Paris-Roubaix: The Final Piece for Pogačar's Complete Set of All Five Monuments

Tadej Pogačar holds 13 Monument victories, the second-most in cycling history. But on that nearly perfect résumé, one slot remains permanently empty: Paris–Roubaix.

And it’s not the kind of blank that means “hasn’t tried yet”—he’s gone, and finished runner-up two years in a row. In 2025 he lost to Mathieu van der Poel; in 2026 he lost the final sprint at the velodrome to Wout van Aert. Both times, he came up one step short.

This article breaks down one question: Why Paris–Roubaix? Why is this one race the one that trips up a man who can break records on Alpe d’Huez?

The Distinct Personalities of the Five Monuments

Lay that table out and the answer is already written on it: every race Pogačar has won features “climbs.” Lombardia and Liège rely on sustained climbing to create gaps; Flanders is cobbled, but short, steep climbs like the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg are still fundamentally a stage for climbing power; San Remo’s decisive points, the Cipressa and the Poggio, are also hills.

Only Paris–Roubaix has almost no real climb from start to finish.

Why the Cobblestones Are His Hardest Test

1. A Mismatch of Body Type and Power Profile

Paris–Roubaix is the quintessential “flat-road power race.” On the rough pavé of northern Flanders, riders need high absolute power, the stability of heavier body weight pressing down, and the ability to sustain output amid vibration. Traditionally, this race favors burly classics specialists.

Pogačar is an all-rounder built for climbing; his strength lies in his power-to-weight ratio—the metric that decides victories on the Tourmalet or Alpe d’Huez. But on Roubaix’s flat cobbles, being light isn’t an advantage; it actually makes the bike bounce more over the stones. (Note: regarding specific rider power figures, public reports are mostly estimates rather than official data; here we only discuss differences in rider profiles, without citing any numbers.)

2. Luck Plays an Outsized Role

Paris–Roubaix has the nickname “Hell of the North,” largely because the odds of mechanical failure and crashes are far higher than in any other race. The 2026 edition was the perfect example:

• With 120 km remaining, Pogačar suffered a puncture, changed bikes twice, and chased for over twenty kilometers before rejoining the main group
• After the Arenberg Forest, he made it into a 7-rider lead group (van der Poel, meanwhile, was 2+ minutes back due to his own mechanical)
• He changed bikes once more after that
• With under 50 km to go, he attacked on Mons-en-Pévèle; only van Aert could follow
• The two rode together all the way to the velodrome, where he lost the final sprint to van Aert

In other words, in a race where he changed bikes three times, he still rode it down to a two-man duel. That actually shows his form wasn’t the issue—the problem is that this race turns the “uncontrollable factors” dial up to maximum.

3. The Final Velodrome Is Pure Sprinting

The last few hundred meters at the Roubaix velodrome are a standard track sprint. When the race is brought into the velodrome with only two or three riders left, the outcome reverts to pure sprint speed—which happens to be not Pogačar’s strongest suit, and precisely the specialty of riders like van Aert.

Compare that to the 2026 Milan–San Remo, where he launched with 200 meters to go on Via Roma and edged out Tom Pidcock by half a wheel. Both were late sprints, but in San Remo he first used the Poggio’s climb to whittle his rivals down to one; in Roubaix, he was forced into a short-range duel where he didn’t hold the advantage.

How Rare Is a Full Set of All Five?

A “Career Monument Grand Slam”—winning all five Monuments—is an achievement held by very few in cycling history. The reason is straightforward: the five races demand conflicting skill sets.

• Lombardia and Liège require long-climb endurance
• Paris–Roubaix requires absolute output and shock resistance on flat cobblestones
• Flanders requires repeated explosive efforts on short, steep climbs
• San Remo requires a sprint after nearly 300 kilometers

A man who can ride away solo on Italy’s autumn mountain roads usually isn’t the type to overpower classics specialists on northern France’s cobbles. That’s why this list is so short—Eddy Merckx is the most famous name on it, and his career total of 19 Monuments remains the record to this day.

Pogačar’s current situation is delicate: apart from Roubaix, he has won every other Monument more than once. San Remo: 1. Flanders: 3. Liège: 4. Lombardia: 5—all four are in hand. Only one is missing.

How Many Chances Does He Have Left?

Pogačar was born in September 1998, making him 27 in 2026. In terms of the Paris–Roubaix participation window, he theoretically still has a fair number of opportunities. But there are several practical considerations:

The Squeeze of the Season Schedule

Paris–Roubaix falls in April, just one week after the Tour of Flanders, and is immediately followed by the critical period of preparing for the Tour de France. For a rider whose core goal is the Tour de France overall title, every extra Roubaix start is one more exposure to high-risk crashes.

The Rivals Are Getting Stronger, Not Weaker

Van Aert took his first cobbled Monument in 2026; van der Poel won Roubaix in 2025. Both are in form to win this race. Pogačar isn’t trying to break through an empty slot—he’s up against two top-tier cobbled specialists.

But He’s Already Proven the Method Works

The Mons-en-Pévèle attack in 2026 was the key signal: he found a way to turn Roubaix into a “small-group duel.” The only question left is how to handle those final few hundred meters—whether to go solo earlier, or accept the risk of a sprint showdown.

Viewing Tips for Taiwanese Cycling Fans

Taiwan has no cobblestones, but the feeling of “the road eating your power” isn’t unfamiliar: ride an old industrial road, a stretch of gravel patches, or rain-cracked asphalt, and you’ll understand why Roubaix riders use wider tires and lower pressure.

Next time you watch Paris–Roubaix, don’t just stare at who’s at the front—pay attention to the moments of punctures, bike changes, and crashes. The outcome of this race is often decided the instant someone raises a hand to signal their mechanic.

Related Reading

• Two Bike Changes, One Attack, One Runner-Up Finish: Pogačar’s 2026 Paris–Roubaix, One Velodrome Short of the Grand Slam
• 2026 Paris–Roubaix Tactical Breakdown: How van Aert Beat Pogačar at the Velodrome
• Vuelta a España: Why Has Pogačar Left the Missing Piece of His Grand Tour Grand Slam Unfilled for So Long?
• Cobblestones vs. Gravel: Two Kinds of Rough Roads, Two Entirely Different Equipment Philosophies