Tadej Pogacar leaves nothing to chance in months before Paris-Roubaix

Tadej Pogacar made his debut in Paris-Roubaix this year and did so in no small way. In fact, the Slovenian immediately finished second behind cobblestone king Mathieu van der Poel in his very first participation as a pro. In 2026, the world champion is resolutely aiming for victory and is therefore preparing thoroughly.

The star of UAE Emirates returned to the cobbles of Northern France on Tuesday to scout the route of 'The Hell of the North.' Pogacar was spotted on the Carrefour de l'Arbre cobbles, one of the crucial sections in the Paris-Roubaix finale.

Pogacar was not on his own: the Slovenian was accompanied by several members of UAE Emirates XRG, including Tim Wellens. The Belgian champion is expected to play a key support role next year for his Slovenian team leader.

Tadej Pogačar spotted on a Roubaix recon today. 🪨 pic.twitter.com/56vasTceHW

— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) December 9, 2025

Tadej Pogacar has already won nearly all the major races, but Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix are still missing from his palmarès. However, the Slovenian is motivated to change that in 2026. In an interview with Marca, he also expressed the expectation that he will once again start the Tour de France next year.

"I think I will go to the Tour again," Pogacar responded when asked about his goals for 2026. "It’s clear: it’s the biggest race of them all. But I also want to express myself in the classics and see if I can do better in the one-day races than last year. Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix are two races I’m very motivated for. I want to try again and fight for the win."