Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) recorded an unforgettable victory at one of the most pulsating, unpredictable and gripping editions of Paris-Roubaix in recent memory, surviving a dramatic Sunday in Hell to beat Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in a two-up sprint.
Pogačar and Van Aert moved clear on sector 12 and were never closed down, heading into the Roubaix Velodrome with nothing to separate them. Pogačar had bounced back from two punctures and was aiming to accomplish an historic series of five consecutive Monument victories, but Van Aert proved his equal on the day, coming back from a puncture of his own to launch the race-defining attack, and never allowing the world champion to distance him.
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Luck was not with the race favourites, three-time winner Mathieu van der Poel puncturing on the Trouée d’Arenberg, and the ensuing drama as he tried to change bikes made for a compelling viewing experience, with a monumental chase from the Dutch superstar keeping the race outcome hanging in the balance all the way to the finish.
“I did stop believing a lot of times but the next day I always woke up and fought for it again. Honestly, there is no more beautiful way than going to the line with the World Champion. He is a true champion, and he gave me such a hard time, beating him in a sprint mano-a-mano is something really special for me.”
“It’s such a chaotic race. I think everyone coming to the line has his own story, and that is why it is so beautiful. It can be hard, but on a day like this, it is the best race there is.”
Results
|
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Wout Van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike |
05:16:52 |
|
2 |
Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
Row 1 – Cell 2 |
|
3 |
Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
00:00:13 |
|
4 |
Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
00:00:15 |
|
5 |
Christophe Laporte (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
Row 4 – Cell 2 |
|
6 |
Tim Van Dijke (Ned) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
Row 5 – Cell 2 |
|
7 |
Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek |
Row 6 – Cell 2 |
|
8 |
Stefan Bissegger (Swi) Decathlon CMA CGM |
00:00:20 |
|
9 |
Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
00:02:36 |
|
10 |
Mike Teunissen (Ned) XDS Astana |
Row 9 – Cell 2 |