Mathieu Van Der Poel Secures Fourth Monument Victory at Paris-Roubaix

Mathieu Van Der Poel of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team has won the Paris-Roubaix, securing his fourth monument victory after winning the Tour of Flanders in both 2020 and 2022. This win comes shortly after his recent victory at the Milão-San Remo race.

Despite the early breakaways, which never resulted in a significant lead, with Koch from Bora, Gee from IPT, Bax from Emirates, and Hollman from Movistar merely acting as reference points for the peloton, the race remained fiercely competitive. The intense pace was set at the start, with the first hour seeing 51km covered, but the crashes, punctures, and failures started early on in the race. Among those affected were Peter Sagan from TotalEnergies, who was taken to the hospital with facial injuries.

Throughout the race, it was clear that the course was taking a heavy toll on many riders, and the Carrefour d L’Arbre sector proved to be a crucial point for the strongest contenders of the race. Wout Van Aert, who suffered a rear-wheel puncture, lost his chance to catch up with Van Der Poel, who was able to run the last 15 kilometres alone, securing a decisive victory in a race that remains an ode to cycling, which is also part of the top five monument events.

The final phase of the race was exhilarating when seven of the strongest contenders – Van der Poel, Van Aert, Philipsen, Degenkolb, Ganna, Kung, and Pedersen – pulled ahead. However, the defining moment occurred when Van der Poel and Degenkolb made contact, causing the German to fall. Van Aert seized the opportunity to attack, but Van der Poel quickly caught up with him. Van Aert then suffered another puncture, and Van der Poel made a final sprint to cross the finish line set up in the Roubaix Velodrome after covering 256.6km, with Philipsen coming in second, and Van Aert in third. Speaking after the race, Van Der Poel explained, “I had one of the best days on the bike. I felt strong and tried to attack a few times, but it was hard to get rid of the main opponents. When Degenkolb fell, I had to go after Van Aert, who unfortunately had an accident, and since I was alone, I gave it my all until the end.”

The race marked an extraordinary day for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, with Jasper Philipsen securing second place and beating Van Aert in the sprint. Speaking after the race, Philipsen said, “We didn’t even dream of being first and second at the Paris-Roubaix, so we’re all very proud. Maybe someday, I’ll be able to win this race, having been second. I get along very well with Mathieu, and today, we executed the plan that had been idealized from the start, and we’re all very happy.”

Van Aert voiced his frustrations at the end of the race, “I’ve had several punctures, but at this stage of the race, it’s too much. It seems like I’m cursed at Paris-Roubaix. I had no significant pain in the knee, and I felt good. Punctures are part of the race, but we only say that when it happens to others. When it happens to us, we get mad. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved this spring, but life isn’t just about victories. This time, I had some bad luck, but in the future, maybe I’ll have more luck.” Van Aert confirmed that this would be his last race for the season.

Maria Martins, who competed in the women’s race on Saturday, was the highest-placed Portuguese rider at 25th place. In the men’s race, Rui Oliveira from Emirates finished in 52nd place, while André Carvalho from Cofidis finished in 94th place.