Paris-Roubaix: Mathieu van der Poel beats Tadej Pogacar to win the third consecutive title
Pogacar, 26, was riding his debut in Paris-Roubaix, yet it was not a surprise that the world champion aroused the decisive move in the race.
The three -time winner of the Tour de France attacked a group of favorites in the front with 71 km to go and only Van der Poel, 30 years old, was able to counter.
The Dutchman blocked their progress to allow Alpecin-Deceuninck Jasper Philipsen teammate before Philipsen slipped back 23 km later.
From there he probably seemed to go down to which the pilot had remained more power, but the superb capabilities of handling of the van der poel bikes and the experience of Paris-Roubaix proved to be vital, with Pogacar taking the corner too quickly and slipped into the mud.
Although it is not a serious accident, it was too advantage to yield, even with Van der Poel who suffered a drilling, and the Dutchman crossed the line just before Pogacar entered the Velodrome, winning one minute and 18 seconds.
Denmark Mads Pedersen won the sprint for the third, holding the Belgians with Van Aert and Florian Vermeersch. Great Britain Fred Wright finished the ninth.
“We all know what an incredible champion Tadej is – has been in his first Roubaix, does not surprise me but it is not also normal, it is an exceptional talent,” added Van der Poel.
“It would be the two of us who go to the aircraft if he hadn’t made the mistake, so I will imagine that we will see him next year to take revenge.”
Van der Poel now has eight wins through the five races of the oldest and most prestigious “monument” in male cycling, again drawing the level with Pogacar after the Slovenian claimed the Tour of Flanders last week.
Only five knights won other monuments: Eddy Mercx (19), Roger de Vlaemmmmvanck (11) and constant Girardengo, Fausto Coppi and Sean Kelly (nine).
Van der Poel and Pogacar have won all three monuments with each other this year, although Pogacar will be strongly favored in the remaining two-bastogne-basts and Lombardy.
Pogacar has two Liege-Bastogne-Riege titles and has won the last four editions of Lombardy, with its climbing capacity well suitable for the most colliding ground of both races.
