By Sunday evening, 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. Jasper Philipsen, twice a runner-up here, is more than just a shadow. He’s a contender. And together, they’re ready to shake the race apart.

For Van der Poel, the path to Roubaix hasn’t been smooth. 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, and still, he finished on the podium.

“By Monday [after E3], I felt really under the weather,” Van der Poel said. “I still wasn’t 100% for Flanders, but I could defend myself fairly well.” Now, just two days before the race, he’s feeling better. “It’s Friday, and I’m feeling much better. I think I’m reasonably okay to try and defend my title on Sunday.”

As always, the Dutchman is clear about his ambition. “I start every race to win,” he said. “And if I’m not at my absolute best, 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.”

That trust is mutual. Philipsen knows what it’s like to come close—he’s been second here twice, both times behind Van der Poel. But there’s no tension between them.

“Finishing second behind Mathieu again? That would still feel like a victory,” Philipsen said. “For the team, and for myself.”

Philipsen hasn’t had a perfect run-in. A crash at Nokere Koerse left him with whiplash, muscle pain, and headaches. He’s still getting treatment, and he admits he’s not totally comfortable yet. But he’s fighting through it.

“In Gent-Wevelgem and Scheldeprijs, I was able to regain some confidence,” he said. “I’ve worked hard to be ready. Hopefully that effort will be rewarded on Sunday.”

Unlike the punchy climbs of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix is built for riders like Philipsen. “It’s more about positioning and surviving the cobbles,” he said. “That’s the kind of racing I love. I really enjoy the rattle and rhythm of the pavé.”

Van der Poel agrees. Both men joined their team for a recon of the updated course Friday, particularly the new approach to the Trouée d’Arenberg. Last year’s tight chicane is gone, replaced with a smoother—but still technical—series of right turns.

“It’s a great improvement,” Van der Poel said. “We’ll hit the Forest at a lower speed, which makes things safer and more manageable.”

And while Van der Poel is the favorite, he’s not the only name on the board. He name-checked Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, and Filippo Ganna as major threats. “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. That shared experience matters. In Roubaix, everything matters. The position, the luck, the guts—and the willingness to go deeper than anyone else.

Come Sunday, the cobbles will decide. But make no mistake—Alpecin is ready for war.

Paris–Roubaix 2025 – The 30 Cobbled Sectors

Total cobbles: 55.3 km (slightly shorter than 2024)

• 1. Troisvilles to Inchy – 2.2 km ★★★
• 2. Viesly to Quiévy – 1.8 km ★★★
• 3. Quiévy to Saint-Python – 3.7 km ★★★★
• 4. Saint-Python – 1.5 km ★★
• 5. Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon – 2.3 km ★★★
• 6. Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing – 1.6 km ★★★
• 7. Quérénaing to Artres – 1.3 km ★★
• 8. Artres to Famars – 1.2 km ★★★
• 9. Quérénaing to Maing – 2.5 km ★★★
• 10. Maing to Monchaux-sur-Écaillon – 1.6 km ★★★
• 11. Haveluy to Wallers – 2.5 km ★★★★
• 12. Trouée d'Arenberg – 2.3 km ★★★★★
• 13. Wallers to Hélesmes – 1.6 km ★★★
• 14. Hornaing to Wandignies – 3.7 km ★★★★
• 15. Warlaing to Brillon – 2.4 km ★★★
• 16. Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières – 2.4 km ★★★★
• 17. Beuvry to Orchies – 1.4 km ★★★
• 18. Orchies – 1.7 km ★★★
• 19. Auchy to Bersée – 2.7 km ★★★★
• 20. Mons-en-Pévèle – 3.0 km ★★★★★
• 21. Mérignies to Avelin – 0.7 km ★★
• 22. Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin – 1.4 km ★★★
• 23. Templeuve — L'Épinette – 0.2 km ★
• 24. Templeuve — Moulin-de-Vertain – 0.5 km ★★
• 25. Cysoing to Bourghelles – 1.3 km ★★★
• 26. Bourghelles to Wannehain – 1.1 km ★★★
• 27. Camphin-en-Pévèle – 1.8 km ★★★★
• 28. Carrefour de l'Arbre – 2.1 km ★★★★★
• 29. Gruson – 1.1 km ★★
• 30. Willems to Hem – 1.4 km ★★★
• 31. Roubaix – 0.3 km ★