Monuments Men
“Why Paris-Roubaix? I still haven’t done it and it’s one of the best races in the world.”
Sunday 13th April, 2025.
Paris-Roubaix.
The two greatest Monuments riders of their generation will go head-to-head, in a major classic, for the third time this season.
When Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel take to the start line in Compiègne, they will comfortably be the hot-favourites to cross the finish line in the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux first. In which order, it is almost impossible to say.
This will be the first Hell of the North that Pogačar has competed in. Mathieu van der Poel has won the last two. Between them, they have won 14 of the last 19 Monuments, including the last 6 in a row.
For those new to cycling, or at least to the classics, the Monuments are the five most-prestigious one-day races in world cycling. They begin with Milan–San Remo, followed by Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders,) Paris-Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and, finally, Giro di Lombardia. The last of these is almost an anomaly. As it is the only one that isn’t a Spring Classic. It takes place in October.
The Monuments are the one-day races that everyone wants to win. They are generally longer, more difficult, and more fiercely-fought than many other classics and one-dayers. They each have unique features. Some are cobbled, others are for punchers, and Lombardia is considered one for the climbers.
To master one, you must be a master rider. To master all five is such a feat of Herculean difficulty that only three men have ever achieved this in history. All Belgian. Rik Van Looy was the first, followed by Eddie Merckx and, finally in 1977, Roger De Vlaeminck cracked Flanders to complete the set (or should that be sett?). Sorry, bad Monuments pun.
Baron Merckx is, quite simply, the greatest rider in the history of cycling. He won a record 19 Monuments, to go alongside his record 11 Grand Tours, and basically everything else.
Which brings me onto Tadej Pogačar. He’s almost single-handedly brought a genuine racing spirit back to the peloton. He is a genuine all-rounder too. Something which had been sorely lacking in recent years (decades?). At least at this level. His worst finish in a Grand Tour, for context, was third place, in his debut at La Vuelta. He has also now won eight Monuments and counting.
The seven of van der Poel is what makes this contest so mouth-watering for all sports fans. Mathieu van der Poel deserves his own full article (and will get one soon). But he is, albeit in a different way, equally incredible to Pogačar. He’s a rider who can compete on any type of bike. He has won a ludicrous amount of World and European titles, across cyclo-cross, gravel, mountain biking and road.
So who wins Paris-Roubaix on Sunday 13th April 2025?
Mathieu van der Poel won Milano-San Remo. Tadej Pogačar won the Tour of Flanders. But the Queen of the Classics is a beast unto itself. Pogačar really shouldn’t be good on cobbles. But is. And van der Poel has won it twice in a row. They are both in amazing form.
The real answer is that we are the winners. Watching them go head-to-head, across these races is a privilege that none of us may ever see again in our lifetimes.
Pogačar will try everything to break van der Poel down. The problem for him is that there isn’t really much in the way of climbing. Which is where he usually mounts serious attacks. Van der Poel has also mounted serious solos on the pavé. And could try it again, simply to see if Pogačar can match him for speed, strength, and skill across the most difficult terrain of all.
Whatever happens, new history will be made, another chapter added to this incredible battle.
This could be one of the greatest Paris-Roubaix editions in its 129-year-history.
Will it be heaven of the hell for these two gladiators?
Sunday awaits.