Tadej Pogačar is an absolute nightmare for his rivals.
The Slovenian superstar just crushed the entire peloton at the Tour of Flanders last Sunday. He rode away with a dominant victory. Now he wants to conquer the brutal cobbles of Paris-Roubaix 2026 this Sunday, April 12. His terrifying dominance is forcing the defending champion to rethink his entire strategy.
Mathieu van der Poel had to settle for second place behind Pogačar last weekend. The three time Paris-Roubaix winner freely admits he is intimidated heading into the Hell of the North.
"I must compete against Pogačar, maybe the best rider of all time," Van der Poel told the press. "I can only ensure that I am the best version of myself."
Superhuman Numbers Are Not Enough
Van der Poel is actually in the form of his life. He pushed a staggering 446 watts for 90 minutes during his recent solo win at the E3 Saxo Classic. His own teammate Jasper Philipsen admitted he pushes about 100 watts less than that.
But even those superhuman numbers were not enough to stop Pogačar in Flanders. Bizarre times have hit the peloton.
However, Paris-Roubaix is a completely different beast. Van der Poel hopes the flat French stones will neutralize the Slovenian's terrifying climbing advantage.
"In the Tour of Flanders it was clear for a few years that Pogačar is the better rider, but here I think, or at least hope, that it will be a different story," Van der Poel said. "Here there is no Kwaremont to make the difference."
Ironically, Van der Poel actually hates training on the very stones that defined his career. He only rides them during course recon.
"My favorite cobble sector? The last one," Van der Poel joked. "Then I know I am rid of it."
He added that the race day adrenaline helps him survive the jarring impacts.
"In the race I do not mind it as much. Then there are people cheering you on and the speed is much higher, which makes the sectors go by faster," he explained. "But in training I avoid bad roads."
The Ultimate Tactical War: Van der Poel Vs Pogacar
When it comes to race day this Sunday, Van der Poel expects an absolute war of attrition. He remembers last year clearly. Pogačar matched him pedal stroke for pedal stroke before suffering a crash in a corner.
"I do not think there was much difference between us then. It would have been hard to drop him afterward," Van der Poel recalled.
He expects a similar deadlocked scenario this weekend.
"It will be hard to drop him, but the reverse is also true," Van der Poel explained. "I think this race is even harder for Tadej to win than Milano-Sanremo. Although that does not mean he cannot do it."
Both teams also have lethal backup plans. Van der Poel has Jasper Philipsen ready to finish things off in a velodrome sprint. Pogačar has Florian Vermeersch waiting in the wings to launch a solo attack.