could, <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/paris-roubaix-van-der-poel-three-peats-pogacar-crashes/" data-afl-p="0">at the time of writing this be dark horses for the podium</a>
Each of those riders had a different setup
The most notable setup belonged to Josh Tarling
Chainring size was 62t mashed to what looked like a 11-32t cassette; the mechanics were reluctant to let on his running gear fully and certainly wouldn&#8217;t acknowledge that he was racing on Princeton Carbonworks Dual 5550 wheels
Filippo Ganna was on the same setup he has used all season
The only deviation was using 32 mm Continental 5000S TR tyres
Lotto may have had some custom colourway Orbea Orca Aero bikes on the roof of the team cars as spares
bikes that they used in last week&#8217;s Flanders
a paint scheme to celebrate their 40th anniversary in the peloton
What was perhaps most noticeable were the new wheels from Oquo
are prototypes wheels with wide rims for gravel and road
They are 50 mm deep and wider than the current LTD 50 wheelset
This may be the reason they seemed to be the only team I spotted using 30mm tyres; that extra inner rim width would allow the 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pros to blow up to be wider than their stated size
Team XDS Astana are, as I&#8217;m sure you are aware now, <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/astana-qazaqstan-new-chinese-bike-sponsor-xds/" data-afl-p="0">the first team to be sponsored by a Chinese bike brand</a>
with some being snapped up regally on the company&#8217;s Chinese version of TikTok account via a quick bidding event
there&#8217;s no change for the team on the mechanical side of things apart from Cees Bol with an unbranded FSA alloy stem that is ridiculously long
He&#8217;s matched that to a standard FSA bar in 36 cm width
Sticking with teams using wheels that we don&#8217;t see too often
Team Picnic PostNL are now sponsored by Ururs
a wheel brand that usually sticks with sponsoring Pro Tour Italian teams
The team were on their stock standard Lappiere Xelius DRS 9.0
I&#8217;m going out on a limb here and claiming the team has the best paint scheme in the peloton; it&#8217;s understated but lovely
One last thing while we&#8217;re talking about the Dutch squad
I&#8217;d like to extend our well wishes to John Degenkolb
a rider who at this race always looks like his in his element
he isn&#8217;t here but instead due surgery
We&#8217;re saving the most interesting tech for last. Wout Van Aert <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/marianne-vos-and-visma-lease-a-bike-outfox-kopecky-and-co-in-paris-roubaix-femmes/" data-afl-p="0">is doing a Ferrand-Prévot</a>, by <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/van-aert-brings-tire-pressure-regulator-to-paris-roubaix-quest/" data-afl-p="0">using the Gravva automatic tire pressure system</a>
The system allows the rider to inflate and deflate the tyre on the fly; deflation is instant
but inflating the tyre is only by 0.1 bar per 100m
It&#8217;s not a massive problem when they&#8217;ll be traveling at over 45kmph for the race
Saturday wasn&#8217;t the first time it was used to victory in a UCI-sanctioned race as Marianne Vos won the Gravel World Championships on the system back in October 2024
Van Aert seemed to be one of two riders using it
RESULTS: Olympic MTB champion staggers rivals
using all her skill and instinct to take first road race victory since 2015
French star <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix-femmes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Pauline Ferrand-Prévot</a> confirmed she still has what it takes on the road, putting in a stomping performance to win <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix-femmes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix Femmes</a> on Saturday
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider returned to road racing after many years focusing on mountainbike competition
declaring after taking gold in last year’s Olympics that she wanted to shift focus
She named the Tour de France Femmes as a major target but winning Paris-Roubaix Femmes is another major triumph and confirms she has rediscovered her mojo on the road
Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly) was second
with Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) beating Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) and the rest of a chase group three seconds later
“The last part was so hard,” Ferrand-Prévot said
“I tried to save my legs in the cobblestone sections
and I decided to go and do my best for Marianne [Vos]
Pre-race favorite Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) looked like the likely winner inside the final 60km
showing dominance and putting the pressure on the other big names
Ferrand-Prévot appeared to be on the back foot when she fell at the start of sector 12
Wiebes and Vos bridged across to lone leader Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek)
However the race reformed and it was Ferrand-Prévot who jumped clear with 25km remaining
catching Emma Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) and then dropping her inside 19km to go
She gained time on the cobblestone sectors
Kopecky began chasing inside 10km to go but ultimately cracked
The day’s action was marked early on by a two-woman break by Quinty Ton (LIV-AlUla-Jayco) and Aurela Nerlo (Winspace-Orange-Seal)
They held a maximum lead of over two and a half minutes and were joined by Ellen Van Dyjk (Lidl-Trek) with 62km to go
The Dutchwoman pushed ahead and was still out front heading onto sector 12 Auchy-lez-Orchies
A big crash there took down Ferrand-Prévot and Lily Williams (Human Powered Health)
and saw them chasing at the same time Kopecky and Wiebes caught Van Dijk and were then joined by Vos
Others rejoined from behind and while Kopecky put the hammer down on subsequent cobblestone stretches
it was Emma Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) who gapped the group with just over 32km remaining
Ferrand-Prévot leaped clear on an uphill with 25km left
caught Norsgaard 2km later and then dropped her on sector 5 Camphin-en-Pévèle
She showed all her skills to gain time on the pavé and had a minute’s lead with 11km remaining
That was more than enough; she powered onwards to success
while Kopecky chased for several minutes but then cracked with 4km to go
“I was confident that this team could do something really good,” Ferrand-Prévot said
“But you also need to have some luck and put everything together
and will only add to her momentum heading towards the Tour de France Femmes
<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIWZuxWsvun/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">A post shared by Paris-Roubaix Femmes (@parisroubaix_femmes)</a>
The Lille public prosecutor’s office confirmed Monday that it has opened an investigation into "violence with a weapon" after a water bottle was thrown at Mathieu van der Poel during his Paris-Roubaix victory on Sunday
a 28-year-old man turned himself in to police in West Flanders on Monday
admitting to throwing the bottle and expressing regret
Television footage appeared to show the bottle thrown directly at Van der Poel during the cobbled sector in Templeuve
roughly 33 kilometers from the finish in Roubaix
The man reportedly traveled on a bus chartered by a Belgian fan club for Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric
'Matej Matjes,' stated via social media that the man is not a member and that they had urged him to contact the authorities
"It is unacceptable," said the Dutch rider
It weighed half a kilo and I was riding at 40 kph
It’s like being hit in the face with a stone."
issued a statement Monday condemning the incident as “dangerous and unacceptable.”
"We are relieved that Mathieu remained unharmed and confirm that
we will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behavior," the team said
"What occurred on Sunday represents an escalation of earlier incidents
with Mathieu van der Poel not being the sole target," the team added
"Such misconduct is either caused by or accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption."
The team emphasized that the safety of riders is at stake
warning that such acts “overshadow the enjoyment and reputation of genuine cycling enthusiasts and divert attention from sporting achievements.”
American cycling legend Greg LeMond believes Tadej Pogacar can conquer the grueling Paris-Roubaix at his first attempt on Sunday—and is well on his way to becoming the sport’s greatest rider of all time
The 26-year-old Slovenian will take on the brutal cobbled roads and dirt tracks of the Paris-Roubaix as the reigning Tour de France champion—becoming the first rider to do so since LeMond in 1991
was surprised to learn he had been the last Tour de France winner to race Paris-Roubaix
but Paris-Roubaix is the one I would have loved to win."
LeMond finished 55th in the 1991 edition of the race
which is notorious for mechanical failures and brutal attrition—with roughly a third of the field failing to finish
LeMond believes he can handle the 259km challenge
which includes nearly 30 sectors of rough cobbles along the Franco-Belgian border
He’s not too light," LeMond said of the 66kg Pogacar
purely from his past results and his experience
But there are a lot of strong riders right now."
Pogacar and LeMond both have three Tour de France titles
but the Slovenian has already notched eight Monument wins and could earn a ninth on Sunday in Roubaix
the races he’s won—it’s exceptional," LeMond said
who earns €8 million annually with UAE Team Emirates
rose to fame with his shocking 2020 Tour de France win and has since dominated one-day races as well
He is dominating in a very competitive peloton right now," LeMond added
After winning last Sunday’s Tour of Flanders
Pogacar insisted he was racing Roubaix for the joy of it
But LeMond believes his legacy is already historic—and still unfolding
Pogacar has probably several more Tour offensives in his legs
That’s what’s making cycling so exciting right now."
LeMond—whose own career was disrupted at 26 by a hunting accident—has long been seen as a clean rider in a sport with a turbulent history
"I don’t think it’s unusual that riders are climbing faster
They’re lighter—probably three to four kilos on average," LeMond said
"What I also like about this generation is that they’re proving themselves at a very young age."
is known as the "Queen of the Classics" among the five Monument races for its punishing terrain and prestige
Governing body wants man who hit Mathieu van der Poel with water bottle during Paris-Roubaix to be severely punished
On the day the spectator who threw a bidon into the face of <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/mathieu-van-der-poel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Mathieu van der Poel</a> was identified
the UCI and the Dutchman’s team have vowed to push for a big penalty
Both issued a statement hours after it was reported the spectator turned himself in to Belgian police
Their response came slightly more than 24 hours after Van der Poel was hit with what he said was a full water bottle
The blow knocked his head and body sideways but he managed to stay upright and to win <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a>
He later described the assault as ‘attempted manslaughter’
The governing body is taking things as seriously as Van der Poel is
and wants a serious penalty for the individual concerned
“The UCI and representatives of cycling’s families express their support for the rider,” it said in a statement on Monday
in conjunction with the competent authorities
all the legal channels at their disposal so that such behaviour is duly and severely punished
“They will take the same action in the future against any act that threatens the physical integrity of riders.”
The UCI said that it and the various associations representing different aspects of cycling—namely the riders’ association CPA
the organisers’ group AIOCC and the teams’ body AIGCP—“unanimously condemn
this spectator on the roadside threw a water bottle in the direction of Dutch cyclist Mathieu Van der Poel
“Such behavior cannot be tolerated in the context of a cycling event.”
Van der Poel was scathing in his criticism of the fan
He said that he was determined to take the matter further
His Alpecin-Deceuninck team manager Philip Roodhooft was more muted in his reaction
telling Sporza that he hoped the issue will “get as little attention as possible
We’ll see if the authorities can identify anyone first
when you see how many tens of thousands of people appreciate what Mathieu and others perform here,” he said
a spectator deliberately threw a bottle toward Mathieu van der Poel
A dangerous and unacceptable incident,” it wrote in a press statement
“We are relieved that Mathieu remained unharmed and confirm that
we will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behavior.”
saying that the issue “goes beyond that single act
we observe that such misconduct is either caused by or accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption
What occurred on Sunday represents an escalation of earlier incidents
with Mathieu van der Poel not being the sole target.”
The spate of incidents is certainly worrying
been incidents of spectator interference in the past
whether it be the punch Eddy Merckx received during the 1975 Tour de France
the spitting and punching Stephen Roche endured during the 1987 Giro d’Italia
or the urine reportedly thrown at Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish during past Tours
However the number of issues appears to be rising in recent years
There is a clear reason why cycling is so affected by spectator interference
warning that this is both a strength and a potential setback
“Cycling is one of the few sports that offers such proximity between athletes and the public during events,” it wrote
both for the riders themselves and for the spectators
this particularity implies an increased responsibility for spectators at an event
whose behavior can not only influence the course of the event
endanger the physical integrity of the riders.”
It requested that spectators are far more careful at races
“in order to guarantee the safety of all those involved and the smooth running of the races.”
it called on the UCI and others to prevent “individuals with bad intentions” from infiltrating cycling events
But don’t expect further bold statements in the days or weeks ahead
The team echoed Roodhooft’s position on the matter: be wary of the oxygen of publicity
“We will continue to monitor the legal process internally so that this misconduct does not receive more attention than it warrants,” it said
The spectator whom <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/mathieu-van-der-poel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Mathieu van der Poel</a> accused of &#8220;attempted manslaughter&#8221; at Sunday’s <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a> race has been identified and now faces questioning by Belgian police
<a href="https://sporza.be/nl/2025/04/14/bidongooier-in-parijs-roubaix-meldt-zich-bij-de-politie-in-west-vlaanderen-verdachte-zal-nu-verhoord-worden~1744618747934/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">According to Sporza</a>
the spectator has turned himself in to the police in West Flanders
The Belgian publication cited colleagues at VRT NWS as saying that the suspect “reported himself to the Mira police zone (which includes the municipalities of Anzegem
“The facts are described as intentional blows and injuries
The suspect will now be interrogated and after that interrogation
the public prosecutor&#8217;s office will decide what action will be taken on the facts.”
Belgian publication <a href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250414_92907717" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">Nieuwsblad has quoted</a> an unnamed source as saying the individual is sorry for his actions
“He would be embarrassed by what he did on a whim on Sunday.”
It added that he with a supporters bus of the Matej Matjes
a Flemish fan club of the Slovenian cyclist Matej Mohoric
The board of that fan club has said that the perpetrator is not a member
and that he will be blocked from all future activities
The supporters’ bus was reportedly open to use by the public
Van der Poel gapped Tadej Pogačar during Sunday’s race after the Slovenian ran wide on a corner and crashed
He was racing at full speed towards the finish when a yellow bidon was lobbed from the crowd, <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/this-is-attempted-manslaughter-mathieu-van-der-poel-wants-strong-action-after-paris-roubaix-assault/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">hitting him in the face</a>
The force of the impact saw him turn his head abruptly to the left but he was able to remain upright
However he was clear about how dangerous the matter was
“We can’t let this pass,” he said at the race finish
“It was a full water bottle and it hurt quite a lot
Hopefully we can identify someone and there can be a process
because that water bottle flew right into my face
it is not clear as yet if a complaint will be filed by Van der Poel’s team Alpecin-Deceuninck
On Sunday Alpecin-Deceuninck team manager Philip Roodhooft appeared to play things down somewhat
He told Sporza that he hoped the issue will “get as little attention as possible
However Belgian cycling union president Staf Scheirlinckx advocates strong actions. “Preventively, little is possible, except for the deployment of stewards, so it is important to take tough repressive action,” <a href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250413_96554421" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">he told Nieuwsblad</a>
“We therefore consistently take civil action in Belgian races in such incidents
it must be followed up in the civil action file
At the moment we have four or five cases running
And then we have to wait for a judge to pronounce an appropriate sentence.”
but Van der Poel has long faced unsavory behaviour at races
In December 2023 he was competing in the Hulst World Cup cyclocross race and was filmed spitting at spectators on the final lap
He said afterwards that they had been booing him during the race
and that he had experienced similar behavior beforehand
However a social media user suggested he faced more than verbal abuse: “Those Belgian ‘fans’ were throwing urine and beer at him
I stood next to them,” @Niomachiavelli claimed
Fans were investigated after last year’s Tour of Flanders
They threw liquid—thought to be beer—at him during the race
One week later a potentially more serious incident happened in Paris-Roubaix
A female spectator chucked a cycling cap at his front wheel with 42.2km to go
She was identified and faced police investigation
More recently a roadside spectator spat at him when Van der Poel was racing to victory in the E3 Saxo Classic
There are also reports beer was thrown at him during Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix
The bidon to the face is the most serious incident yet
it is maybe half a kilogram,” he said in the post-race press conference
“I arrived at 50K an hour and it was like a stone hitting my face
This is really something we have to take legal actions against.”
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gdlbghbvl772cumdu3g3fe6u/post/3lmplrqng3c2x?ref_src=embed" data-afl-p="0">[image or embed]</a>
— VELO (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gdlbghbvl772cumdu3g3fe6u?ref_src=embed" data-afl-p="0">@velo-velo-velo.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gdlbghbvl772cumdu3g3fe6u/post/3lmplrqng3c2x?ref_src=embed" data-afl-p="0">13 April 2025 at 18:40</a>
or just another thing to think about in the most chaotic race of the year
If you&rsquo;re reading this as it is published it&rsquo;s the morning of the women&rsquo;s <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a>
The Queen of the Classics is about as close to a mecca-like experience as cycling tech journos get
and in a world of ever-increasing homogenised bike setups
you can find some weird and wonderful mods.&nbsp;
and to victory in the GP Denain by Matthew Brennan
(a cobbled race that shares many characteristics with Paris Roubaix)&nbsp;
on the drive to our basecamp for the weekend
I got the chance to throw a leg over a Gravaa-equipped Cerv&eacute;lo &Aacute;spero for a few laps of the four-star Champin-en-P&eacute;v&egrave;le sector
It&rsquo;s certainly a very interesting bit of tech
given the brand is an official partner of the team now
something Visma are convinced of the benefits of
and do I actually think it offers an advantage on the cobbles
Unless you knew what to look for the Gravaa system is pretty stealthy considering what it can do.That's just a normal bag on the top tube (Image credit: Will Jones)The hubs work as a pair
(Image credit: Will Jones)I tested it out with 32c tyres
narrower than what most pros will run at Roubaix
(Image credit: Will Jones)Just to make life easy for the test loop I made my computer only show me tyre pressure
(Image credit: Will Jones)Everything you need to know about the Gravaa adjustable tyre pressure systemLet&rsquo;s start with the technical details before we dive into the ride experience
as you do kind of need the grounding before we jump into the sensations
What we&rsquo;re working with here is a pair of hubs that work together as a system
much like a set of Shimano Di2 front and rear derailleurs
A bar-end transponder communicates things by Bluetooth or ANT+.&nbsp;
The system is controlled by a pair of wireless buttons
so you don&rsquo;t control each tyre individually
but you can program in on the Gravaa app an offset in terms of pressure
meaning you don&rsquo;t have to have identical pressure front and rear.&nbsp;
Pressing the &lsquo;inflate&rsquo; button engages a crankshaft in the hub which compresses air and forces it into the tyres
It costs you about 4 watts per wheel and takes 800m to 1km to gain 1 bar of pressure (you have to use bar in the app
though your readouts can be in PSI on your head unit)
The higher the pressure you need the longer it&rsquo;s going to take to reach it
Spin each wheel and it wakes the system up
you just add it as you would any other sensor
you&rsquo;ll need to add a widget from the ConnectIQ app store
though this does net you some better visuals like it&rsquo;ll tell you what pressure it&rsquo;s trying to reach
and a sound like a flat ensues before being rapidly cut off
You can either set the system up to go up or down in increments of 0.1 bar (and risk bottoming out or exploding your tyres) or you can program in a series of presets
a medium (for less horrible cobbles) and a low setting for the really rough stuff.&nbsp;
Gravaa claims there&rsquo;s a 25-30 watt saving on the cobbles by getting the pressure right
Having done our own lab testing with road tyres up to 40mm I can see the wattage claims have the ring of truth about them
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If I had to sum it up in one word I&rsquo;d probably have to go with &lsquo;subtle&rsquo;
and half of which was on Champin-en-P&eacute;v&egrave;le
I made a reel for Instagram which gives you a neat demonstration at the end of how the deflation works.&nbsp;
then spent the first road section trying to pump my tyres up
Maybe it was a case of mismanaged expectations
but I initially thought it wasn&rsquo;t working
The problem is that you press the button and nothing happens
besides a very small extra noise that you can&rsquo;t hear in the wind
but you have to trust your head unit for this.&nbsp;
Having spent 2km or so getting my tyres up to 60psi
I then arrived at the start of the sector and dropped them down to the middle
rather than 32c as I expect the Visma riders will use
but even so there was definitely some tangible benefit
but at just over 30 they&rsquo;re somewhat bearable
though the risk of a pinch flat does naturally increase
and once I was on my third lap and knew how long the thing takes to pump up it was easy to see how you could game the system a little
with a little help with some pace notes from a DS
or &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve done the hard yards now
so sit in the wheels and get your tyres up again before the final&rdquo;
For such a tech-focussed team as Visma-Lease A Bike I can see why it&rsquo;s something they&rsquo;d want to incorporate into their plans
so why does it leave me scratching my head a bit
(Image credit: Will Jones)The valve works in and out
but for consumers it means inner tubes only for now
(Image credit: Will Jones)It's certainly of benefit over the cobbles
but could the same benefits be reaped by just using bigger tyres and making life a lot more simple?(Image credit: Will Jones)How the Gravaa system will help in racesMy time with the system was limited
as it was for other media outlets that have had a play on it in recent days
so I&rsquo;m not going to profess that I&rsquo;ve got in-depth knowledge of it
I can see that this system allows Visma to keep what they see as their optimal aerodynamic setup
whilst also maximising wattage gains over the cobbles
We&rsquo;ve seen Wout van Aert using the system on his Cerv&eacute;lo S5
meaning he&rsquo;s keen to maintain as much of an aero advantage as possible.&nbsp;
With the help of a DS he could simply be told when to pump and release his tyres
or have it on his notes on his stem alongside when to eat
With some nifty custom GPS alerts on the team&rsquo;s Garmin bike computers there is even the potential for automated alerts to remind riders to pump/release air
and you could even gamify the pumping up of tyres too
choosing to inflate on descents (such as there are any at Roubaix)
or when you&rsquo;ve got a tailwind so as to minimise the impact.&nbsp;
Where I think it might have the most benefit is in puncture prevention
The system will detect if the tyre pressure drops below a certain threshold
and as long as you&rsquo;re going more than 15kmh it&rsquo;ll continue to pump the tyres up automatically until the target threshold is reached
In the event of a slow flat from a pinched tyre it could well allow Visma riders to at least ride on until such time as they can be serviced by their team car
rather than being stranded mid-sector with a fully flat tyre.&nbsp;
though a front swap would lose the master hub
and a rear wheel swap is usually too time-consuming
I expect in the event of a flat the Visma riders will swap to a non-Gravaa bike
or they&rsquo;d have to repair the spare bike with their head unit which isn&rsquo;t feasible in a race.&nbsp;
While it&rsquo;s technically a very good system
and in my short time on the cobbles I&rsquo;ve actually got no doubts that the gains on offer are real
I do worry that it&rsquo;s an answer to a problem that has a far more simple solution: Fit wider tyres
the team cars can&rsquo;t reach riders for long stretches
and while you could plan your pressure strategy until the cows come home it&rsquo;s yet another thing for the riders to think about.&nbsp;
Taking Wout van Aert in recon as an example
we saw that he flatted and very nearly lost control of his machine in the Arenberg Forest
The team last year were using 32c tyres and I&rsquo;ve no reason to suspect they&rsquo;ll use anything larger this year at this point
Why not instead just maximise the tyre clearance of the S5 (or the Soloist
as some riders were also seen using) and fit a 34c tyre?&nbsp;
The team will almost certainly run a 1x system so there&rsquo;s no front derailleur to get in the way
they will have a reduced risk of pinch flats
and by our estimations on rough surfaces the wider you go the faster you go.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s a slight aerodynamic deficit
but we&rsquo;ve shown that that is more than alleviated by the rolling resistance gains
If you dive into the data in our lab tests you&rsquo;ll see there&rsquo;s a bit of a strange anomaly whereby a 35c Pirelli is actually marginally slower than a 32c
but the trend across all of our tests is that wider=faster.&nbsp;
we&rsquo;ve also tested tyres over a huge array of pressures
as long as you&rsquo;re in the right ballpark
there&rsquo;s basically no difference in rolling resistance between a &lsquo;road&rsquo; pressure and a lower pressure for the cobbles
presumably due to the increased durability
so the team clearly aren&rsquo;t against using that tyre
our testing showed that the second-tier Corsa N.EXT was faster than the Pro Control too
Now I&rsquo;m not going to sit here and tell you I know better than the scientists at Visma
I am certain that their testing has concluded that the way they&rsquo;re doing it is the best
but I&rsquo;d be really curious to see if there&rsquo;s much in it between a self-inflating 32c Corsa Pro
lower pressure 34c Corsa N.EXT on the cobbles
Once you factor in the added resistance to flatting
and lower fatigue I think I&rsquo;d probably just choose the wider tyres if I wanted to do the Roubaix sportive as fast as possible
but maybe that&rsquo;s simply too much additional mass for a pro to comprehend
Having checkout out the bikes in the pits however it's pretty clear that a 32c Corsa Pro plumps up to about as much as the S5 frames can handle
so in order to go wider they'd have to use a different frame
which would then have knock on aero implications.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s tried his hand at most cycling disciplines
to the more unusual like bike polo and tracklocross
covered tech news from the biggest races on the planet
and published countless premium galleries thanks to his excellent photographic eye
given he doesn&rsquo;t ever ride indoors he&rsquo;s become a real expert on foul-weather riding gear
His collection of bikes is a real smorgasbord
with everything from vintage-style steel tourers through to superlight flat bar hill climb machines
you will then be prompted to enter your display name
Lidl-Trek's Vacek battles on with a bloodied face
The accumulating injury reports from a brutal weekend of racing at the Hell of the North
This year was no exception with crashes across both races
though the dampness of roads at the start of the men&rsquo;s edition seemed to add an extra degree of difficulty during the early stages of the race.&nbsp;
The medical reports have been filtering out since this race with good news for some and not such good news for others
For a summary of the team and rider statements read on.&nbsp;
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/stefan-kung/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/stefan-kung/">Stefan K&uuml;ng</a> actually made it over the line in 43rd place but there was no mistaking that he had fallen as he crossed the line in Roubaix with a badly scraped and blood-covered nose and chin
a banged up knee and blood spattered over his skin and jersey
K&uuml;ng went down in the corner of a cobbled sector 15km from the finish
scraping his face along the ground in the process
had to have stitches after the race," said the team in a statement
Lidl-Trek's Mathias Vacek suffered a similar cut to his face after crashing on the same corner as K&uuml;ng
but he too managed to finish the race with a bloodied eye
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/davide-ballerini/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/davide-ballerini/">Davide Ballerini</a> couldn&rsquo;t continue the race after he was left with pain in the wrist after a crash
At just under 140km to go there was a crash of about ten riders at the back of the peloton including <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/edward-theuns/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/edward-theuns/">Edward Theuns</a> and
It originally looked like his injuries were going to be more serious
with the Belgian leaving the race in a neck brace
he posted a more positive update hours after the race.&nbsp;
"The classics season ended with a visit to the hospital," said Theuns in an Instagram post
&nbsp;"Luckily nothing is broken and it's just bruises and whiplash..
but it's always painfull to not be able to finish Paris-Roubaix."
There was good news and bad news from Movistar as while Albert Torres didn&rsquo;t fare too badly from his fall early in the race it was a different matter for <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/manlio-moro/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/manlio-moro/">Manlio Moro</a> who fell with more than 180km to go.&nbsp;
"After the tests carried out this afternoon: Albert Torres has superficial wounds
Manlio Moro suffers a fracture in the fifth metacarpal of his right hand that will require surgery," said the team in a statement
it was a disastrous race for the Spanish team
with none of their seven starters in the men's race finishing the 259km
There were a number of crashes among the Picnic PostNL team including <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/julius-van-den-berg/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/julius-van-den-berg/">Julius van den Berg</a>
who had made it into the reduced peloton of around 40 after the first few cobbled sectors along with a number of his teammates
that&rsquo;s when things turned sour for the team," said Picnic PostNL before outlining a number of crashes including one which led to Van den Berg&rsquo;s abandon.&nbsp;
The medical communique from ASO confirmed it was a broken collarbone for Van den Berg
who also posted an image of his x-ray on his Instagram story
Hope to recover well and be ready for the summer," he said
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/ayco-bastiaens/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/ayco-bastiaens/">Ayco Bastiaens</a> crashed in the early stages of the race
coming down along with a group of riders including Matej Mohori&#269; (Bahrain Victorious)
Riley Pickrell (Israel-Premier Tech) and Per Strand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike)
who was riding his second Monument of the season after Milano-Sanremo
where the scans revealed the fracture," said Soudal-Quickstep in a media statement
After the crash just mentioned which also involved Bastiaens, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/matej-mohoric/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/matej-mohoric/">Matej Mohori&#269;</a> initially continued on but was ultimately a DNF.&nbsp;
Team Bahrain Victorious said in a medical update that Mohori&#269; "suffered multiple contusions and abrasions in a crash and X-rays confirmed no fractures
He&rsquo;ll rest and begin physio for a thigh and pelvic contusion."
The official medical bulletin released by the race also confirmed that one of race winner Mathieu van der Poel's teammates
crashed and suffered a fracture to his right hand after completing his work on the front for the Dutchman in the early stages.&nbsp;
Uno-X Mobility's Marte Berg Edseth was forced to abandon the race after crashing alongside Amber Pate (Liv AlUla Jayco) 136km from the finish
Her team confirmed the crash was why she was ultimately a DNF and wished her a speedy recovery
She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor
Previously she worked as a freelance writer
Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg
Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone
but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport
and the new 'Big 5' of one-day racing: We assess the big dogs and bigger disappointments of the northern spring
The &#8220;<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix/" data-afl-p="0" data-outbound-instanced="true">Paris-Roubaix Weekend&#8221;</a> put a brutal exclamation point on a wild
breathless month of monument mayhem and cobblestone brawls
Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar opened hostilities when they threw haymakers over the Cipressa and Poggio of <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/milan-san-remo/" data-afl-p="0">Milan-San Remo</a>
The two titans were still slugging it out four weekends later when they threw down on the cobblestone pain of the Haveluy
and Mons-en Pévèle of the &#8220;Hell of the North.&#8221;
and Filippo Ganna were the supporting cast in a northern classics box set that should top the charts even longer than &#8220;Game of Thrones.&#8221;
And that&#8217;s before we even dive into a wild month of inaugural races and comeback queens in the women&#8217;s peloton
SD Worx-Protime ruled supreme from San Remo Women through a thriller set of classics – until Pauline Ferrand-Prévot came along to <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/sd-worx-stunned-at-paris-roubaix-femmes-how-visma-cracked-the-pre-race-favorites/" data-afl-p="0">usurp the &#8220;super team&#8221;</a> at the Roubaix Femmes
But with Sunday&#8217;s men&#8217;s Roubaix still vivid in the memory
let&#8217;s break down who topped the class after a new &#8220;big 5&#8221; emerged in the male classics peloton:
<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/mathieu-van-der-poel/" data-afl-p="0">Mathieu van der Poel</a> put it beyond all doubt this last month
the next in line behind Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara
maybe only a bout of sickness ahead of Tour of Flanders prevented MVDP from following Tommeke and Spartacus in completing &#8220;the cobblestone double-double&#8221; of consecutive sweeps of De Ronde and Roubaix
MVDP showed at Milan-San Remo he’s maybe the only rider who can pull the brakes on the relentless Pogi Express
Must read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/van-der-poel-will-stop-pogacar-completing-pro-cycling/" data-afl-p="0">MVDP is the only rider who can stop Pogačar from completing cycling</a>
To have MVDP and Pogačar racing together is a treat. This year, they were the <a href="https://x.com/CafeRoubaix/status/1911437527669420460" data-afl-p="0">only riders capable of beating each other</a> in the northern classics
But it&#8217;s Van der Poel who surely tops the class
Two monument victories put into perspective the Dutchman&#8217;s dazzling spring
it could be Pogačar&#8217;s turn to be star pupil
“Only” two wins perhaps doesn’t do justice to <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/tadej-pogacar/" data-afl-p="0" data-outbound-instanced="true">Tadej Pogačar</a>’s wild romp through the spring
From the white stones of Strade through the grey pavé of Roubaix
the 26-year-old took a blowtorch to every race he started
And it had plenty of fuel to burn nearly everybody
Pogačar rolls toward next week&#8217;s hilly classics without the wins he wanted at Milan-San Remo and &#8220;The Hell of the North.&#8221; Van der Poel wasn&#8217;t letting Pogi have it his own way
But – a good thing for us on &#8220;Couch Peloton&#8221; – Pogačar left the Roubaix velodrome Sunday knowing that victory on the Via Roma and on the ancient French track are within his reach
Must read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/why-i-dont-want-tadej-pogacar-to-win-paris-roubaix-at-least-not-sunday/" data-afl-p="0">Why EuroHoody didn&#8217;t want Pogačar to win Roubaix this year</a>
Pogi will be back for another munch on the cobbles
He&#8217;ll want another piece of &#8220;La Primavera,&#8221; too
And you can bet that Van der Poel will be there
getting in the way of Pogačar’s monument sweep
Next up: Amstel Gold Race and the Ardennes classics
You gotta feel for <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/mads-pedersen/" data-afl-p="0">Mads Pedersen</a>
In another universe where Pogačar and Van der Poel didn’t exist
the Dane would have steamrollered everybody in the past month and stolen a plinth in cycling&#8217;s “Hall of Fame.”
Pedersen was forced to play “best of the rest.”
he was near faultless in his bloody-minded pursuit of monument immortality
But there was no clipping the hooves of modern cycling’s two GOATS
Must read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/mads-pedersen-settles-for-bittersweet-podium-after-classics-season-battling-goats-this-year-wasnt-for-me/" data-afl-p="0">Pedersen settles for Roubaix podium after spring swinging with the GOATs: ‘This year wasn’t for me’</a>
The cycling world owes Pedersen a marquee victory to stand alongside his 2019 world title
it might be that same world that&#8217;s devoid of Pogi and MVDP
Cameras captured Sunday after Roubaix the moment the son of <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/wout-van-aert/" data-afl-p="0">Wout van Aert</a> asked his dad &#8220;why he finished fourth again.&#8221;
Van Aert’s monument quest rolls into another year
Fourth and fourth at De Ronde and Roubaix were the best WVA and his horrifically scarred knee could achieve behind Pogačar
Must read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/another-paris-roubaix-heartbreak-for-wout-van-aert-there-are-3-better-than-me/" data-afl-p="0">Another Paris-Roubaix heartbreak for WVA: ‘There are 3 better than me’</a>
But after what happened to the under-pressure Belgian at Dwars door Vlaanderen – a tactical meltdown that will be made into memes for some time yet – twice fourth is good as a win for WVA
Van Aert’s confidence was shot after his Dwars disaster
His monument resurgence should leave him riding toward the Giro d’Italia with respectability intact and momentum at his back
Next up: Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold Race (April 18 and 20)
The one thing missing Sunday from a spectacular Paris-Roubaix
Seeing Filippo Ganna wield his huge carthorse raw power deep in the final of the classic that suits him best
But despite a puncture robbing the world of the Pippo show
Ganna was a significant playmaker in this pure thriller of a spring
He couldn&#8217;t be dropped by Pogačar and Van der Poel at San Remo
and he defied his 80kg frame in the hellingen of the E3 Saxo Classic
Ganna might leave Paris-Roubaix wondering which way to focus in the future
His standout spring came after he committed to a 2025 on the road after he piled his powers into the track last year for the Paris Olympics
If Ganna makes another similar leap into 2026
a huge one-day win might effectively make the road vs
First up, shoutouts to U.S. flyers <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/matteo-jorgenson/" data-afl-p="0">Matteo Jorgenson</a> and <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/neilson-powless/" data-afl-p="0">Neilson Powless</a>
Jorgenson <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/matteo-jorgenson-leaves-classics-empty-handed-i-wanted-to-win-one-of-these/" data-afl-p="0">ended his spring disappointed</a> after missing his chances at E3 Saxo Classic and Dwars door Vlaanderen
but with the boost of another solid classics campaign in his increasingly impressive career
He <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/dwars-door-vlaanderen-powless-stuns-van-aert-and-visma/" data-afl-p="0">foiled Jorgenson, Van Aert and the &#8220;Killer Bees&#8221;</a> for a headline victory at the DDV that more than makes up for an illness-blighted performance the rest of the past month
doff your cap to perennial nearly-men Jasper Stuyven
If you squinted and looked closely at the pack chasing Pogačar and Van der Poel at any point in this northern classics
you&#8217;d likely have seen one of those three
remember the names Colby Simmons and Matthew Brennan
Colby &#8220;brother of Quinn&#8221; has <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/imagine-your-first-worldtour-race-being-the-tour-of-flanders-that-just-happened-to-colby-simmons/" data-afl-p="0">only two WorldTour races on his palmarès</a>
but the Coloradan made them count – Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix is some resume
Maybe there&#8217;s some Brit bias here, but that guy showed Sunday <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/van-aert-brings-tire-pressure-regulator-to-paris-roubaix-quest/" data-afl-p="0">he could win Paris-Roubaix one day</a>
Unibet-Tietema Rockets may have started life as a YouTube channel
but they didn't race Paris-Roubaix just for a good vlog
Back again for episode two of our series following along with Unibet-Tietema Rockets! I don&#8217;t blame you <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/unibet-tietema-rockets-youtube-superstar-paris-roubaix-three-years/" data-afl-p="0">for enjoying episode one of following a team that started as an idea from a YouTuber</a>
you can go from YouTube superstar to Paris-Roubaix in three short years
As mentioned in the first article and video
After hanging out with them in the days prior to Roubaix
it&#8217;s clear that they function like any pro team
they have the right staff for the right jobs
and the usual checklist of necessities for a pro team to compete successfully
the underlying factor that Bas Tietema and Co
run a team to tell a compelling sporting story shines through at every level when you hang out with them
Unibet-Tietema Rockets have upped their storytelling game for 2025
they may get invited to some of the biggest races on the calendar if they impress the organizers
This doesn&#8217;t just mean winning and showing well in lower-tier races
but showing that they&#8217;re a force to invite to your race
they&#8217;ve impressed to the point where they got a wild card invite to Paris-Roubaix
I followed the team for 36(ish) hours over the Roubaix weekend
The 2025 edition of Paris–Roubaix may be 400 meters shorter on cobbles than last year
but don’t let that fool you—this will still be hell on wheels
sign up to watch Paris-Roubaix live on FloBikes
features 30 bone-rattling cobbled sectors that total 55.3 kilometers
but the real fight begins in Troisvilles at kilometer 95
when riders dive into the first pavé—and don’t stop bouncing until they reach the Roubaix Velodrome over 160 kilometers later
Race director Thierry Gouvenou confirmed a key change to the course: a new approach to the dreaded Trouée d’Arenberg
a more controlled—but no less nerve-wracking—series of four right-hand turns within 600 meters
“The approach should be smoother than with the hairpin bend that we had last year,” Gouvenou said during final recon
“The Porte du Hainaut region brought the road up to code
repaving the part that had been holding us back in 2024.”
This smoother transition into Arenberg won’t make the five-star sector any less decisive
It’s still 2.3km of wheel-snapping carnage in the dark forest
and it still regularly destroys hopes before the halfway point
the women’s edition—Paris–Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift—will take place on Saturday
The route remains unchanged from last year: 148.5 kilometers
with the final 17 sectors of the men’s course totaling 29.2 km of cobbles
World champion Lotte Kopecky will be back to defend her title
but she’ll face stiff competition from an in-form Elisa Balsamo and Elisa Longo Borghini
are on Sunday’s men’s battle—on the cobbles
but the luckiest never win without strength
After another aero bike lockout on the Paris-Roubaix podium last year
bikes specifically aimed at taming the Hell of the North are quickly becoming a thing of the past
turning on the TV to watch Paris-Roubaix was only partly to watch the pros battle with the pavé of northern France
The real reason I loved to watch ‘The Hell of the North’ was to see bikes and equipment that reared their heads for this single day on the calendar.&nbsp;
my first memories of Roubaix aren't from all that long ago
I have vague recollections from the late 2000s
but my first vivid memory was Fabian Cancellara’s famous win in 2010.&nbsp;
aluminium rims were the norm; there were still some metal frames in the peloton
Handlebars that looked like they had enjoyed the buffet a little too much were a common sight
with plenty of riders deciding that an extra layer of bar tape would help dampen down the assault the cobbled sectors could inflict
The mid-90s saw the peak of Roubaix specialism
Johan Museeuw rode Bianchi's full suspension bike to 14th place in a rain-soaked 1994 edition
The aerodynamic revolution changed how races were approached and what elements of equipment selection were valued above others
and tyres quickly ballooned to a size more befitting a cyclocross race.&nbsp;
The net effect is that over the course of some three decades
Roubaix bikes made a complete round trip from normal road bikes to specific creations made for a single race and back
no Specialized-sponsored riders took to the start of either the men’s or women’s editions on the bike that shares its name with the Monument
paired with the clean sweep of aero bikes on the 2024 podium
Current Roubaix bikes share almost nothing with their forefathers of only a decade ago
and there is very little beyond a few extra millimetres of rubber
and a bit of grip tape on the bottle cages that separates them from the machines used for the rest of the season.&nbsp;
Roubaix historically was more than a race; it was a tech expo of wacky and innovative solutions
the jigsaw that is Roubaix no longer needs this piece to be complete
this is great for us recreational riders; it shows that road bikes have never been so capable
visiting the pits at Roubaix no longer holds the wild excitement that it once did.&nbsp;
we can trace the evolution of Roubaix tech and its path of convergence with standard race bikes
as we have seen in recent years.&nbsp;In the end
it was two simple technologies that drove what we see today
Carbon wheels weren’t new to the peloton in 2010
Most riders saw the merit of using ‘aero’ (or at least we thought so at the time) wheels across the season
Garmin-Sharp used them at the 2009 Paris-Roubaix with Bradley Wiggins riding to 25th place aboard a Felt equipped with Zipp 303 wheels.&nbsp;
the cycling world was primed for a showdown between two heavyweights of the classics
there was a lot of talk about Cancellara’s decision to use Zipp 303 wheels
stuck with tried and tested box-section aluminium rims.&nbsp;
Cancellara entered the velodrome alone after a nearly 50 km solo move
crossing the line two minutes ahead of Thor Hushovd
more than three minutes in arrears to the Swissman.&nbsp;
carbon wheels had solidified their relevance at the race
and 2011 saw a complete step change across the board to the wheels teams brought to the race
the 2010 edition of the race confined the legendary Ambrosio Nemesis rims to the history books
only to be brought up in conversations about retro Roubaix tech.&nbsp;That
set the tone for what unfolded over the following decade and a half.&nbsp;
The juniors have been on a tear this spring with wins and top-tens aplenty
It has been a thrilling start to the 2025 season for American men in the pro peloton with super wins by Matteo Jorgenson, Magnus Sheffield, and <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/neilson-powless" data-afl-p="0">Neilson Powless</a> so far this spring
but the Team USA Junior National Team are making some big waves of their own
Team USA’s classic block number one, led by junior men’s road director <a href="http://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/Gavin-Mannion" data-afl-p="0">Gavin Mannion</a> began with the E3 Saxo Classic in Belgium
four-stage Internationale Cottbusser Junioren-Etappenfahrt in Germany
and ends with Paris-Roubaix Juniors this Sunday
and Rowan Child often race against each other back home in the USA since they represent several different junior development teams
but under the guidance of Mannion and support from USA Cycling
Team leader Ashlin Barry finished second at the E3 Saxo Classic with strong support from Juracich and Hincapie who also finished in the front group
This was a huge learning experience for the team as for several riders
it was their first time racing over cobblestones at the Junior 2.1 level
The Internationale Cottbusser Junioren-Etappenfahrt was a massive success for the team
Barry won stage 1 in front of teammate Edmonds in a field sprint
then dominated the Stage 2a TT with Hincapie in dourthth and Edmonds in sixth
 The team defended the overall lead in the tricky stage 2b afternoon stage with Barry finishing third and Edmonds fifth
 The final stage was won by Hincapie who out-sprinted his breakaway companions for his first ever win in Europe
Team USA came away with three stage wins (Barry and Hincapie)
first and second overall (Barry and Hincapie)
and all riders finishing in the top-25 overall
and bonding as a group at the Team USA house which is funded by the donors of USA Cycling
(If you would like to support the future of American cycling, please go to <a href="https://give.usacycling.org/give/495833/#!/donation/checkout" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-afl-p="0">usacycling.org</a>)
The riders have chores and tasks around the house
are expected to be respectful of others&#8217; space
and be good teammates for the +/-20 hours of the day that they are not on their bikes
With the age of riders turning pro directly into the WorldTour becoming younger and younger
Mannion stresses “the off the bike maturity is equally
Mannion has big objectives for Paris-Roubaix Juniors this weekend and said
“the goal has to be to try to win the bike race with Ashlin.”
Barry is one of the top ranked junior riders in the world
is already committed to a long-term contract with Visma-Lease a Bike
and he doesn’t even turn 18 years old until September
The parcours is 110.3km and uses the same last 17 sectors of pavé which the pro men will race over later in the day
 This will be no small task for Barry and his Team USA teammates
but I personally wouldn’t be surprised if he joined the likes of Geraint Thomas
and Tom Pidcock on the list of Paris-Roubaix Juniors winners this year
All the best pictures from the finish of the men's and women's races from the 2025 Paris-Roubaix
I was free to roam around the centre of the velodrome to capture whatever caught my eye.&nbsp;
Last year I took you <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/sports-strangest-hall-of-fame-inside-the-roubaix-shower-block/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/sports-strangest-hall-of-fame-inside-the-roubaix-shower-block/">inside the Roubaix showers</a>
That's a fun gallery too if you're curious about sport's strangest hall of fame
given it was Tadej Poga&#269;ar's first visit
he's a load of cyclists looking anywhere from elated to utterly wrecked
Let's start with some joy as Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot crosses the line
Not everyone was as cheery as this it must be said - Most riders looked like they'd been through hell
was worn out but seemed to be loving it nonetheless
I imagine this about sums up the weekend for a lot of riders
The Fenix&ndash;Deceuninck team all seemed happy
sat in the sun against the barriers swapping war stories
Collapsing onto the (fake) grass was par for the course for many
Marianne Vos seemed utterly unphased by the work she'd just done
And was in a jovial enough mood to express the fatigue for me
Former winner Alison Jackson refuels from the floor
All smiles in the mixed zone afterwards though
British rider Imogen Wolff was also in high spirits in the press area
the youngest rider ever at Paris-Roubax Femmes
tells tales of how her computer smashed mid-race
Maud Rijnbeek of VolkerWessels was clearly suffering a little
Vittoria Guazzini had an excellent thousand-yard stare
Chiara Consonni embraces Zoe Backstedt at the finish
Letizia Borghesi was suitably dust-encrusted by the end of the race
I don't think her podium place had kicked in yet
Flora Perkins shows off her hands to the cameras
All smiles for Tadej Poga&#269;ar at the sign-on
Considering the effort needed to win his third Roubaix
Mathieu van der Poel looked relatively composed as he entered the velodrome
The scrum of photographers around Wout van Aert was something to behold
at the end of a whirlwind fortnight that included signing for a new team
Alec Segaert of Lotto had been in the wars
I think the emotion of finishing finally bubbled over here
Josh Tarling was the most salt-encrusted rider I could find
His Olympics tattoo showed through his Ineos jersey
Young Brit Matthew Brennan had to field plenty of questions
Considering I heard some riders complaining of broken ribs
The Unibet Titema Rockets riders seemed shell-shocked after their first-ever Roubaix
Biniam Girmay appareared pretty composed after the race
reclined on the floor and seemed to be soaking it all in
Rasmus Pedersen of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale couldn't rehydrate fast enough
He was clearly in some degree of discomfort
Cees Bol of XDS-Astana was similarly gassed
with riders washing surrounded by about 20 photographers
Colby Simmons assessed his wounds before heading for his first Roubaix shower
Jack Rootkin-Gray had some excellent helmet dust lines
Despite having to take some time off with a virus
Taco van der Hoorn emerges from his cubicle
Mads Pedersen rides off back to his team bus for a well earned dinner
Tour de Hoody: Paris-Roubaix weekend saw records fall
This year’s <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix/" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a> weekend served up everything we’ve come to expect from the cobblestone chaos
From moto yellow cards to hors-délais and missed turns to historical firsts, this weekend&#8217;s <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix-femmes/" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix Femmes</a> and Paris-Roubaix delivered pain and spectacle
<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/tadej-pogacar/" data-afl-p="0">Tadej Pogačar</a> raced without a power meter, and <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/pauline-ferrand-prevot/" data-afl-p="0">Pauline Ferrand-Prévot</a> made history
Also read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/35mm-tires-62t-chainrings-and-more-tech-of-paris-roubaix-2025-part-one/" data-afl-p="0">All the tech at Paris-Roubaix</a>
<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/mathieu-van-der-poel/" data-afl-p="0">Mathieu van der Poel</a> racked up another monument and a 1,000CHF slap on the wrist (his Richard Mille watch is fine), and nearly man <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/wout-van-aert/" data-afl-p="0">Wout van Aert</a> couldn’t escape a brutal critique &#8230; from his own kid
Here’s our cobble-crunching breakdown of everything that made this year’s Paris-Roubaix weekend hell on wheels:
It was a weekend of record-breaking proportions
<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/pauline-ferrand-prevot/" data-afl-p="0">Pauline Ferrand-Prévot</a> became the first Frenchwoman to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes
Men&#8217;s winner Mathieu van der Poel joined Octave Lapize and Francesco Moser as the only riders to three-peat at Roubaix
tying him with Tadej Pogačar for most among current male riders
And speaking of records. As pointed out by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbgNjWsKfg/" data-afl-p="0">@cyclingspy</a>
the winning time of Philippe Gilbert in 2019 of 5:58:02 wouldn’t have made the time cut in 2025
At 8 percent of Van der Poel’s winning time
That’s quite extraordinary considering that the course is basically unchanged since then
it’s impossible to compare times from different editions
especially with tactics and wind direction also being key factors
— Cycling Statistics (@StatsOnCycling) <a href="https://twitter.com/StatsOnCycling/status/1911438200666567046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">April 13, 2025</a>
And Pogi&#8217;s monument podium run going back the last 12 months reads like a Merckx palmarès: 2nd Roubaix
No male rider has ever podiumed in all five in a single season
He&#8217;s returning to the next two as defending champion
they&#8217;ve won 10 of the past 12 monuments
Enter <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/stefan-kung/" data-afl-p="0">Stefan Küng</a>
the Swiss hardman who once again races as if a black cat crosses his path
The Roubaix nearly man went down hard Sunday
and &#8220;horrific” doesn’t begin to describe the road rash and facial wounds he wore across the line
and a crash with 15km to go,&#8221; Küng said with stoic Swiss reserve
Cyclists are warriors <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisRoubaix?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">#ParisRoubaix</a>
: Ronan Caroff <a href="https://t.co/d458Vsdk4m" data-afl-p="0">pic.twitter.com/d458Vsdk4m</a>
— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) <a href="https://twitter.com/lucasaganronald/status/1911455656399294976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">April 13, 2025</a>
There was also bad luck for <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/cat-ferguson/" data-afl-p="0">Cat Ferguson</a>
the Movistar rookie who saw her Paris-Roubaix Femmes debut cut short
The UK budding star wrote on social media that a spectator stepped onto the cobbles and she couldn&#8217;t avoid crashing
and fractures across the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s peloton
We can only wish them all a speedy recovery
If the post-race Wout van Aert media scrum wasn&#8217;t hard enough
papa?” his son was overheard asking on Belgian TV
Also read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/another-paris-roubaix-heartbreak-for-wout-van-aert-there-are-3-better-than-me/" data-afl-p="0">Another classics heartbreak for Van Aert</a>
But the proud father hugged his son and replied: “Today there were three better than me.”
It was another spring of discontent for the Belgian superstar
who missed out on a northern monument yet again
but kisses from his children soothed all scars
The UCI jury reports always make for good reading
Buried deep in the jury report Sunday were two yellow cards and a DSQ in the men’s race
Tudor sport director and former pro Marcel Sieberg was kicked out of the race for &#8220;breach of regulations concerning vehicle movements during the race.&#8221; We&#8217;re trying to find out exactly what happened
Pogacar can do many superhuman things but being more skilled on the cobbles than MVDP is not one of them. He learned his lesson the hard way. Overcooked the corner and crashed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisRoubaix?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">#ParisRoubaix</a> <a href="https://t.co/4oQWROdrkP" data-afl-p="0">pic.twitter.com/4oQWROdrkP</a>
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) <a href="https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1911422187560464487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">April 13, 2025</a>
One yellow card was handed out to a soigneur for a dangerous position in the feed zones
Fans assumed it was linked to Pogačar’s crash
but an ASO official told Velo that wasn’t the case
Four other sport directors were fined 200CHF each for driving on &#8220;pavements that do not form part of the race route.&#8221;
French star Ferrand-Prévot delivered a solo finish worthy of a Palme d’Or
While SD Worx-Protime looked poised to choke the life out of another major race
and hoisted the oversized cobblestone trophy as the first French winner of the women’s Roubaix
Visma-Lease a Bike delivered textbook tactics
And she joins partner and former Paris-Roubaix winner Dylan Van Baarle as a super couple on cobbles
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot est tellement l&#8217;une des plus grandes athlètes de l&#8217;histoire du sport français <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisRoubaixFemmes?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">#ParisRoubaixFemmes</a> <a href="https://t.co/J6ERowaqP1" data-afl-p="0">pic.twitter.com/J6ERowaqP1</a>
— Cycling Legend (@CyclingLegend_) <a href="https://twitter.com/CyclingLegend_/status/1911068171752079820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">April 12, 2025</a>
With her unrivaled cycling resumé — with world titles in nearly all two-wheeled disciplines — PFP is setting her sights on the ultimate road challenge
She wants to become the first Frenchwoman to win the modern Tour de France Femmes
Her ripping spring signals she will be a factor this summer for yellow
younger brother of superstar Tom — missed the time cut
The cutoffs are set at 8 percent of the winner’s time
Also read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/classics-report-card-rating-the-big-hitters-after-paris-roubaix/" data-afl-p="0">Rating the spring classics</a>
but the jury sticks to the rules regardless of the feel-good moment of arriving to the velodrome
Mathieu van der Poel and his Alpecin-Deceuninck DS were both slapped with a 1000CHF fine for an illegal feed inside the final 20km
In a race that had everyone on their collective knees
The first-place prize (split among the team) was 30,000 euros
MVDP could be fined another 300 times for illegal feeds before having to pawn that Richard Mille watch
Roubaix&#8217;s highest-paid debutante might have seen his race derailed by a crash
but not before electrifying the race with his fearless Pogi style
After hitting the deck in his race-altering mistake
and only the green &#8220;Hulk&#8221; sticker stuck to his cockpit for guidance
Pogacar: The final 20 km felt endless—it was one of my toughest races ever. I missed my bike computer for the last 40 km, but the numbers would’ve been incredible. When we were five riders left, I hit some of the highest power outputs of my career.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisRoubaix?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">#ParisRoubaix</a> <a href="https://t.co/UUQZOeoIzz" data-afl-p="0">https://t.co/UUQZOeoIzz</a>
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) <a href="https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1911452130184929427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-afl-p="0">April 13, 2025</a>
because it deprives everyone of taking a peek under his power numbers hood
Pogačar said he&#8217;d never seen power numbers so high as midway through the race
“Even if I hadn&#8217;t crashed in that corner
it probably wouldn&#8217;t have changed the result,” he told Slovenian TV
Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot wins in the velodrome
Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot of Visma-Lease a Bike competes on the cobbles in the lead group
&nbsp;Ellen Van Dijk rides across the early cobbles on solo breakaway
Lotte Kopecky leads the charge with Marianne Vos close behind
Elise Chabbey of FDJ-Suez crosses the finish line in the velodrome in seventh place
Letizia Borghesi goes second as Lorena Wiebes sprints for third ahead of Marianne Vos
Pauline Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot (Visma-Lease a Bike) is the first Frenchwoman to win <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/">Paris-Roubaix Femmes</a>
she attacked from a group of favourites with 25km to go and bridged to Emma Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) before dropping the Dane on the Camphin-en-P&eacute;v&egrave;le pav&eacute; sector.&nbsp;
With her teammate Marianne Vos policing the chase group
Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot soloed to the velodrome where she could take in the cheers of the crowd before raising her hands on the line
Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly) snuck away on the final kilometre to take the runner-up spot while Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) outsprinted Vos for third place
My boyfriend [Dylan van Baarle] won three years ago
that&rsquo;s quite cool,&rdquo; Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot continued
Quinty Ton (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal) got away on the opening loop south of Denain
and they were 2:45 ahead going into the first pav&eacute; sector
sector 17 (counting down towards the finish)
This gap was quickly reduced as Lidl-Trek put the pressure on among a number of mechanicals and crashes
Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) attacked from the peloton coming out of sector 16 with 72.6km to go
The former World ITT champion had bridged to the front just before sector 13 where her pace was too much for Nerlo who had to drop back
Ton held on for a while longer but was also dropped a few kilometres later
leaving Van Dijk alone at the front with what remained of the peloton 15-20 seconds behind
Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot crashed in the corner into the four-star sector 12
taking down four other riders and splitting the group
SD Worx-Protime teammates Lotte Kopecky and Wiebes took this opportunity and forged ahead alone
Vos bridged soon after to make it a front group of four
Chlo&eacute; Dygert (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto)
Romy Kasper (Human Powered Health) and Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) came back to the front at the 50km mark
Eri&#263; immediately went on the attack but was shut down by Kopecky
Kasper and Van Dijk were dropped on the Mons-en-P&eacute;v&egrave;le sector while Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot was chasing in a group about 30 seconds down
Kopecky then attacked on the small rise after the end of the pav&eacute;
but the other four didn&rsquo;t want to work with Kopecky and Wiebes
and again only Vos could stay with her.Then things came back together on the asphalt
and eventually Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot&rsquo;s chase group reached the front to make it a group of more than 20 riders
Norsgaard made her move with 32.4km to go and quickly gained a 36-second advantage
this was reduced to 22 seconds on sector 7
and Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot then went off on a solo chase
Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot left Norsgaard behind on sector 5
and increased her gap to 45 seconds at the start of the final five-star sector 4
she was 58 seconds ahead as Vos was shadowing moves in the group behind and disrupting the chase
Norsgaard was still trying to hold on for second place but was caught on sector 2 &ndash; Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot&rsquo;s victory was certain by that point.&nbsp;
an attack by &Eacute;lise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez) just inside the 5km mark led to a group of four that also included Vos
and Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Mobility)
Chabbey&rsquo;s acceleration finally dropped Kopecky
Borghesi then launched an attack and stayed away
taking second place behind Ferrand-Pr&eacute;vot while Wiebes narrowly beat Vos in the sprint for third place
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Lukas&nbsp;Kn&ouml;fler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications, he has been Cyclingnews&rsquo; Women&rsquo;s WorldTour correspondent since 2018.
Dane leaves no stone unturned when it comes to his bike setup
Kasper Asgreen is going to rock a distinctive bike set up at Paris-Roubaix
“I decided to go with the 56t FSA Megatooth carbon chain ring,” Kasper says
It looks pretty cool and worked out really well during our recon
I had zero issues with the chain slapping around or anything like that
the simplicity of a 1x system is super helpful.”
To make gear changes even easier in the chaos on the cobbles, Kasper has a thumb shifter mounted on the drops of his<a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://www.cannondale.com/en-be/gear/components/handlebars/carbon-handlebars/systembar-r-one-carbon-one-piece-handlebar"> Cannondale SystemBar R-One cockpit</a>
He asked our mechanics to pull each wrap of his handlebar tape extra close to the last to make his tape a bit thicker for cushioning
“ I find that the double-wrap tape is a bit too bulky for me
but a single layer is pretty hard on the hands,” Kasper says
you get the equivalent of maybe a bar tape and a half
It’s a nice little hack that I also use on my gravel bike at home.”
For speed, comfort, and traction on the stones, Kasper will ride 32mm <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://vittoria.com/products/corsa-pro-tubeless-ready">Vittoria Corsa Pro</a> tires on his Vision Metron 45SL wheels
he dialed in the tire pressure he is going to use on race day
“ I started with 3.7 bar in the front and 3.9 bar in the rear
really happy with the front right off the bat,” Kasper says
I just lowered it to 3.7 in the back as well to get a bit more traction and a bit more stability for the rear wheel.”
The rest of Kasper’s set up is the same that he races throughout the year
his Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO will float over the stones
and snap up to speed every time that Kasper turns the pedals
Kasper prefers <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://eu.wahoofitness.com/devices/pedals/speedplay/speedplay-aero-buy">Wahoo’s SPEEDPLAY AERO</a>s. He is meticulous about his bike fit and rates the easy four-way adjustment that SPEEDPLAY cleats provide. With 172.5mm <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://www.fullspeedahead.com">FSA</a> cranks
Kasper will use his new<a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://eu.wahoofitness.com/devices/bike-computers/elemnt-roam-buy"> Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3</a> during the race
Its high-res color screen will guide him right to the Roubaix velodrome
Check out the full specs of Kasper’s Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO for Paris-Roubaix
Cannondale System R-One Carbon one piece 130/380
As the dust settles on another electric edition of Paris-Roubaix
one thing is clear – road tyres will keep getting wider for the foreseeable future
The <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/events/tour-de-france">Tour de France</a> may be the sport’s so-called ‘shop window’
but Paris-Roubaix is often where we see the vanguard of road bike tech emerging
while marginal gains can make a difference in all disciplines of cycling
equipment choices for the cobbled classics can make or break a rider’s chances
And while aspiring road cyclists might dream of sunny days in the Alps and the heavenly smooth tarmac of the Grand Tours
the reality facing everyday riders often has far more in common with the broken roads of Belgium and northern France
Given that, when it comes to shopping for new <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-road-bike-tyres">road bike tyres</a>
most of us should stop looking to the Tour for inspiration and turn our attention to the classics instead
and many cyclists still believe that going for wider tyres will slow you down
was – at an average speed of 46.921kph over 259.2km – the second fastest edition ever (behind last year’s race)
because his team swapped sponsors over the winter
Behind him, the reigning Giro, Tour and road world champion, <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tadej-pogacar-facts">Tadej Pogačar</a>, was using <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/paris-roubaix-tech-2025">32mm tyres on his Colnago V4Rs</a> (and has been using tyres measuring more than 30mm wide for ‘normal’ road races since at least the <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/vingegaard-cervelo-s5-versus-pogacar-colnago-v4rs">2023 Tour de France</a>)
Among the mortals – those who knew they couldn’t simply rely on superlative talent and skill to be in with a chance of glory – riders were pushing the limits of tyre clearance ever more
Taco van der Hoorn (who finished 20th), for example, squeezed a set of 35mm-wide <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/hutchinson-blackbird-racing-lab-tlr-review">Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab</a> tyres into his <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/taco-van-der-hoorns-roubaix-bike">Cube Litening Aero C:68X</a> – a bike that nominally has clearance for up to 28mm tyres
Wider tyres aren’t faster in every situation imaginable
on rough roads and where weight isn’t a limiting factor to performance
wider tyres typically deliver better grip and fewer vibrational losses – all of which means you can ride faster and in greater comfort
And if elite athletes at the peak of their powers are racing on 32 to 35mm tyres for these conditions
then it follows that most of us should be using similarly wide
Given van der Poel finished almost five minutes ahead of van der Hoorn
it could be tempting to conclude his 32mm tyres represent the sweet spot for speed
Just as the strongest rider in the race doesn’t always win
neither does the rider with the best bike setup (despite what brands would have us believe)
Although each of his three victories have come on 32mm tyres
it’s possible van der Poel would still have won on narrower tyres
or perhaps he’d have had even greater margins of victory had he been using wider ones
Things might also have played out differently if Pogačar had opted for his <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/pogacar-colnago-y1rs">Colnago Y1Rs</a> aero bike instead of the all-rounder V4Rs
Likewise, was Mads Pedersen’s unfortunate puncture (on the same <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/pirelli-p-zero-race-tlr-rs">Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS</a> tyres as van der Poel)
or was it the result of poor line choice from being on his physical limit
we can’t know the answers to these counterfactuals – bike racing isn’t a paint-by-numbers affair and there are a huge number of elements at play in any given scenario (which is part of what makes it a unique sport)
is that 32mm tyres max out the official clearance on both van der Poel’s Canyon Aeroad CFR and Pogačar’s V4Rs
and neither Vittoria nor Continental (who respectively sponsor their teams) offer their all-rounder race tyres in larger sizes
both riders may have been able to squeeze larger tyres in if they’d really wanted to
and maybe Continental or Vittoria could have whipped up some chunkier prototype tyres as Hutchinson did for van der Hoorn
But both would understandably have had lower appetites for risking anything getting jammed in their forks or chainstays given their status as favourites for the win
It seems likely, though, that if the next generation of road racing bikes has much wider tyre clearances – something <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/gravel-gearing-2025-spring-classics">WorldTour teams such as Lidl-Trek are known to be asking for</a> – then these options will be explored
if wider tyres are indeed faster than narrow ones
Are 38 or 40mm-wide road bike tyres even faster than 32-35mm ones
course profiles and so on come into play when determining the best setup for any rider and scenario
Part of the reason this debate has rumbled on for so long
is that it’s often impossible to compare apples to apples
<a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-endurance-road-bikes">Endurance road bikes</a> have typically featured larger tyre clearances than racing bikes
so tyre manufacturers have tended to only make ‘endurance’ or ‘all-season’ models in bigger sizes to match
To go wider, you need to switch to the tougher <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/road-bike-tyres/continental-grand-prix-5000-as-tr-review">GP5000 AS TR</a>, which adds a 35mm option (<a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/paris-roubaix-tech-2025">as run by British rider Fred Wright</a>), and for anything larger, you’re looking at <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-gravel-tyres">gravel tyres</a>
Given how much difference tyre casings, compounds and so on make to <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/rolling-resistance-explained">rolling resistance</a>
it’s fair to say the wider tyres are often slower than the narrow ones – but it isn’t simply because they’re bigger and heavier
Even Pirelli’s recently launched <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/40mm-pirelli-pzero-race-tlr">40mm-wide P Zero Race TLR</a> appears to use a heavier, more robust construction than the narrower versions (which makes its slightly slower, according to <a href="https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/pirelli-p-zero-race-tlr-40" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bicyclerollingresistance.com</a>)
perhaps because Pirelli believes riders won’t treat it as carefully as they would a narrow road tyre
If we could get 40mm-wide racing tyres with an identical construction to the narrower versions
It’s understandable tyre brands act in this fashion
it doesn’t make financial sense to make race tyres for bikes that aren’t being raced
or if racers don’t have bikes that will fit them
It’s also fair to say things are changing – back when Continental launched its legendary <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/continental-grand-prix-4000-sii-review">GP4000S II</a> in 2013
It’s a classic chicken-and-egg scenario – do race bikes with large tyre clearances come first or do big race tyres? We’ve seen a similar scenario play out in rapid fashion in the world of <a href="http://www.bikeradar.com/features/routes-and-rides/gravel-racing">gravel racing</a>
Simply going up a tyre size or two can improve performance in a number of areas for many riders (assuming your bike can accommodate it)
As Zipp realised when designing its <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/icons-of-cycling-zipp-303">iconic 303 wheelset</a> – the first carbon wheelset to be ridden to a win at Paris-Roubaix – it's important wider tyres are matched to <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/rim-width-explained-for-road-bikes-mountain-bikes-and-gravel-bikes">wide rims</a> to maximise their potential
Taco van der Hoorn was able to just about fit a set of 35mm tyres in his Cube
but we wouldn’t recommend everyday riders do the same – one errant stone or piece of glass picked up by the tyre tread could ruin your frame
Lidl-Trek says it has “tested 35s for Roubaix but didn’t see any huge advantages”
but that’s presumably with its current bikes and wheels
If it had aero wheels and a bike optimised for 35mm-wide tyres
perhaps the balance would tip in their favour
But just as the pros moved from 25 to 28mm tyres at Paris-Roubaix in the early 2010s
today’s trend towards 32 to 35mm and beyond should prompt a similar move from everyday riders
Chance of rain increases throughout the day on Sunday
who added the race to his programme last month
Meteo France is predicting warm weather and cloudy skies but no rain for Saturday's <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix-femmes/">Paris-Roubaix Femmes</a>
slightly cooler and potentially wet conditions are on the forecast for Sunday's men's race
where he finished seventh behind a five-man breakaway
the weather forecast confidence index is only 3 out of 5
but if it holds true it could be the first muddy Paris-Roubaix since 2021 when the race was held in October because of the COVID-19 pandemic
That year, <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2021/elite-men/results/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2021/elite-men/results/">Sonny Colbrelli won a chaotic Paris-Roubaix</a> in his debut
besting Florian Vermeersch and Mathieu van der Poel in a three-man sprint
While most pundits and fans believe that lightweight climbers like Poga&#269;ar would struggle in cold and rain
he has shown multiple times that he can be at his best in the worst conditions
He won stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia last year in terrible weather
soloed to victory in the Volta a Catalunya in similarly dire conditions and won a stage of the Vuelta a Espa&ntilde;a in his neo-pro year in 2019 in rain
UAE Team Emirates XRG were not fully in favour of Poga&#269;ar racing Paris-Roubaix
pointing to his crash during Strade Bianche as a warning for Roubaix
"A bad crash could jeopardize the Tour de France and maybe even the whole season
I hope that he doesn&rsquo;t do it this year
and I&rsquo;ll tell him once again: there is still time in his career for him to ride Paris-Roubaix," team manager Mauro Gianetti said
she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news
As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track
Laura has a passion for all three disciplines
When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads
UCI governance and performing data analysis
Wellens to support world champion Tadej Pogačar in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix debut: 'We have a very strong team.'
<a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/tadej-pogacar/" data-afl-p="0">Tadej Pogačar</a> will have a red-carpet leadout onto the Arenberg Forest in his wildly anticipated <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/tag/paris-roubaix/" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix</a> debut Sunday
UAE Emirates-XRG revealed its Roubaix raiders who will chaperone the world No
and it&#8217;s an impressive lineup by any measure
fresh off a morale-crushing win at Tour of Flanders
will be flanked by a bruising UAE Emirates-XRG squad stacked with horsepower and Roubaix pedigree
Also read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/paris-roubaix-quick-guide-cobbles-favorites-timings/" data-afl-p="0">Paris-Roubaix weekend primer</a>
“Paris-Roubaix is a completely different race
I’ll try to do my best,” said the Slovenian superstar in a team release Wednesday
with guys who have lots of experience and we can use this to our advantage
Backing Pogačar are two proven Roubaix warriors in Florian Vermeersch and Nils Politt
both former runners-up at the &#8220;Queen of the Classics.&#8221;
Their presence will provide the wheels Pogačar will need to follow the chaos and avoid trouble in the cobblestone mayhem looming Sunday
and UAE’s lineup looks built for speed to protect cycling&#8217;s crown jewel against the perils of cycling&#8217;s most dangerous race
&#8220;It will be a very hard race but I think with the shape I have now that this is the right moment to give it a try at least,&#8221; Pogačar said
&#8220;We had a great battle last weekend at Flanders and I hope we can put on a good show again this Sunday.”
Also read: <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/all-pain-little-gain-paris-roubaix-and-the-paltry-payday-for-cyclings-most-notorious-race/" data-afl-p="0">How much do the Paris-Roubaix winners make?</a>
If UAE&#8217;s henchmen can keep Pogačar upright and out of trouble
anything will be possible if he&#8217;s racing deep into the magical sixth hour near the front of the race
Mathieu van der Poel rides solo at the front of the race after Tadej Poga&#269;ar crashed with 40km to go
Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck rides behind Tadej Poga&#269;ar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG in two-rider breakaway with 50km to go
Ineos sets the pace passing through the Troisvilles a Inchy cobblestones sector
Danny Van Poppel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
Filippo Ganna and Ben Swift of Ineos Grenadiers compete at the front of the race across the Quievy a Saint-Python cobblestones sector&nbsp;
Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates0XRG and Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek lead the peloton passing through the Troue dArenberg cobblestones sector&nbsp;
Van der Poel and Philipesen ride ahead of Poga&#269;ar
Reigning World Champion leads former World Champion with less than 50km to ride
Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel punches the air as he glides on the velodrome for a solo victory
2025 podium (L to R): Tadej Poga&#269;ar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG on second place
race winner Mathieu Van Der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck and Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek on third place
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has soared to his third straight victory in <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a> after a crash and high-tension pursuit by Tadej Poga&#269;ar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) ended with a solo triumph for the Dutchman
Poga&#269;ar and Van der Poel were leading the race with some 40 kilometres to go when the Slovenian fell hard on a right hand bend on sector 9
suffering injuries in his left wrist and being delayed when he needed a replacement bike
with a subsequent front wheel puncture then compounding his woes
Despite having a bidon flung at his face and a late puncture of his own on the Carrefour d'Arbre forcing him to change bikes
too - with his first being run over the team car just metres behind - &nbsp;Van der Poel kept his cool and rode a near-faultless finale
In the process he became the eighth rider in Roubaix history to win the Hell of the North three times
and the first since Francesco Moser in 1980 to take three editions in a row
and crossed the line around 1:20 behind Van der Poel
with Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) taking third by outsprinting Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
"It's such a hard race and I was really suffering
too bad Tadej made this mistake on a corner," Van der Poel said afterwards
"But then I just had to go for it and it was still quite far from the finish
it was really hard especially with the last two sectors with the headwind
I was really struggling but I'm happy to make it to the finish line."
"the speed was superhigh and I think he misjudged the turn a bit
and then I don't know what happened afterwards
because I had quite a big gap but I had to go for it
Van der Poel suffered a puncture "and I didn't know the time gap
so I couldn't ask for it or say I had a flat tyre
It took a while til the car was there but it all worked out in the end."
There was no sense of revenge after losing Flanders to Poga&#269;ar he said
"I'm just happy that I could find my good legs again
But we all know what an incredible champion Tadej is
what he did here in his first Roubaix- it doesn't surprise me but it's also not normal
"Probably it would have been the two of us going to the velodrome if he doesn't make that mistake so I guess we'll see him back here next year to take his revenge."
A searing attack by Poga&#269;ar at 72km to go on the Tilloy sector brought across Van der Poel and his Alpecin teammate Jasper Philipsen
Pedersen was unlucky enough to suffer a puncture just as the Slovenian made his move
only bouncing back in the final battle for third
a duel of effort between Van der Poel and Poga&#269;ar began
and the two top pre-race favourites forged on
Poga&#269;ar then was unlucky enough to crash
leaving Van der Poel ahead and alone at the head of the field.&nbsp;
with a bottle thrown at the Dutchman's face with 33 kilometres to go and a puncture on the Carrefour d'Arbre
could stop Van der Poel from heading home into the velodrome to clinch the eighth Monument of his career
and after Milan-San Remo earlier this spring
with Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) launching the first of a flurry of early attacks
including former Milan-San Remo podium finisher Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) and Rasmus Pedersen (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)
But UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike were seemingly determined either to put a rider in the break or ensure not dangerous riders went in it
and each time the early bids were sucked back.&nbsp;
Finally a group of eight that met with general approval from Roubaix's unofficial powers-that-be went up the road after almost 30 kilometres of skirmishing
with Poga&#269;ar personally chasing down a counter-move that tried to bridge across
Jasper De Buyst (Lotto),Rory Townsend (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and Abram Stockman (Unibet-Tietema Rockets) all got the UAE/Visma green light
a former winner of Spain's closest equivalent to Roubaix
their chances of long-term glory were slim
With average speeds of just over a jaw-dropping 51 kph in the first hour
the eight-man break of the day nonetheless managed to open up a gap of three minutes on the long
flat approach roads to the first of the 30 sectors of cobbles
Meantime Movistar were having a miserable start to the race
as Mathias Norsgaard had the dubious honour of being the first rider to abandon the 2025 edition Paris-Roubaix
then teammate Manilo Moro&nbsp;and Albert Torres both quickly following him after crashes
and even before they'd reached the cobbles
which rattled onto the opening pav&eacute; at Troisville
As the bunch hit top speed to tackle the initial sector
the first big crash of the race took place
when two-times Roubaix runner-up Philipsen and fellow Belgian Classics specialist Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) both came down on a greasy left-hand corner
The first sector of Paris-Roubaix always causes an inordinate amount of damage and this year was no exception
Other top favourites like Van Aert and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)
also found themselves in trouble and off the back
Van Aert quickly succeeding thanks to support from his teammates
but it was all a foretaste of what was to come
Lidl-Trek drove hard to maintain the pace in the pack
but when Alpecin-Deceuninck added their shoulder to the collective wheel alongside the German squad
they nonetheless took it fairly gently to allow Philipsen and Ganna's large chase group back on board
showed he was ready for any development and staying out of trouble.&nbsp;
A holding pattern seemed to emerge after Ganna and Philiipsen's group regained contact
and the break still stubbornly held on to a two minute advantage as the race hit the 25th sector of cobbles
Verchain-Maugr&eacute; to Qu&eacute;r&eacute;naing
then added more firepower to the peloton's chase thanks to young British duo Sam Watson and Josh Tarling
Then even as the crunch sector of Arenberg approached
Barring Ganna and Philipsen's difficulties
and a big question mark hovering over Van Aert
the first half of 2025 Paris-Roubaix had thus developed fairly as much as expected
Ineos and Visma were all still present in significant numbers in a very large main peloton
and little had unsettled their pre-race strategies of getting the top names ready for the main Roubaix battlegrounds well-placed and supported
Pedersen's first big acceleration of the race brought about a marked rise in speed
and when the response came from one of the top players in person
Van der Poel then poured fuel on top of the Slovenian's acceleration
only 20 riders or so remained in the front group and the real Roubaix selection process had begun
The leading early break still had 20 seconds on a rapidly reformed main peloton as they hit the forest
But when Poga&#269;ar once again accelerated hard at the front
forcing a 15-strong group clear alongside Van der Poel
it was clear the early movers were doomed.&nbsp;
the two big favourites weaved their way through the last remnants of the breakaway as they came off the much-feared Arenberg sector
fortunately without any incident despite the clear difference in speed
Then when Van der Poel briefly pressed home their advantage on the roads beyond
further shredding the small group of race leaders
it looked like a really important break had formed
By the time Van der Poel ceased powering away
Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)
and as they reached sector 18 and another feed zone
ensured the gap on 14 chasers remained at nearly a minute away.&nbsp;
containing all three top finishers from Paris-Roubaix 2024 plus Poga&#269;ar
the win increasingly seemed more and more likely to come from these five race leaders
despite Van Aert pushing on as hard as possible in pursuit
Poga&#269;ar suddenly opened up a colossal acceleration
forcing Bissegger to chase and then - finally - Van der Poel to accelerate
Pedersen had the extreme bad luck to puncture just as the crash happened and suddenly
the lead group was down to the two main pre-race contenders: Van der Poel and Poga&#269;ar
Van der Poel had the perfect excuse not to work though
given Philipsen was behind and he immediately bridged across
while Van Aert and Pedersen joined forces behind in a group of 12 also containing Stefan K&uuml;ng (Groupama-FDJ) and a very impressive Brennan
Poga&#269;ar was &nbsp;- for once in his career - outnumbered by his Alpecin rivals
both of them considerably more successful in a Roubaix where the UAE racer was making his debut
where Van der Poel had launched his winning move last year
came and went and rather than attacking instead the trio - all of them guaranteed a podium spot
after all - concentrated on refuelling and keeping their advantage open
Then on the dangerously long Mons-en-Pevele segment
Poga&#269;ar pushed harder at the head of the trio
That changed when Van der Poel also tested the water
and a second punch by Poga&#269;ar on the Mons-en-Pevele abruptly left Philipsen
Van der Poel and Poga&#269;ar two continued onwards with an uneasy truce
and Van der Poel later said he expected the two of them to go all the way together to the finish
But then the real game changer happened some 40 kilometres from the finish
a sudden miscalculation at a right-angled bend on the comparatively easy sector 9 saw Poga&#269;ar go flying
the Slovenian's nonetheless chain came off
finally managing to get a replacement bike from his team car and losing 20 seconds in the process
he could hold his handlebars when he remounted without any difficulties
and &nbsp;Poga&#269;ar managed to chase on alone and undeterred
with seven sectors and 30 kilometres remaining
it looked like Van der Poel might yet have a fight on his hands
For several kilometres and in shades of Johan Museeuw's epic pursuit of Andrei Tchmil in the much muddier conditions of the 1994 Roubaix
Poga&#269;ar could see the following cars ahead and at one point the gap came down to just 16 seconds
slowly but surely Van der Poel carved open a bigger and bigger gap
and then when Poga&#269;ar had a front-wheel puncture
rather than sit up or wait for a chase group
although he did take the corners rather more carefully than before his crash
second in Roubaix in his race debut was by no means a disgrace
even if the much awaited final duel with Van der Poel had been snuffed out by his apparent miscalculation on that illfated corner
after a roadside spectator opted to launch a bidon at his head on the Carrefour d'Arbre
Fortunately it had no effect and he barely paused in his effort
but the puncture that then followed looked far more spectacular
as the following car was so keen to give him his replacement bike
it ran over the one he had just dismounted
The gap on the fading Poga&#269;ar did nothing but rise
By that time Van der Poel had gone through the near-obligatory fist-bump with his sports director in the following car
and had more than enough time to work out his victory celebrations
Coming up to the finish line in Roubaix velodrome
Van der Poel raised three fingers to the sky to denominate his three victories in the Queen of the Classics
with the eighth Monument of his career also seeing him equal the total held by the rider who then followed him home for second
For all the 2025 edition of Paris-Roubaix saw another epic chapter of the Poga&#269;ar-Van der Poel rivalry being written
the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader later denied that there was any sentiment of sporting revenge at Roubaix
following his defeat in Flanders at the hands of Poga&#269;ar the previous weekend.&nbsp;
Poga&#269;ar's second place is a remarkable debut for the Slovenian
Van der Poel's third Roubaix success nonetheless is an undeniable reminder that for now in the Hell of the North at least
<a href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/author/alasdair-fotheringham/" target="_self" class="link author__name_link" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/author/alasdair-fotheringham/">Alasdair Fotheringham</a>Social Links Navigation<a class="button-social   " href="https://www.twitter.com/@AlasdairFother3" target="_self" aria-label="TWITTER"></a>Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991
He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one
as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes
ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain
he has also written for The Independent,&nbsp; The Guardian,&nbsp; ProCycling
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The world champion narrowly missed out on a victory at his Hell of the North debut – his performance is a menacing sign for years to come
It’s true that the writing was always on the wall – and Pogačar so rarely disappoints – but his participation in this year’s Hell of the North was still a test
his second place finish on debut is proof that one day
That chance of victory slipped away on an innocuous bend at the end of a cobbled sector that came with just over 35 kilometres of racing remaining
It was a rare mistake from the world champion who carried too much speed and failed to clear the corner
and gracefully somersaulted into the grass verge lining the pavé
but Mathieu van der Poel was already disappearing up the road
riding solo to a third consecutive commanding Roubaix win
There was a moment when it looked like Pogačar might just claw back the gap to his rival – we’ve learnt by now that the world champion can never be counted out – but in the end it was too much
even for the rider who so often seems superhuman
Pogačar was disappointed in the velodrome at the end of his race: “shit happens,” he shrugged to reporters who questioned him about his crash
His lack of enthusiasm for a podium finish was understandable – the Slovenian rider has always been a winner
and he holds himself to different standards
that the way he rode today on the cobbles of Northern France at the first time of asking
in the Monument that arguably should suit a Tour de France general classification contender the least
paints a promising picture for his future attempts at this race
The lessons he has learned from his debut are going to be invaluable for years to come
“You think it's a flat race but in terms of power this is one of the hardest races I did in my life
The stress on the body from the cobbles – it is one of the roughest
I gained some experience so next time I come it won't be as extremely hard as today,” Pogačar stated
We can come back next year with a strong team again and be motivated to fight for a victory in the next years.”
Should his crash be taken as evidence that
Pogačar may need to work on his technical abilities if he wants a clear run at Roubaix again
“When you go full gas and motorbikes are in front of you and they don’t turn
you think there is no turn and then suddenly they are really close to you
But I should know there is a corner so no excuses,” he reflected when analysing the incident
The Hell of the North is looking more possible than ever before
Pogačar will unquestionably be confirmed as one of cycling’s greats
I said after Milan-Sanremo that he was the only rider who could actually make the difference on the Cipressa
He’s 26 – there’s so much more to come,” Roubaix winner Van der Poel said in his post-race press conference
“When his career is finished it will be like Merckx and his career.”
Alpecin-Deceuninck manager Philip Roodhooft
shared the same sentiment as his rider: Pogačar is demanding respect for what he is doing
Tour de France winners do not normally ride Roubaix
they do not normally float over cobbles as well as they do up mountains
they do not challenge Classics riders for Monument victories
and there’s plenty more where it came from
“You can’t do anything other than respect him and say hats off,” Roodhooft said at the end of Paris-Roubaix
“The fact he has come here already deserves respect
then what he tried to do in the race deserves a lot of respect
it all adds a lot of value to the sport as a whole and the history of cycling.”
Rouleur takes a look at the contenders to win the Maglia Rosa in Italy this month
Alexander Vinokourov's team are making the impossible rather quite possible
All the essential information about the first Grand Tour of the year
While the former Olympic and World champion is relishing new ventures in retirement
she is keen to ensure more support is in place for those..
From SD Worx-Protime's continued success to Canyon-SRAM's disappointment
Rouleur takes a look at how each squad performed at the Spring Classics
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A crowd witnessing Poga&#269;ar's first Paris-Roubaix
Slovenian's multitude of talents make him the best of his generation and an example for the sport to follow 
Tadej Poga&#269;ar didn't win <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a>
but his performance in the Hell of the North yet again highlighted his greatness
Yet Poga&#269;ar loves to race and loves a new challenge
so they fought the concerns in the team to line up in Compi&egrave;gne
with the huge photograph capturing their post-race hug
Poga&#269;ar and Van der Poel have now won eight Monument Classics each and dominated the spring of 2025. <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-2025/elite-men/results/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-2025/elite-men/results/">Poga&#269;ar won Strade Bianche</a> and used his climbing ability to win the Tour of Flanders with a solo attack
Van der Poel used his superior finishing speed to win Milan-San Remo and his better bike skills to glide over the pav&eacute; to win in Roubaix
Poga&#269;ar is the current world champion
taking the rainbow jersey a year after Van der Poel defeated him in Glasgow
Two riders have rarely dominated and divided the Spring Classics as much as these two
each slightly different but also multi-talented
Van der Poel has won seven cyclocross world titles and can surely add a mountain bike rainbow jersey to his 2024 gravel world title
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf used a soccer analogy
describing them as the Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of cycling
they are the Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck of their generation; one a cannibal
and rivals who had the ability to beat even the best.&nbsp;
Poga&#269;ar again stood on the lower steps of the podium
but Poga&#269;ar's talents and results are a first sign
with his personality and modesty only adding to his charisma
the last Tour de France winner to finish on the Paris-Roubaix podium was Laurent Fignon in 1988
Poga&#269;ar's greatness is measured by his multitude of talents
Ever since Fignon's era, after the excesses of the EPO generation, professional cycling has become hyper-specialised. <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/where-are-they-now-team-skys-2012-tour-de-france-winning-team/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/where-are-they-now-team-skys-2012-tour-de-france-winning-team/">Team Sky</a> focused massively on the Tour de France and won it again and again
forcing their rivals to also hone in on July
Chris Froome and even Geraint Thomas gave up on other goals
Their success legitimised that choice but created a peloton of one-dimensional riders
He races and wins from February to October
He carefully calibrates his season but wants to win it all
We are witnessing greatness as he writes cycling history
If the <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/from-breakaway-league-to-uci-approved-the-one-cycling-project-has-changed-again-but-could-launch-very-soon/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/from-breakaway-league-to-uci-approved-the-one-cycling-project-has-changed-again-but-could-launch-very-soon/">One Cycling reforms</a> want to modernise the sport
they should follow Poga&#269;ar's ambitions and oblige riders to race a near-full calendar
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Primo&#382; Rogli&#269; (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
could be allowed to skip Paris-Roubaix but should race every other major race on a true WorldTour calendar
Drag them down from Mount Teide and Sierra Nevada and pin numbers on their backs
The fans deserve to see big-name clashes week after week
and training might be more scientific than racing
but they limit opportunities for greatness
Just ask Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)
missed Milan-San Remo to train for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix
more self-doubt and calls for him to race far more
Poga&#269;ar has four Grand Tour victories on his palmar&egrave;s but also has a haul of Monuments and other one-day races
Milan-San Remo still escapes him but will surely go his way one year soon
His second place on Sunday confirmed that muscle mass
broad shoulders and huge raw power aren't needed to win Paris-Roubaix
a super-talented 66kg rider can fight for victory
Poga&#269;ar will surely return to Northern France each spring until he lifts the cobblestone trophy
Poga&#269;ar's wide breadth of talents means his spring does not end with Paris-Roubaix
While Van der Poel enjoys a celebratory round of golf and everyone else licks their physical and psychological wounds
Poga&#269;ar will return to northern Europe at the weekend for more one-day Classics in the Ardennes
He is scheduled to ride the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, then the mid-week La Fl&egrave;che Wallonne and then <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/liege-bastogne-liege/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/liege-bastogne-liege/">Li&egrave;ge-Bastogne-Li&egrave;ge</a>
He could even add an Ardennes triple to his palmar&egrave;s
Good luck to Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep)
and anyone trying to race him in the Ardennes
so there's so much more to come," Van der Poel said on Sunday of Poga&#269;ar
Alpecin-Deceuninck manager Philip Roodhooft was happy to steal Mauro Gianetti's limelight in the Paris-Roubaix podium area and celebrate a <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2025/elite-men/results/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/paris-roubaix-2025/elite-men/results/">third consecutive Paris-Roubaix win</a> but also recognised Poga&#269;ar's greatness
"We can't do anything other than respect him and say hats off," Roodhooft said in the centre of the velodrome
"The fact he has come here already deserves respect
then what he tried to do in the race deserves more respect
it all adds a lot of value to the sport as a whole and the history of cycling."
<a href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/author/stephen-farrand/" target="_self" class="link author__name_link" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/author/stephen-farrand/">Stephen Farrand</a>Social Links Navigation<a class="button-social   " href="https://www.twitter.com/@stephenfarrand" target="_self" aria-label="TWITTER"></a>Head of NewsStephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team
having reported on professional cycling since 1994
He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022
before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters
Lotte Kopecky is chasing something no woman has ever done
She could become the first to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes twice
The first to turn spring into her personal showcase.&nbsp;
It chews up favorites and spits out surprises
The fifth edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift takes place this Saturday
And it’s live on FloBikes for viewers in Canada
Paris-Roubaix Femmes&nbsp;coverage is presented by ‪‪@buycycle‬, the marketplace for pre-owned bikes. Too many bikes? List in minutes and sell to cyclists worldwide! Head to <a href="https://buycycle.com/flobikes">https://buycycle.com/flobikes</a> now to sell today and redeem your code for 30% off seller protection
the fastest finisher in the women’s peloton
and Ellen van Dijk—and you’ve got firepower across the board
Marianne Vos lines up for Visma–Lease a Bike
Her teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is ready too
both flying under the radar—just like Canadian Alison Jackson did when she stole the show in 2023
The UCI World Tour takes a trip to France next
with the unique prospect of the Paris Roubaix
The 2025 men's edition takes place this Sunday
April 13 and you can watch Paris Roubaix live streams in a number of places around the world
We explain where you can see it in this guide
including ways to watch the 2025 Paris Roubaix for free
It's not for nothing that this 129-year-old Monument is known to many as the "Hell of the North.'' While the traipse from the beautiful capital city up toward Belgium may be relatively flat
the race's 259.2km route traverses a grueling variety of tough terrain — those cobblestones may look attractive
but they take a toll on even the most hardened riders
Anyone making it to the end will certainly feel like they've earned their week off ahead of the next UCI event in the Netherlands
is making his appearance in the Paris Roubaix for the first time this year
the Slovenian will be considered among the favorites
His victories at the Stade Bianche and Tour of Flanders signal a rider in foreboding form in a season where he's seeking a fourth Tour de France title — not bad for a 26-year-old
But he'll have to get past Mathieu van der Poel this weekend
The Flying Dutchman is shooting for a third straight Paris Roubaix victory
which is a feat not achieved since the legendary Francesco Moser in 1978-80
The Belgian duo of Jaspers (Philipsen and Stuyven) will also hope to be in contention when they reach sight of their homeland
You can find out on Sunday with the 2025 Paris Roubaix live stream
Below you'll find all the information you need on TV channels
or get 12 months for the price of 10 if you sign up for the $80 annual plan
then Peacock will also hold a replay of the action to watch at your leisure on demand
CNBC will show a two-hour highlights show on Monday
You can also subscribe to TNT Sports through TV packages from Sky
All you need to do to watch SBS On Demand is create a free account with your name
What if you're out of the country this weekend
Although there are many Paris Roubaix broadcasters around the world
we can understand that you wouldn't want to subscribe to a local streaming service just for one race
But if you try to tune into your domestic streamer while overseas
using a VPN (virtual private network) will help you get around this issue
and range of features all among its benefits
we like that you can try it for 30 days risk-free before you commit
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services
Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs
There are many races on the annual cycling calendar that are special for different reasons.&nbsp;
Five of those are one-day classic-style competitions known as the Monuments of road cycling
Paris-Roubaix is organized by the same group that puts on the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
The <a href="https://www.flobikes.com/events/12979149-2025-paris-roubaix" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paris-Roubaix 2025</a> start time has not yet been announced
but FloBikes coverage for viewers in Canada will begin at 5:05 a.m
The 2025 edition of Paris-Roubaix will begin in Compiègne
and conclude in the Roubaix velodrome after a 259.2-kilometer journey.&nbsp;
Paris was the starting point each year until 1967
and Compiègne has been the host each year since
The velodrome has been the finishing location from 1943-1985 and 1989 to the present.&nbsp;
This year’s race will be the 122nd in history
and it will be the third of the five Monuments this year
The event affectionately is known as the Hell of the North and is considered the most famous one-day cycling race in the world
the 25 teams of riders will be challenged by 30 sections of cobblestone roads equaling more than 53 miles of the trip.&nbsp;
Belgian riders have reigned supreme at Paris-Roubaix
followed by France (28) and Italy (14).&nbsp;
The record for individual victories belongs to Belgium’s Roger De Vlaeminck (1972
including two-time defending champion Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands
Van der Poel went on a 60-meter solo attack and turned in the fastest average speed in the history of the race – 47.80 kph/29.70 mph
Among those looking to stop Van der Poel in his quest for a third consecutive win will be the likes of Matej Mohoric
It’s also possible that superstar Tadej Pogacar could make an appearance
To see the complete routes and entry lists, click <a href="https://www.paris-roubaix.fr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>
The women’s opportunity to be in the Paris-Roubaix spotlight will be April 12
and the most recent winner was Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky
<a href="https://www.flobikes.com/events/12979149-2025-paris-roubaix" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Paris-Roubaix 2025 start time has not yet been announced, but FloBikes coverage for viewers in Canada will begin at 5:05 a.m. Eastern.&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.flobikes.com/events/12979149-2025-paris-roubaix" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paris-Roubaix 2025&nbsp;is streaming on FloBikes and the FloSports app for viewers in Canada.</a>&nbsp;
replays and breaking news will be available on both platforms.&nbsp;
Viewers in the United States can watch all the action on Peacock
These are the most prestigious one-day races on the annual cycling calendar
Each race features a journey between 240 and 300 kilometers
These races are challenging and steeped in history and tradition
FloBikes is the streaming home to some of the best cycling from across the globe. <a href="https://www.flobikes.com/events" target="_blank">Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more of your favorites in action.</a>
Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for <a href="https://www.flobikes.com/live/96243/signup" target="_blank">FloBikes</a> subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions
Post-race bulletin stated that Swiss rider had suffered a fracture to his right hand in the fall on the fifth cobbled sector
Swiss racer <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/silvan-dillier/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/silvan-dillier/">Silvan Dillier</a> has revealed that he escaped serious injury after a nasty crash with a Visma-Lease A Bike mechanic during Sunday's <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a>
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was part of Mathieu van der Poel's triumphant support squad at the Hell of the North
but he didn't make it to the finish after colliding with the mechanic on an early cobbled sector
The Visma mechanic was in the process of putting a bike on the roof of the team car
stepping out into the space on he side of the car when Dillier passed at high speed
The former Paris-Roubaix runner-up was left with nowhere to go
collided with the mechanic and hit the ground hard
The bulletin claimed Dillier had suffered a right hand fracture, but in an <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/silvandillier/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/silvandillier/?hl=en" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" data-hl-processed="none">Instagram video</a> posted on Wednesday
Dillier said he had avoided any major injuries
"Many of you have seen the footage of my crash at Paris-Roubaix
it looked really dramatic and there was speculation about injuries like a broken hand or finger
nothing is broken and I'm feeling well," Dillier said
"In such a chaotic race like Paris-Roubaix
we were really lucky it didn't turn out worse
And I appreciate the message and sincere apology from the Visma-Lease A Bike mechanic
"Thank you for all your support and kind messages and I want to wish you a peaceful and happy Easter holidays."
Dillier's departure from the race on the fifth cobbled sector of the day at Vertain didn't prevent his team from celebrating victory in Roubaix, however. <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/mathieu-van-der-poel/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/mathieu-van-der-poel/">Mathieu van der Poel</a> soloed 38km to the finish and a third Roubaix victory after a Tadej Poga&#269;ar crash left him alone at the front of the race
The <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-romandie/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-romandie/">Tour de Romandie</a> (April 29-May 4) is slated to be Dillier's next race outing
though he didn't confirm whether he'll start the race in the video update
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIg1jzYM8bq/" target="_blank" data-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIg1jzYM8bq/" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" data-hl-processed="none">A post shared by Silvan Dillier (@silvandillier)</a>
you'd be forgiven for thinking it was exactly the same setup he used as on Sunday at Flanders
but there are some subtle tweaks that are quite interesting.&nbsp;
The first thing I noticed was these squares of foam under the hoods on the back of the levers
Speaking to the mechanics I was told it's to stop the levers rubbing the top of Poga&#269;ar's fingers when he's on the hoods - this is something I noticed when riding on the Flandrian cobbles
and it's good to see a neat solution to the issue.&nbsp;
He still has his usual sprint shifters nestled under the shifter hood clamps - These should be useable from both the hoods or in the drops without having to loosen a few fingers to reach the ones on the levers.&nbsp;
I know you're all dying to know what size tyres he's using
but they look like they've come up larger on the Enve SES 4.5 rims
There ain't much room between the rear tyre and the front derailleur.&nbsp;
paired to Carbon-Ti carbon chainrings.&nbsp;
Poga&#269;ar chose to wrap his bars all the way to the stem for Roubaix.&nbsp;
There is room to go wider up front with the tyres
but it seems like 32c is as big as he wants to go.&nbsp;
though it certainly won't stay that way even on a relatively short recon ride.&nbsp;
Each team bike has lightweight aluminium top cap torx bolts from Carbon-Ti.&nbsp;
I also spotted that the thru-axles have been replaced with aftermarket ones too
We also spotted these being used at Opening Weekend.&nbsp;
Looks like someone got away with it here - This could have been a nasty blowout if the cut went any deeper.&nbsp;
While Pogacar uses aftermarket Framesandgear derailleur hangers
though I'm surprised that cable hasn't been tidied up a little more.&nbsp;
Colombian rider Juan Sebasti&aacute;n Molano opted for round bars
whereas the rest of the squad were using the Enve integrated cockpit.&nbsp;
Ant&oacute;nio Morgado's shifter hoods might do well to stay out of sight of the commissaires come Sunday morning
Only Poga&#269;ar gets a set with his own logo laser cut out of them though.&nbsp;
Metal K-Edge computer mounts were the order of the day for nearly everyone
Rather than twisting the computer into place you place the computer in
and twist a tab at the bottom to lock it.&nbsp;
Wellens' sprint shifters weren't done quite so neatly as Poga&#269;ar's.&nbsp;
The very rangy Mikkel Bjerg was running a pretty high stack for his front end.&nbsp;
The UAE press officers and Florian Vermeersch check in on the Cyclingnews Instagram to see all the latest updates from the race.&nbsp;
but he's already come 2nd in 2019 so don't count him out.&nbsp;
Plus some bonus hacks from the UAE Team Emirates-XRG recon ride
<a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/">Paris-Roubaix</a> is the Queen of the Classics for a reason
While it&rsquo;s only a single day race for both the men and the women
the fact that the women's race on Saturday means both genders do their recon rides at the tail end of the week before the racing
This gives us ample time to see what they&rsquo;re up to but also extends what for fans at home may be an 8-hour affair into nigh on a week for us journalists.&nbsp;
if you&rsquo;re reading this later on) we got a tip-off that Tadej Poga&#269;ar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates were going to do a final recon of the cobbles
with barely five minutes to brush our teeth
we leapt out the door and hightailed it over to the forest ourselves.&nbsp;
before they set off to see what they&rsquo;ve modded - if anything - for the roughest sectors of the race
plus we got a look at the team on some cobbles
before grabbing them at the bus at the velodrome after.&nbsp;
Given I shot Poga&#269;ar's bike less than a week ago after he <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/gallery-tadej-pogacars-flanders-winning-colnago-v4rs/" data-before-rewrite-localise="https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/gallery-tadej-pogacars-flanders-winning-colnago-v4rs/">won the Tour of Flanders</a>
it's interesting to see how he's changed things for the rougher stones here in France.&nbsp;Notably
none of the team are using the Y1RS Colnago aero bike for Roubaix
we believe the riders prefer the slightly more forgiving geometry of the V4Rs
There will of course be full tech galleries going live from both the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s races
so treat this as but an amuse-bouche before the main events tomorrow and Sunday.&nbsp;
Another fast edition of the “Hell of the North”
The 122nd episode of Paris-Roubaix took place Sunday
marking the end of the cobbled Classics this season
55.3 of which were on the famous pav&eacute;
who had to continue without Ayco Bastiaens and Bert Van Lerberghe
after the two Belgians were involved in separate crashes before the first cobblestone segment of the day
The other Soudal Quick-Step boys tried to do their best in these conditions
and the likes of Tim Merlier and Yves Lampaert remained excellently positioned in the peloton until the famous Arenberg Forest
A couple of powerful accelerations split the bunch
leaving only a handful of riders at the front of the race with 100 kilometers to go
before eventually Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) rode away and soloed to victory
Our first rider on the velodrome was former Belgian Champion Yves Lampaert
who concluded Paris-Roubaix in the top 30 at the end of the race which witnessed an average speed of 46.9km/h
Photo credit: &copy;Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
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After a Tour of Flanders in which Team Visma | Lease a Bike made its presence felt
the Dutch squad now shifts its focus to the next monument: Paris-Roubaix
the team doesn&#039;t line up as the outright favourite
the goal is to play an important role in one of the most prestigious races of the year
The 2025 edition covers 260 kilometres and includes 29 cobbled sectors – adding up to 55.7 kilometres of pounding over the rough northern French stones
and Carrefour de l’Arbre remain key moments in the race
According to Head of Racing Grischa Niermann
the Hell of the North is one of the team’s main targets this spring
this is one of our spring classics highlights
We’re starting with a strong and motivated group of riders
we have to be honest: we’re not the top favourites to win this race.”
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has a solid history in Roubaix
who considers Paris-Roubaix one of his favourite races
finished second in 2022 behind current teammate Dylan van Baarle and took third in 2023 after a late puncture derailed his chances
“I’m coming in with a good feeling from last week”
“In both Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Ronde van Vlaanderen
there were always a few others just that bit stronger
We’ll be up against the same guys in Roubaix
we’ll need a good plan to try and surprise the top favourites.”
Niermann sees clear improvement in recent weeks
“We’re definitely growing throughout this spring campaign
In both Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen
we were able to play our strength in numbers
That’s something we’ll carry with us into Roubaix”
One standout name on the roster is 19-year-old Matthew Brennan
The British neo-pro only made his debut in the pro peloton a few months ago but will already be part of the lineup in the Hell of the North
says Niermann: “Matthew has surprised us several times already
That he already has three pro wins to his name is remarkable
He was originally supposed to race more with the Development Team
and we believe this will be a valuable experience for him.”
“I keep surprising myself week after week in my first pro season – not just in results
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was my first real classic
and to win there straight away was really special
Paris-Roubaix is the kind of race young riders dream about
To be starting it already feels like an incredibly valuable investment in my future”
The comparisons with GP Denain are easily made. Brennan won there using the Gravaa system – which allowed him to adjust tire pressure mid-race – powering <a href="https://www.teamvismaleaseabike.com/race-report/news/brennan-sprints-convincingly-to-victory-in-grand-prix-de-denain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to a sprint victory from a reduced lead group</a> on a course often dubbed a mini-Roubaix
Team Visma | Lease a Bike's lineup for Sunday includes Van Baarle
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in 2035Our tech predictions for Paris-Roubaix 2025..
in 2035What will the future look like for Paris-Roubaix tech
Bike tech has come a long way since 2015 – through a decade of rapid
performance-driven change – and looking back at the machine ridden at that year’s edition of Paris-Roubaix is a case in point
having finished second in the Hell of the North in 2014
returned a year later to win Paris-Roubaix and become only the third rider in history to do the Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix double
Mathieu van der Poel also went on to complete the feat in 2023
a Canyon Aeroad (pictured at the top of this article)
is typical of the Paris-Roubaix bikes of today
just as Degenkolb’s was very much in the mould of a 2015 Roubaix machine
Disc brakes were not permitted by the UCI in 2015
with 30mm Vittoria Pavé CX Team tyres – progressive in their width at the time – in a tubular format
tubulars and additional brake levers are all very much out at Paris-Roubaix in 2025 – and endurance bikes are a rare sight when aero is all the rage – so
what will Roubaix tech look like in another decade
I asked three of BikeRadar’s tech nerds for their predictions
Paris-Roubaix is relatively flat – and pancake flat compared to the Grand Tours – so there's no real disadvantage with running 1x.&nbsp;
running 30mm tyres and with a 1x drivetrain making at least an appearance on the podium
For various reasons, <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/opinion/is-paris-roubaix-bike-tech-boring-in-2021">Paris-Roubaix bikes have become somewhat boring</a> in recent years
with most of the top contenders simply opting for their regular aero race bike
plus a set of the largest tubeless tyres that will fit
Visma-Lease a Bike may also be able to shake things up with <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/wout-van-aert-gravaa">Gravaa’s KAPS on-the-fly tyre pressure adjustment system</a>
with Wout van Aert spotted using the system during a recce
My pick is perfect because its invisibility means it can’t be disproven: tyre inserts will be used extensively by teams at Roubaix
Road inserts are generally designed to provide a run-flat solution (rather than protect the rim)
but wider tyres open the opportunity for beefier gravel-like inserts.&nbsp;
Wide tyres are more comfortable (and faster)
but even chunky rubber will struggle to isolate the rim from a full tilt whack against a coconut-sized cobble at 50km/h
there’s no question I’d be strongly encouraging my riders to use inserts
which state a wheel and tyre’s diameter cannot exceed 700mm
somewhat limit the tyre width pros can use at the moment
I predict bike designers and racers alike will have much more freedom
Imagine just having one bike for everything
just stripped-down aero race bikes capable of taking a 40mm tyre
sitting on a road rim the width of Zipp’s current 303 XPLR gravel wheelset
That’ll give the cushioning required without excess weight
and I wouldn’t rule out a 1x14-speed wireless and electronic groupset
in the style of SRAM’s current direct-mount gravel and MTB drivetrains
The Lidl-Trek team has already started to experiment with SRAM Red XPLR, bringing <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/gravel-gearing-2025-spring-classics">gravel gearing to the Classics</a> for 2025, thanks to the early adoption of <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/sram-udh">SRAM’s UDH standard</a> on the Trek Madone road bike
Trek may be forward-thinking in adding UDH
but it gives a strong signal as to what the future may look like
When tasked to imagine a future a decade away
it’s tempting to dream up all manner of space-age technology
If we look back ten years to <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/pro-bike-the-roubaix-winning-giant-defy">John Degenkolb’s win in 2015</a>
we can see that while there’s been plenty of technological progress since
some of the fundamentals haven’t changed (partly because the UCI simply won’t allow them to)
Dege was ahead of his time with 30mm-wide tyres
I reckon we’ll see a continuing focus on aerodynamics
wide tubeless tyres and wide rims to match
Given Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe’s head of engineering, Dan Bigham, <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/dan-bigham-interview">told us that tyres are “the next frontier” of road bike performance</a> late last year
I think it’s fair to say we’ll see increased focus on that area over the next decade
Will the 30-32mm tyres that most riders use at the moment seem as laughably narrow as the 25-28mm tyres many riders used a decade ago
With Lidl-Trek (and presumably other pro teams) <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/gravel-gearing-2025-spring-classics">asking for 38 to 40mm of tyre clearance</a> on their next race bike
and gravel racers pushing into cross-country mountain bike territory with tyre width
it wouldn’t be a surprise to see 35mm tyres as the new ‘standard’ for road
with tyres around 40mm used for Paris-Roubaix and other Spring Classics
Picking an assortment of bold Tomorrow’s World-like tech
3D printing and live telematics becoming the norm at Roubaix
Graphene promised higher strength and lower weight than anything before
its use will be commonplace on bikes by 2035.&nbsp;
3D-printed bikes suited to match each rider
given the rate of development we’ve already seen with cockpits
We’ve been predicting that aero sensors are just around the corner for years. Products from the likes of Body Rocket look promising, and I expect the tech will mature – and be used extensively – by 2035. Elsewhere, we’ve seen a <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/new-zipp-wheelset-with-integrated-tyre-pressure-sensor-spotted">new Zipp wheelset with an integrated tyre pressure</a> sensor break cover at this year’s Spring Classics
and riding the bone-jarring cobbles such a juxtaposed experience to sailing across smooth tarmac
tyre pressure data or something else – could be par for the course by 2035
'I am so happy that he crossed the finish line first' says Belgian man to Het Laatste Nieuws as he tells story for the first time 
telling his story of the incident for the first time
His action was caught by TV cameras 33km from the finish in Roubaix
with Van der Poel flinching but staying on his bike
before describing it post-race as "like a stone hitting my face" and "attempted manslaughter."
I realize that I have to apologize to every rider or cycling enthusiast
"Mathieu van der Poel was approaching and when he passed I made that stupid decision and threw that water bottle
I&rsquo;ve been asking myself that question ever since
but I don&rsquo;t have an explanation for it myself
[It was an] extremely foolish impulse - I can&rsquo;t explain it any other way."
When Alpecin-Decuninck issued a statement with the intent to file "an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behaviour"
they also spoke of "excessive alcohol consumption" playing a part in these incidents
which the spectator confirmed was true in this case
Waiting for the riders to pass on the section where we were standing
I have to admit that I had a bit too much to drink," he said
"In the grass field between the tent and the cobblestone strip
Perhaps one of the juniors had thrown it away that morning
Within half a second I already regretted throwing it
On the one hand I was very happy that he didn&rsquo;t fall
This is far from the first time Van der Poel has been targeted by spectators
with beer and urine being thrown on him in the cyclocross field and on the road in recent years
A cap was also thrown at him during last year's Roubaix
a spectator spat at him during the E3 Saxo Classic
That man was identified by police in Belgium yesterday and will face a fine of up to &euro;350
It is unknown yet how the incident with the 'bidon-thrower' will be resolved; however
he hopes it is over soon after the intense interest it has sparked in the media
"That one stupid second has caused me to end up in an incredible media storm
It seems like everyone is talking about me now
I know I was wrong and I will take responsibility
but I hope the dust can settle soon," said the spectator
with his lawyer also commenting on how things could move forward
"My client will take legal responsibility," said lawyer Peter Desmet to HLN
we would prefer to settle this between ourselves
but he also understands that it is a matter of principle.&nbsp;
of course ,and the two people involved - himself and the rider - live in Belgium
But we will accept whatever consequences there are."
After the UCI made a statement on Monday expressing how it would "explore
all the legal channels at their disposal so that such behaviour is duly and severely punished"
also repeated on Tuesday that was the course cycling's government body would take
Urine and a cap had already been thrown at Van der Poel
throwing a full bottle in your face at 50 kph is like having a stone thrown in your face
during which time he also wrote for Eurosport
Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d&rsquo;Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport&rsquo;s top riders in Chlo&eacute; Dygert
he spends the majority of his time watching other sports &ndash; rugby
Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel was hit by a water bottle thrown by a roadside spectator en route to victory at Paris-Roubaix
he described the incident as “attempted manslaughter”
The Dutchman remained on his bike to secure his third successive victory at Sunday’s historic race
also surviving a puncture with just 15km left
“The man reported to the Mira police zone (Anzegem
said a spokesperson for the West Flanders public prosecutor’s office
who did not confirm the identity of the individual
This edition of Paris-Roubaix had been billed as a meeting between one-day specialist Van der Poel and reigning world and Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar
bidding to win Paris-Roubaix on his first appearance
The pair were alone at the front of the race with 37km remaining when Pogacar skidded and crashed on a tight right-hander
with Van der Poel soloing ahead to take a brilliant win
However, it was soon after breaking away from Pogacar that the 30-year-old Dutchman was hit in the face by the water bottle, which <a href="https://x.com/NBCSCycling/status/1911426357076111580" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">appeared to be thrown from a spectator on the roadside</a>
The French police announced during the race that they were investigating
“It doesn’t destroy the fun I had but it’s not normal
it was like a stone hitting my face,” Van der Poel said in his post-race press conference
if they spit or throw beer it’s still unacceptable but this is different
This is something we have to take legal action on.”
Van der Poel’s success has meant that some disaffected fans have targeted him before
one fan threw a cap at Van der Poel’s wheel
while he has been spat at and had beer thrown at him during races this season
the police can identify the man because there has to be a trial for this
While the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix may seem alien to modern races
when the iconic spring classic was first run in 1896 poor road surfaces were the norm
hence the continuing attraction of Paris-Roubaix and the other cobbled classics.&nbsp;
bikes were well-adapted to the rough surfaces
limited or no gearing and shallow-drop bars
It’s only really since the 1950s that race bikes have become increasingly adapted to smoother surfaces
Those changes have resulted in pros tweaking their bikes for more comfort
greater reliability and better handling on the cobbles
Many of the Paris-Roubaix bike hacks endure
although the changes in modern bikes have resulted in them being increasingly capable and comfortable
here are some key changes the pros still make for Paris-Roubaix
Adding a second layer of <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-handlebar-tape">bar tape</a> to cushion the hands has been a pro hack at Paris-Roubaix for years
In the days when bar tape was a single layer of cotton fabric wrapped on round alloy bars
but modern bar tape is already pretty yielding and grippy
and tape makers offer gravel tape designed for comfort and grip on bumpy surfaces
There’s the option to include gel inserts under the tape as well
Pro-level bikes are now equipped with carbon bars
although many riders still prefer to swap back to round alloy bars for the race if their bikes allow it
Nevertheless, double-wrapped tape remains a favoured addition to bikes heading for Roubaix, even if Mathieu van der Poel <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/mathieu-van-der-poel-2024-paris-roubaix-canyon-aeroad">won the 2024 race</a> with single-wrapped bars and riding without gloves
It’s not only the handlebars that get an extra dose of tape for Paris-Roubaix
Bar tape is a handy addition to other components to help keep things in place and rattle-free
In past editions, we've spotted <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/2024-paris-roubaix-tech">swatches of bar tape</a> on computer mounts and bottle cages
It’s also useful as a cushion between pedal surfaces and shoes’ cleats to help deaden vibrations.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/icons-of-cycling-zipp-303">Wider tyres</a> have always been a hallmark of bikes ridden at Paris-Roubaix
When pros usually rode 23mm tubular tyres at 100psi or more in road races that meant 28mm tubs
which was as wide as could be fitted into frames and between rim-brake caliper arms
Now, bikes can handle 30mm-plus tyres. Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 and 2024 editions on 32mm tyres, while some modern aero bikes such as the <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/cervelo-s5-force-etap-axs-review">Cervélo S5</a> can clear even wider tyres – 34mm in that case
Will tyres go even wider in 2025? Pirelli has launched a <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/40mm-pirelli-pzero-race-tlr">40mm version</a> of the P Zero Race
although at the moment that leads to too large a wheel-plus-tyre diameter to be allowed by the UCI
There aren't many road bikes that it would fit in either – yet. But at the 2024 race, Israel-Premier Tech <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/2024-paris-roubaix-factor-ostro-gravel">rode the Ostro Gravel</a>
so bigger tyres may be waiting in the Roubaix wings
Three of the four editions of Paris-Roubaix Femmes have been won on 1x bikes and, although so far every men’s win in modern times has been on a 2x bike, 1x is increasingly prominent in the <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/gravel-gearing-2025-spring-classics">spring classics</a>
deeper chainring teeth and the option to fit a chain guide
along with 12 or more speeds and ratios to match a 2x setup
1x is a natural choice on the rolling terrain between Compiègne and Roubaix.&nbsp;
We reckon it’s only a matter of time before the men’s race is won on 1x
Extra shifting positions mean no need to take your hands off the bars on cobbled sections to change gears
so satellite shifters are a handy addition
either on the tops or the drops&nbsp;– or both as on Marianne Vos' bike from the 2024 edition
SRAM AXS groupsets enable you to have up to four pairs of <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/news/sram-wireless-etap-axs-blips">wireless Blip</a> satellite shifters hooked up
so there's no lack of choice of hand position
Peter Sagan won the 2018 edition of Paris-Roubaix on a <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/peter-sagans-paris-roubaix-winning-s-works-roubaix-gallery">custom rim-brake Specialized Roubaix</a>
when that bike had already switched to disc brakes
He also had an alloy bar and a mechanical Dura-Ace groupset.&nbsp;
Some pros still roll out their <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/pedals/speedplay-zero-pave-pedals-review">Speedplay Zero Pavé</a> pedals for Roubaix
These are cross-shaped rather than the standard lollipop-shaped for better engagement in dirty conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Double seatpost clamps are another hack that has been used with standard round seatposts
designed to avoid slippage as the rider is bounced up and down
Sagan’s was the last of the heavily customised Roubaix bikes
component swap-outs have been more limited
that’s due to the bike-specific parts fitted to modern race bikes
has its own design for the bar/stem and an aero seatpost with an in-frame clamp
We have seen riders swap from aero one-piece carbon cockpits to separate alloy bars and stems in <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/2024-paris-roubaix-tech">previous editions</a>
In fact, the modern trend, which started with Sonny Colbrelli’s win in 2021, is to ride a pretty standard aero road bike with wide tubeless tyres. Is Paris-Roubaix tech <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/opinion/is-paris-roubaix-bike-tech-boring-in-2021">becoming boring</a>
Madis Mihkels races to 14th to end our successful cobbled classics campaign
Every bike racer who starts Paris-Roubaix wants to make it to the velodrome
Madis had dreamed of finishing higher on the results sheet than the 14th place where he ended
the Estonian mounted a brave chase to work his way back towards the front of the race
but was too far back and missed his chance to try to go with the big attacks
but really happy with my legs,” Madis said
Veteran classics specialist Kasper Asgreen returned to the peloton especially for Roubaix
He was impressed by the way our young squad raced together
he encouraged all of his teammates to ride on to the velodrome no matter what
After bad luck took him out of the running
“We had a pretty good start of the race,” Kasper said
The rest of us got into the first sectors really well and kept Madis in front and out of trouble
I had a flat on my rear tire at a pretty crucial moment in the race — a series of five sectors coming very close together
I ended up in a group of strong riders and then the race was pretty much over from there
I didn’t have the legs to make it back myself
but at least I got to enjoy the rest of the course and enjoy the fans out there and then enjoy coming to this historical place in Roubaix.”
EF Education-EasyPost sports director Andreas Klier was philosophical at the finish
We were positioned very well and then we had here and there bad luck
I think everyone from each team has his own Roubaix story: one person has a crash
one person has a flat tire at a bad moment
Colby Simmons’ Paris-Roubaix story was extra special. Riding just his second WorldTour race after <a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="/our-team/colby-simmons/">making his debut last week at the Ronde van Vlaanderen</a>
Colorado did great work for the team and then pushed on all the way to Roubaix
I was active at the start and then unfortunately had a crash and some mechanicals along the way
and then you get there and it&#x27;s just cycling history
It is just really cool that the team gave me the opportunity to come and do Flanders and Roubaix
but I’ll just use the experience from here for in the future and build on it
</a><a class="featured-item__image" aria-label="Colby Simmons" href="/our-team/colby-simmons/"></a>Colby SimmonsColby Simmons steps up to the WorldTour from<a class="ef-link" target="_self" href="https://www.efeducationaevolo.com"> EF Education-Aevolo</a> in 2025.
Colby was born and raised in Durango, Colorado, USA. Cycling is in his family’s DNA. Colby started riding with his brother, who is now a WorldTour pro, and soon fell in love with the freedom, speed, and adrenaline that he discovered out on the road on two wheels. As soon as he started racing, Colby’s natural talent shone.
Colby is an explosive rider, who does well on punchy climbs and in the cobbled classics, where the race might be decided at any moment. He had his best season yet in 2024 when he finished second on GC at the Tour Alsace and was the best young rider. Strong rides at the Tour of Rhodes, where he finished third on GC, and Coppi e Bartali, where he raced alongside his new WorldTour teammates, proved Colby’s strength and his skills. Now, he is ready to put them to the test at the top of the sport.
When Colby isn’t racing, he gets his adrenaline fix on skis. He loves touring the mountains of Colorado and heads into the backcountry in search of pow turns whenever he is home in the winter.
During the racing season, he lives in Girona, Spain, where he trains with a good group of mates and has fully embraced the city’s café culture.
</a><a class="featured-item__image" aria-label="Vincenzo Albanese" href="/our-team/vincenzo-albanese/"></a>Vincenzo AlbaneseItalian powerhouse Vincenzo Albanese is excited to step up his game and top the solid list of results he has earned during his first eight years as a pro with some big wins in his first season in our signature pink.
Vincenzo lives in the hills around Florence but is most at home when he is racing over the Belgian cobbles, rattling up bergs and sprinting into corners in the wind. He will be a strong asset during our spring classics campaign. In 2024, Vincenzo finished in the top ten at 19 races, including the E3 Saxo Classic, Binche-Chimay-Binche, and the Circuit Franco-Belge. Earlier in his career, he won the Trofeo Matteotti and a stage of the Tour du Limousin.
He has been racing since he was six years old and can navigate a peloton like it is his second nature. As an under-23, Vincenzo won seven races, including a stage at the Tour de l’Avenir and a professional race he rode with the Italian national team.
Whenever he has time off, he goes home to Tuscany to fish for sea bass and red snapper off the island of Erba, enjoy some games of football with his mates, and tour the local vineyards with his girlfriend.
Neilson got his 2025 season rolling in a big way at Dwars door Vlaanderen, where he took the victory in a three-versus-one sprint.Neilson lives in Nice, France with his wife and young daughter during the racing season. He enjoys exploring their adopted city and relaxing on the beach after hard rides through the Alps.