Another Roubaix attempt in 2027? Pogacar remains cautious

After his setback at Paris-Roubaix, cycling star Tadej Pogacar has left open the possibility of a third attempt next year. "Maybe not next year, but maybe next year. I still have a few years left in my career. So I will try to come back and try again," said the exceptional Slovenian rider after his first race since September, which he was unable to win.

As in his Roubaix debut last year, he finished second. The Belgian Wout van Aert defeated the 27-year-old after a thrilling sprint in the historic Velodrome of Roubaix. 54 kilometres before the finish, both had broken away.

Pogacar: "Legs were like spaghetti"

"I'm happy for Wout. I think he deserved to win," said the world champion. Getting rid of his opponent was a "mission impossible", he said. "It just wasn't meant to be that I could shake him off. And he was simply much faster in the sprint," he said. "I still had hope for the sprint, but my legs were like spaghetti."

This meant that Pogacar failed to reach the next major milestone in his career. With a triumph in the Queen of the Classics, Pogacar would have celebrated at least one victory in all five major one-day races - the so-called monuments. Only the three Belgians Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck and Rik Van Looy have achieved this before the Slovenian.

Defect festival in the north

The 123rd edition of Paris-Roubaix was characterised by many flat tyres and crashes. In the race, Pogacar alone mastered three tyre changes in the so-called Hell of the North. "I did pretty well in such a chaotic race, gave it my best shot and have no regrets whatsoever," he said.

On 26 April, the four-time Tour de France winner will be aiming for his fourth victory in this spring classic at the next Monument Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His racing calendar then includes the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse in preparation for the Tour of France in July.

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