"Tadej Pogačar, in his Paris-Roubaix debut, concludes the race as the second place finisher, describing it as one of the most challenging races of his life, following a crash"
Tadej Pogacar, the world champion cyclist, made his debut at Paris-Roubaix in a memorable fashion, finishing second in the iconic cobbled classic. Despite the impressive result, the race proved to be a challenging one for the Slovenian rider.
Pogacar attempted to create a situation that would not involve him coming to the velodrome with two of the fastest riders, Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen. However, things did not go exactly as planned.
During the race, Pogacar spearheaded a group through the Arenberg trench, one of the most famous and challenging sections of the course. But an error on a cobbled corner, 38km from the line, caused him to crash, resulting in a 20-second gap for van der Poel, which eventually unravelled to 40 seconds.
Despite the setback, Pogacar showed great resilience, riding his own solo lap after reaching the velodrome. He then slumped down beside his girlfriend, Urška Žigart.
In the final sprint, it was van der Poel who celebrated a third successive win in Paris-Roubaix, while Pogacar crossed the line in second place. Jasper Philipsen was dropped during the race, but van der Poel was too strong for Pogacar in the end.
Pogacar expressed that it was likely the last time they will race against each other in a cobbled Classic this season. He considers van der Poel to be a great champion and one of the best riders in the world.
Pogacar's experience at Paris-Roubaix includes a crash in the 2025 edition, indicating that the race can be challenging even for a rider of his caliber. His enthusiasm for the Tour de France contrasts with his more ambivalent attitude towards the Classics, suggesting that while he aims to win races like Paris-Roubaix, his primary focus has been the Grand Tours.
Despite the difficulties faced in the Spring Classics in 2025, including a crash at Paris-Roubaix and near misses at other classics like Milan-San Remo, Pogacar dropped Wout van Aert during the race, showing his formidable strength.
After the race, Pogacar admitted that racing at full gas for five hours is not enjoyable, but he enjoyed the race nonetheless. He rode his own solo lap, a testament to his determination and spirit.
In summary, while Pogacar has shown intention and ambition to conquer Paris-Roubaix, the specific outcome in the 2021 Paris-Roubaix is not detailed in the available information. His experience includes at least one crash in a recent edition, highlighting the race's difficulty. However, his second-place finish in his debut is a promising sign for future attempts at the challenging cobbled classic.
Sports continue to challenge Tadej Pogacar, as he showed resilience after crashing in Paris-Roubaix. Despite the difficult race, he expressed interest in future attempts at the cobbled classic.
