Paris-Roubaix is considered the toughest one-day race on the UCI World Tour – and there were several notable incidents in the latest edition.
Sunday was an unseasonably warm spring day in northern France and it meant dust was kicked up into riders’ faces on the cobbled sectors, with some competitors struggling to breathe.
Pogacar had to change his bike three times – on the first occasion he was forced to use an unfamiliar ‘neutral’ service bike on a tight section of pave.
Once he had stopped to collect his preferred replacement bike from his team, Pogacar gave an uncharacteristic bark at a TV camera-bike filming directly on his line of attack, showing signs of stress early on.
As the dust was kicked up on the cobbled sectors, Van der Poel’s race was ruined on the infamous Trouee d’Arenberg, still muddy under the trees from the previous day’s rain.
Van der Poel punctured and attempted to take a team-mate’s bike, but gave up and threw it next to the track before having to wait for a replacement – eventually losing two minutes.
The Dutchman had won the three previous editions of this race – and a fourth straight success would have made him the joint most successful Roubaix champion, alongside Belgians Roger de Vvlaeminck and Tom Boonen.
Upon Van Aert and Pogacar’s entrance to the famous velodrome, which sees the race ended over one-and-a-half laps, the crowd roared at the sight of Van Aert, followed by a chorus of boos when Pogacar was announced over the PA system.
“I’m happy for Wout, he deserves the victory,” said Pogacar, who typically pulls away from his rivals with several kilometres left in explosive style.
“He never gives up and he is a hero to many young kids, how he rides.
“Every time I tried [to pull away from Wout], my legs were not the greatest any more and [he was always] riding on my wheel.”
