Mathieu van der Poel claims Paris-Roubaix hat-trick as crash halts sparkling Tadej Pogacar debut

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Mathieu van der Poel completed a brilliant hat-trick at Paris-Roubaix as Tadej Pogacar sparkled on debut until a crash ended his hopes of victory. The race was heading for a thrilling showdown between Van der Poel and Pogacar before the Slovenian overcooked a corner and came off his bike. From that moment on, it always looked like Van der Poel's race to lose – and the Dutchman duly obliged.

'A hat-trick in hell!' - Van der Poel conquers Roubaix cobbles again as Pogacar takes second

Video credit: TNT Sports

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) made it three Paris-Roubaix titles in a row, as the third Monument of the season once again came down to an almighty battle on the cobbles between the two strongest one-day riders on the planet.

With nine cobbled sectors remaining, Van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) had distanced every other hopeful and were looking inseparable. A relatively minor crash proved the difference. On the first corner of the Pont-Thibault pave, Pogacar came in too hot, slipped off the road and toppled over his handlebars.

That moment, plus the subsequent bike change, gave Van der Poel the space he needed to power away to victory in the famed Roubaix velodrome. He even had time for a bike change after experiencing a mechanical problem on the run-in.

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Pogacar held off a determined Mads Pedersen-led charge from behind to claim an astonishing second place on debut. Pedersen won a three-rider sprint for third after suffering an ill-timed puncture earlier in the race.

'Came in way too hot' - Pogacar crashes after overcooking corner

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After the first two Monuments of 2025 both came down to a scrap between Van der Poel and Pogacar, with the riders taking one each, the third was billed as the decider of the spring.

The reigning Tour de France champion had not won Paris-Roubaix since Eddy Merckx in 1970, and ought to have been a bridge too far even for a rider as great as Pogacar. But even as he was making his debut, few were prepared to rule him out of contention.

All eyes were on the pair from kilometre zero, just outside the start-town of Compiegne. Rather than a long, drawn-out battle for the break, a group of seven were able to make a relatively easy escape.

Kim Heiduk (Ineos Grenadiers), Oier Lazkano (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe), Markus Hoelgaard (Uno X Mobility), Jonas Rutsch (Intermarche-Wanty), Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto), and Rory Townsend (Q36.5) cooperated well but were never really allowed out of sight, as Alpecin-Deceuninck kept a firm grip on proceedings in the peloton. The deficit was never more than three minutes.

'Oh!' - Early chaos at Paris-Roubaix as Philipsen among riders to hit deck in spree of crashes

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The opening phases of the race were not without incident, the most notable of which was a mechanical which saw Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) distanced from the bunch, and a crash in which Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) hit the deck on a roundabout.

Through the first sectors Lidl-Trek showed confidence in their leader, Mads Pedersen, putting down the power on his behalf. He was never far from the front of the race. Nor was Pogacar, who cruised the cobbles like a veteran of them.

At sector 20, Haveluy a Wallers, he began to do more than that. He made the first of a succession of moves with 103km to go, the second 1500m later. He led the peloton onto the famed and feared Trouee d’Arenberg with the breakaway in their sights.

Van der Poel felt the need to throw a punch of his own, putting more riders in trouble, as the bunch was reduced to bare bones, and only the best. Briefly Pogacar seemed to be in trouble, said to be suffering with cramp, but was able to receive a restorative gel from his team car - albeit only via a scary near-miss - which seemed to get his legs turning again.

'That shows how empty he is' - Pogacar’s tired legs lead to close call with team car

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At 80km to go the race had been reduced to five contenders: Van der Poel, Pogacar, Philipsen, Pedersen and Stefan Bisseger (Decathlon AG2R).

At sector 15, just as Pogacar launched a strong acceleration, Pedersen was seen to puncture. Although he was able to receive assistance, the race was going too fast and it cost him too much time to make it back to the front.

'Nightmare!' - Pedersen gets puncture just as Pogacar goes on 'rampage' at Paris-Roubaix

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Bisseger was the next rider to drop, due to fatigue, leaving just Pogacar, Van der Poel and Philipsen. Two Alpecin riders favoured the Belgian team, which meant Pogacar needed to attack to have a chance. That came after a 20km period of cooperation, putting paid to Philipsen’s chances of a third second place in as many years.

It was hard to imagine either Pogacar or Van der Poel riding away from the other, and could reach the velodrome together. In the end it was the Dutchman’s bike handling and Paris-Roubaix experience that separated the rivals.

On the ninth from the last sector, Pogacar overcooked a corner, as Van der Poel kept it together. Although a soft landing, it took him significant time to receive a replacement bike and get going again. By the time he was up to full speed, Van der Poel was gone.

For the next three sectors Pogacar was able to make inroad and hold the gap below 20 seconds, but eventually the elastic truly snapped. Once the deficit began to grow, it ballooned, rising above a minute by the Carrefour de ‘Arbre sector. A puncture for Can der Poel on the Carrefour was handled calmly by his team, and the bike change cost him little. In fact, the biggest threat came from the roadside, where a spectator inexplicably threw a bottle in his face.

Spectator throws bottle in Van der Poel's face in shocking Paris-Roubaix incident

Video credit: TNT Sports

Van der Poel knew the job was done before he reached the velodrome, and could afford to exchange fist bumps with his boss in the support car.

He eventually crossed the line 1'18" up on Pogacar, who himself could enjoy his circuit solo, with enough of a lead over the chasing group, containing Pedersen and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and his own team-mate, Florian Vermeersch. Pedersen won the sprint for the remaining podium place, though will wonder what could have been had he not fallen victim to the mechanical.

Afterwards Van der Poel said he was "happy I found my good legs again."

He also paid tribute to Pogacar: "We all know what an incredible champion Tadej is, and what he's done in his first Paris-Roubaix... doesn't surprise me, but it's also not normal. He's an exceptional talent. We'll see him back next year to take his revenge."

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