Tadej Pogačar, the man who makes winning Grand Tours look like a leisurely Sunday ride, is once again flirting with the cobbled Classics. After skipping the Flemish festivities last year to focus on his Tour de France ambitions and World Championship glory, the Slovenian sensation is not only returning to the cobbles in 2025 but might also be dipping his toes into the most brutal of them all: Paris-Roubaix.
Yes, you read that right. The Hell of the North, the Queen of the Classics, the race that turns bikes into abstract art and riders into mud-caked warriors, could soon feature Pogačar’s rainbow stripes. Over the weekend, the World Champion was spotted in Belgium and northern France, conducting a recon that included the legendary Trouée d’Arenberg. You know, that five-star stretch of cobbles that looks like it was designed by someone who really, really hates bicycles.
Pogačar shared a video of his Arenberg adventure on Instagram, captioned simply, “Guess the place.” Subtle, Tadej. Real subtle. Tim Wellens, his trusty lieutenant, was on filming duty, probably thinking, “I hope he doesn’t ask me to lead him out here in April.”
Now, before we all start booking flights to Roubaix, it’s worth noting that Pogačar hasn’t fully committed to racing Paris-Roubaix in 2025. In December, he admitted, “It’s not a final decision [to skip it] and maybe I can still do it, but I don’t think it suits me the very best.” Translation: “I’m tempted, but I also like my bones unbroken.” Still, the fact that he’s even considering it is enough to send shivers down the spines of his rivals.
Pogačar does have some experience on the cobbles, albeit at the junior level. He raced Paris-Roubaix twice as a junior, improving from 30th in 2015 to 13th in 2016. Not bad for a teenager, but let’s be honest, the senior version of Roubaix is a whole different beast. That said, Pogačar has shown he can handle the pavé, finishing seventh on the cobbled stage of the 2022 Tour de France and even gaining time on Jonas Vingegaard. Sure, the Arenberg and Carrefour de l’Arbre sectors weren’t on the route that day, but still—impressive stuff.
For now, Pogačar’s 2025 schedule includes the usual suspects: Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, E3 Saxo Classic, Gent-Wevelgem, and the Tour of Flanders. If he skips Roubaix, he’ll head straight to the Ardennes Classics before defending his Tour de France crown. But if he does decide to tackle the Hell of the North, it would be must-watch television. Imagine Pogačar, the rainbow jersey gleaming, dancing over the cobbles like a man who’s forgotten what pain feels like.
So, will 2025 be the year Pogačar conquers Roubaix? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: if he does show up, the rest of the peloton might want to start practicing their flat-tire changes. And maybe their prayers.