The decision was made even before Milan-San Remo ended in yet another close-but-not-quite for Tadej Pogačar. Barring a late change of heart, pro road racing’s most transcendent male talent will become the first defending Tour de France winner to race Paris-Roubaix in almost 35 years. And in the attempt, we may learn something about the limits of even his remarkable skillset.
Why is Pogačar racing Roubaix, an event known for its brutality and crashes even in dry years, especially given there's at least even odds for some rain overnight Saturday into Sunday? One likely reason the defending Tour winner might put his season on the line for a single race is that Pogačar has an interest in a particular milestone: becoming the fourth rider ever and first since Roger De Vlaeminck, in 1977, to claim a victory in all five of the sport’s so-called Monuments.
Pogačar aims to find out – not in some nebulous after-30 future but now – whether he stands a chance of winning Roubaix. We may also learn something else: whether any current or future rider will ever be able to accomplish the feat of winning all five Monuments.
Joe Lindsey
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