Paris-Roubaix men’s 2026 preview: The Hell of the North

Rouleur analyses the favourites for the cobbled Monument

Photography: Zac Williams/SWpix.com Words: Tristan Rees

Tadej Pogačar is the name on everyone’s lips during cycling’s Holy Week. With another Tour of Flanders title gobbled up on Easter Sunday, Pogačar’s unrelenting march now turns to Paris-Roubaix – a 258km cobbled pilgrimage and yet another opportunity to create cycling history. The cobblestone trophy is the only missing artifact on the world champion’s Monument mantelpiece.

However, the pavé route from Compiègne to Roubaix rarely rewards sentiment. It’s a race shaped by cobble sectors, positioning, and resilience, rather than reputation. After his second-place finish last year, Pogačar returns with intent, but the flat cobbled parcours will always pose the biggest challenge to his quest to win all of cycling’s top prizes. Mathieu van der Poel starts as the reference point after recent dominance (he has won the last three editions), and the pair look set to continue their one-day racing rivalry. But both men will be wary – Paris-Roubaix doesn’t always crown the strongest rider, just the one who endures the chaos best and arrives at the velodrome with something left.

Contenders

Tadej Pogačar

A matter of minutes after Tadej Pogačar’s latest Tour of Flanders triumph, he was already asked about his next assignment: The Queen of the Classics. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider quipped: “The motivation is high and the pressure is low like the tyres will be.”

He arrives at Compiègne in the form of a man for whom the racing calendar has become simply a list of races to collect: Strade Bianche? Tick. Milan-Sanremo? Done. Ronde van Vlaanderen? Check. It’s a three from three that also includes a two from two in terms of Monuments. If he wins at Roubaix he will be the current reigning champion of all the Monuments (a first in history) and would be on track to win all five in one season (also a first).

The question is no longer whether Pogačar belongs on the cobbles. He answered that at Roubaix last year and at De Ronde on multiple occasions. Unfortunately for his rivals, there is no obvious ceiling to his ability or chink in his armour. His positioning in the bunch is surgical, a vital asset in the chaos of the cobbles. His ability to accelerate out of harm is only matched by Van der Poel. If the UAE domestiques keep him out of trouble through the first half, he will be in contention – like he always is. All that being said, he will have to drop the likes of Van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen and Wout van Aert before the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux, because of their superior sprint finishes.

Tadej Pogačar was second on debut at Paris-Roubaix last year (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Mathieu van der Poel

Like at Flanders, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) is set to be Pogačar’s greatest threat. Despite losing to the Slovenian over the hellingen of Flanders, Roubaix’s defending champion is better suited to the flatter cobble sectors than his smaller rival. The Dutchman also starts the Monument in strong form, after a consistent build-up throughout the spring.

“I have my best level so far, only maybe Sanremo I lacked a bit. But for the rest, I can be very happy with all the races and the feeling,” Van der Poel told the media at De Ronde’s finish in Oudenaarde. Another vital asset in his armoury is his Roubaix experience. He has won this race on three consecutive occasions. He knows the moments to conserve and the moments to detonate. Obviously his main concern is Pogačar, but Van der Poel won’t be worried about going to the final with the world champion. If he can remain in touch with Pogačar going into the velodrome, he would be the favourite to take victory. A record-equalling fourth victory no less.

Mathieu van der Poel won his third consecutive Paris-Roubaix title in 2025 (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Wout van Aert

Paris-Roubaix is a race that was seemingly made for Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike). It rewards power, endurance, and a massive engine – without the need for an explosive punch of Van der Poel or Pogačar. However, the Hell of the North has always been a bit of a nightmare for the beloved Belgian. Punctures, crashes and/or illnesses have struck at inopportune moments. Even this year, Van Aert's spring has been a study in near-misses: form without finishing, performance without payoff. However, that debt has to be repaid somewhere, surely? Roubaix, with its long attrition and its capacity to reward the rider willing simply to suffer longest, suits a man who has spent years fighting setbacks and disappointments. Just ask Mathew Hayman.

Wout van Aert was fourth on Sunday's Tour of Flanders (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Filippo Ganna

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) is a physical phenomenon on the flat, in possession of a diesel engine of incomprehensible output. And importantly the cobbles do not diminish him. His sprint at the end of an attritional race has already won him races this spring when he snuck past Van Aert at Dwars door Vlaanderen to claim his first Classics win. Whether he can navigate the chaos of the early kilometres, survive the attrition of the middle sectors, and then get rid of the likes of Van der Poel and Pogačar is the question. But on paper the Italian has never looked more credible.

Filippo Ganna won his first Classic at Dwars door Vlaanderen (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Jasper Philipsen

The fastest sprinter in the field? It could be Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), although Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) may have an argument about that. But Philipsen is certainly the fastest sprinter who is likely to contend for Paris-Roubaix victory. His sprint is not simply a weapon – it is the kind of conclusion that other riders build entire race strategies around preventing. Alpecin-Premier Tech will work to keep him as fresh as possible (if that’s even a thing in a race like The Hell of the North), to deliver him through the carnage and let his kick in the velodrome do the rest. Whether the decisive selection allows for a sprinter to survive is the great unknown of every Roubaix. But if it does, Philipsen is the man no one wants to see arrive in their group. He has been the runner-up at the Monument twice before. Could he do so again on Sunday?

Jasper Philipsen finished second to his Alpecin teammate Van der Poel at the 2023 Paris-Roubaix (Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Other contenders

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) is a key contender and has finished on the podium at the last two editions of the race. He will be backed up by a strong squad including Søren Kragh Andersen and Mathias Vacek.

Speaking of powerful collectives, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe will want to continue their consistent performances on the back of Remco Evenepoel’s third-place finish at Flanders. They have strength in depth through the likes of Laurence Pithie, Jordi Meeus, Mick and Tim van Dijke and Gianni Vermeersch. Likewise Soudal Quick-Step arrive at the race with former winner Dylan van Baarle (2022), Jasper Stuyven and Yves Lampaert as they attempt to regain their cobbled Classics crown. Quick-Step also start with their sprinter Tim Merlier, who won Scheldeprijs on Wednesday.

Riders who will start as domestiques but could be called up to lead their teams if chaos ensues are Per Strand Hagenes, Matthew Brennan and Christophe Laporte for Van Aert (Visma), Florian Vermeersch for Pogačar (UAE) and Josh Tarling for Ganna (Ineos).

Bahrain-Victorious duo Alec Segaert and Matej Mohorič will try their luck in some anticipatory moves and could feature late into the race. Also look out for Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) attempting to get away from the main favourites.

Prediction

Paris-Roubaix occasionally confirms what we already knew. Tadej Pogačar is the greatest cyclist of all time and we think he will win on Sunday to cement this status even further.

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