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Wout van Aert outduels Tadej Pogacar to win his first Paris-Roubaix title
TL;DR
Wout van Aert won his first Paris-Roubaix title, defeating Tadej Pogacar in a challenging race marked by punctures and mechanical issues. This victory ends a decade-long wait for Van Aert, who previously won Milan-Sanremo in 2020.
Wout van Aert shattered a decade-old jinx to win Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, outduelling the world champion, Tadej Pogacar, in a brutal classic race across the cobbles.
The 31-year-old suffered a puncture as did Pogacar and their great rival Mathieu van der Poel, who had two mechanicals and could not contest the final sprint, which went in Van Aertās favour for his second title in one of the five Monument classics after his Milan-Sanremo victory in 2020.
Van Aert, who had been plagued by bad luck in the Queen of the Classics, thwarted Pogacarās attacks on the cobbles and wrapped it up with a trademark burst of speed in the final straight on the Roubaix Velodrome. Van Aertās fellow Belgian Jasper Stuyven took third place, 13 seconds behind.
Van der Poel, seeking a fourth consecutive win in the race, finished fourth despite losing more than two minutes following a mechanical issue on a tricky cobbled sector of the course.
āItās everything to me, itās been a goal since I first did this race. I stopped believing a lot of times but I would start believing again the next day,ā said Van Aert, who had suffered repeated punctures and crashes in the Flanders classics.
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider dedicated his title to former teammate Michael Goolaerts, who died in 2018 after suffering a cardiac arrest during the race. āArriving for a final sprint with the world champion and beating him in a sprint is very special,ā Van Aert added.
Pogacar, who won the first two Monument classics of the season in the Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders, was looking to become the first Tour de France champion to prevail in the āHell of the Northā since Franceās Bernard Hinault in 1981.
Q&A
What challenges did Wout van Aert face during the Paris-Roubaix race?
Wout van Aert faced a puncture during the race, similar to Tadej Pogacar, while Mathieu van der Poel encountered two mechanical issues that hindered his performance.
How did Wout van Aert secure his victory in Paris-Roubaix?
Van Aert secured his victory with a strong sprint in the final straight on the Roubaix Velodrome, successfully countering Pogacar's attacks throughout the race.
What is the significance of Wout van Aert's win at Paris-Roubaix?
Van Aert's win is significant as it marks his first Paris-Roubaix title and ends a decade-long struggle, adding to his previous Monument classic victory at Milan-Sanremo in 2020.
