Mathieu van der Poel achieved a commanding victory at Paris-Roubaix with a remarkable 60km solo breakaway, marking his second consecutive win at the event and his second Monument triumph in just eight days after his success at Ronde van Vlaanderen.
The Alpecin–Deceuninck rider, known for his prowess in one-day races, launched his attack from a large leading group, showcasing his strength and skill on the cobblestone roads of northern France to claim victory with an impressive lead of three minutes.
This edition of the race, completed in a record-breaking time of 5 hours, 25 minutes, and 58 seconds, resulted in a one-two finish for Alpecin–Deceuninck: Jasper Philipsen secured second place in a sprint against Mads Pedersen of Lidl–Trek.
Six Monument Classics titles
Van der Poel, aged 29, now boasts six Monument Classics titles, including three Ronde van Vlaanderen wins, two “Hell of the North” victories, and one Milano-Sanremo triumph.
“It’s almost unbelievable,” remarked Van der Poel. “Perhaps the team was even stronger than last year. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s performance and thrilled to seal the victory.”
When asked about his lengthy solo attack, he responded, “Not exactly… I felt in top form today. I knew the finish had a tailwind… At Roubaix, you’re always aware a puncture could happen at any moment, but I felt confident, allowing me to savor the moment more than I could last week.”
With 50km remaining, Van der Poel held a 42-second lead over the chasing group, which had expanded to 1 minute and 6 seconds just a kilometer later as it seemed the chasers had resigned to his dominance. By the time there were 35km left, Van der Poel’s lead had stretched to two minutes, leaving little doubt that only a crash or mechanical issue could stop him. Organizers reportedly expressed intentions to investigate a fan at the roadside who seemed to have thrown a hat at Van der Poel’s back wheel.
Earlier in the race, crosswinds caused splits in the peloton around 150km into the grueling 259.9km course, resulting in the reeling in of a three-man breakaway featuring Nils Politt, Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin–Deceuninck), and Stefan Küng (Groupama–FDJ).
