Pogacar Suffers Crashing Blow in Paris-Roubaix as Van der Poel Takes Third Consecutive Win

Tadej Pogacar’s Paris-Roubaix dreams were shattered 38 kilometers from the finish line. A crash ruined his chances, handing Mathieu van der Poel his third straight win.

A Brutal Ride

Pogacar called it one of the toughest rides of his career. He was on track for a thrilling finale until his bike computer broke in the crash. "I was producing some of my best power data ever when we were down to five riders," he said, entering the velodrome under applause.

The crash happened when Pogacar misjudged a corner, misreading the bikes ahead. "I was going too fast with a tailwind, and I paid the price," he admitted.

A Historic Achievement

Despite the setback, Pogacar became the first Tour de France winner in 50 years to stand on the Paris-Roubaix podium. The last to achieve this feat was Eddy Merckx in 1975.

• Pogacar and Merckx are the only riders to have achieved podiums in all three Grand Tours.
• They’ve also both won the five monuments and have podiumed at the World Championships.

Van der Poel praised his rival, saying, "Beating Pogacar tastes sweet. If he hadn’t made that mistake, we would’ve likely sprinted it out. Leaving him behind would’ve been tough."

Riders and fans took to social media to discuss the intense race. Some highlighted Pogacar’s incredible skills, while others noted his cobblestone struggles.