Pogačar Chases Cycling History: Flanders Win Paves Way for Paris-Roubaix Monument Double

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Tadej Pogačar claimed his third Tour of Flanders title on Sunday, positioning himself as the dominant force in spring classics and setting up a potential historic double at next week's Paris-Roubaix—the only Monument missing from his collection.

Why This Matters:

• Record-tying performance: Pogačar's third win equals the all-time record, placing him alongside cycling legends.

• Paris-Roubaix showdown imminent: The Slovenian targets the sole Monument he lacks on April 12, with a rare double in reach.

• Cobbled classics dominance: His perfect 2026 season (3 wins in 3 races) signals a generational talent at peak form.

A Surgical Strike on the Oude Kwaremont

Over 278 km of punishing terrain from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, Pogačar executed a masterclass in controlled aggression. The decisive moment arrived with just 18 km remaining, when the 27-year-old unleashed a devastating acceleration on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont—the race's signature cobbled climb—that left even his strongest rivals gasping.

Mathieu van der Poel, the Dutch champion riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech and widely considered Pogačar's closest challenger, could only watch as the gap opened. The Slovenian crested the climb with a 6-second advantage that ballooned to 34 seconds by the finish line in Oudenaarde. Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, making his Tour of Flanders debut with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, secured third place but finished 1 minute and 11 seconds behind the winner—a margin that underscored Pogačar's superiority on this demanding parcours.

The race also featured strong showings from Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in fourth and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in fifth, though both finished nearly 3 minutes down. Intermittent rain throughout the afternoon added treacherous conditions to the already brutal combination of cobblestones and steep gradients that define Flemish cycling.

Breaking Down the Tactical Blueprint

Pogačar's strategy hinged on relentless attrition rather than a single dramatic move. With more than 80 km still to race, the select group of favorites—including van der Poel, Evenepoel, van Aert, and Pedersen—had already bridged up to the early breakaway, setting the stage for a war of attrition among the sport's elite.

The Oude Kwaremont featured twice in the closing circuits, and Pogačar tested his rivals repeatedly on both ascents. His initial attack came on the penultimate climb of the iconic berg, 57 km from the finish, which immediately shattered the front group. Only van der Poel and Evenepoel could initially follow, but the Belgian cracked on the subsequent Paterberg climb after an ill-timed early acceleration exposed his relative inexperience on Flanders' signature terrain.

That left van der Poel alone in pursuit, but the Dutchman openly conceded post-race that second place was the maximum achievable against Pogačar's explosive power on the steep gradients. When the final reckoning came on the last Oude Kwaremont, Pogačar's ability to accelerate out of the cobbled section proved insurmountable. His rivals simply lacked the combination of raw wattage and technical finesse needed to respond.

What This Means for Cycling Enthusiasts in Italy

How to Watch: Italian residents can watch Pogačar's Paris-Roubaix attempt live on RAI Sport and Eurosport Italia on April 12, with coverage starting at 10:30 AM CEST. Set a reminder now to catch this rare Monument double attempt unfold in real time.

Plan Your Paris Trip: Milan-based Cycling Tours Italia and Rome's Bike Italy Tours have added special April packages (€1,200–€1,800) featuring guided rides on the Paris-Roubaix pavé sectors, with departures from Milano Centrale and Roma Termini. Several Rome and Milan-based cycling clubs, including the Associazione Ciclistica Romana and Cicloamatori Milano, have organized group trips to witness Pogačar's historic attempt in person.

Follow the Coverage: La Gazzetta dello Sport's daily coverage (available at any edicola for €1.50) has been running a Monument completion tracker series all week, framing Pogačar's quest within the historical legacy of Italian cycling legends like Fausto Coppi and Andrea Tafi—the last Italian to win Paris-Roubaix in 1999. Italian broadcasters are marketing next Sunday's race as essential viewing, and cycling bars across Italy's major cities are organizing watch parties.

Pogačar's dominance reinforces Italy's deep connection to spring classics excellence—his season-opening victory at Strade Bianche in Tuscany and triumph at Milano-Sanremo have already energized the domestic cycling calendar. His three-race winning streak in 2026 positions him as the season's most compelling storyline for anyone invested in professional cycling.

The narrative of completing a Monument collection resonates deeply in a country that venerates cycling's one-day classics as much as Grand Tours. Should Pogačar succeed next week, he joins only three other riders—Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy, and Roger De Vlaeminck—in cycling immortality.

The Paris-Roubaix Challenge Looms

Pogačar's post-race comments revealed both confidence and measured respect for the challenge ahead. "I don't race often, so when I do, I feel the pressure to win," he acknowledged. "Everything has gone perfectly so far, so I can be more than satisfied. I'll arrive at Roubaix next week motivated, but I'll try to enjoy the pavé."

That final Monument—the "Hell of the North" scheduled for April 12—represents unfinished business for the Slovenian. He finished second in 2025 after a crash potentially cost him a direct duel with van der Poel, who took that edition. Victory next Sunday would place Pogačar in the rarefied company of only three other riders to have won all five Monuments during their careers.

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad has invested heavily in Pogačar's Roubaix preparation over the winter, including extensive reconnaissance of the race's 29 cobbled sectors. With his current form, many experts consider him the favorite despite facing specialists like van der Poel and van Aert, who traditionally thrive on Roubaix's flatter, more power-oriented parcours compared to Flanders' punchy climbs.

Historically, winning both Flanders and Roubaix in the same year represents one of cycling's rarest achievements. Only 11 riders have managed this "double" since 1923, with Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara each accomplishing it twice. Most recently, van der Poel achieved the feat in 2024. Should Pogačar succeed, he would join that exclusive list and simultaneously complete his Monument collection—a convergence of achievements that would cement his status among the sport's all-time greats.

Vollering Claims Women's Edition

In the women's race, Dutch rider Demi Vollering secured her first Tour of Flanders victory in the event's 23rd edition, covering 164 km with both start and finish in Oudenaarde. She finished clear of France's Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who outsprinted another Dutch rider, Puck Pieterse, for second place.

Two Italian riders featured in the top ten: Silvia Persico finished seventh and Elisa Longo Borghini took eighth, providing solid results for the Italian contingent despite missing the podium. Vollering's commanding solo victory mirrored Pogačar's approach in the men's race—attack decisively and maintain the advantage through superior strength rather than tactical gamesmanship.

The parallel performances underscore a broader trend in professional cycling where riders capable of sustained high power outputs on varied terrain are increasingly separating themselves from pure specialists. For Italian fans watching both races unfold, the message was clear: raw athletic dominance, when combined with tactical intelligence, remains the most reliable path to Monument glory.