In the dim echo of the ‘new’ Roubaix Velodrome, where concrete legends are etched and the dust never quite settles, Tadej Pogačar faced the press with a wry smile and a bruised shoulder. The 26-year-old Slovenian phenom had just finished what could have been one of the most remarkable Paris-Roubaix debuts in modern history — had fate, cobbles, or possibly something more subtle, not intervened.
While he didn’t ride across the finish line, Pogačar’s presence was stamped all over the 2025 edition of the “Hell of the North.” Attacking early, animating the race, and going wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Mathieu van der Poel, the two-time Tour de France champion looked like he belonged from the first pave sector. But a violent crash on the Mons-en-Pévèle cobbles, one of the race’s most notorious segments, abruptly ended his Roubaix dreams and left fans wondering what could have been.
Now, just 24 hours later, Pogačar has responded not only with grace but with a sharp and unexpected comment directed at an alternate narrative that has emerged around his crash.
“It’s good that you mention it…” — Pogačar Speaks Out
At the post-race press conference on Monday morning, seated casually in front of a cluster of journalists in the Roubaix Velodrome’s newly renovated media room, Pogačar fielded questions with a mixture of humility and curiosity. The topic inevitably shifted to the various interpretations of his crash — some citing poor positioning, others suggesting an unforced error on loose gravel, and still others raising more pointed questions about team tactics and even the presence of television motorbikes near the apex of the corner where he fell.
One journalist referenced an opinion piece circulating online which implied that Pogačar’s aggressive line through the sector — paired with an unusually aggressive TV moto presence — might have contributed to his loss of control.
Pogačar leaned forward slightly, cracked a grin, and responded: “It’s good that you mention it…”
He continued: “I’ve read a few takes already — some smarter than others. I’m not going to point fingers. At the end of the day, I crashed. That’s on me. But yes, it was a chaotic moment. There was a motorbike close by, the fans were loud, and the surface was changing. It’s Roubaix. Anything can happen. If you hesitate for even half a second or your tire drifts five centimeters off line, you pay.”
His tone wasn’t accusatory, but it wasn’t dismissive either. His words opened the door to further discussion about safety, rider space, and the razor-thin margins of error in the toughest one-day race in the world.
The Crash That Shook the Race
Pogačar had ignited the race with 90 kilometers to go, launching a daring solo attack that blew apart the peloton and initiated the final phase of the race far earlier than most had expected. Only Van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Mads Pedersen could follow.
But it was on the infamous Mons-en-Pévèle sector, just over 40 kilometers from the finish, that disaster struck. As Pogačar entered a left-hand bend, his front wheel appeared to slide unexpectedly. His bike jerked sideways and he crashed heavily into the ditch, rolling several times before coming to a stop.
Though he stood up moments later, the damage was done — blood visible on his elbow and knee, his helmet askew, and his face etched with disbelief.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed that Pogačar suffered abrasions, a mild concussion, and would undergo further tests to ensure full recovery before returning to competition. He was withdrawn from the race on the spot.
“I Felt Like I Was in the Race”
Despite the disappointment, Pogačar was proud of his performance, emphasizing that he had achieved his goal: to race Roubaix, not just ride it.
“I felt like I was in the race. You know what I mean? Not surviving, not hiding in the wheels. I was part of the action,” he said. “When I attacked, it was instinct. This race doesn’t wait. You have to take it when you feel it.”
He also praised his rivals — especially Van der Poel — who went on to win his second consecutive Paris-Roubaix after a mid-race bottle strike to the face and a vicious final solo effort.
“Mathieu was incredible. He’s a machine on these cobbles. I think we could have had a beautiful battle to the finish. But he deserved the win. Total respect.”
A New Dimension for Pogacar
Pogačar’s entry into Paris-Roubaix was never guaranteed. Known primarily for his climbing prowess and grand tour dominance, his flirtation with the cobbled classics had been limited to the Tour of Flanders, which he famously won in 2023. But Roubaix? That was another beast entirely.
Many questioned whether a rider of his build and style could truly contend in such a brutal, unpredictable race. On Sunday, he offered his answer — at least partially.
“He passed the test,” said UAE’s team director Joxean Matxin Fernández. “He proved he can ride the cobbles with the best. We’ll be back — and better prepared.”
Pogačar himself hinted at unfinished business: “It didn’t end how I wanted, but I got a taste of it now. I want more.”
Safety in the Spotlight
The alternate theories surrounding his crash — whether involving motorbike proximity, fan interference, or course conditions — have sparked wider conversations about safety in professional cycling, particularly in the classics.
Former pro and Roubaix specialist Fabian Cancellara tweeted: “Roubaix demands everything from the rider. But organizers must also protect them. Clear motos. Clear lines.”
In recent years, Paris-Roubaix has faced increased scrutiny over race vehicles, fan barriers, and environmental hazards. While the mystique of the race is its raw, uncontrolled nature, that same quality can push riders toward unnecessary risk.
ASO, the race organizer, issued a brief statement Monday afternoon confirming that “all race vehicles were operating within approved parameters,” but added that they would “review all footage from the Mons-en-Pévèle sector to ensure best practices were followed.”
What’s Next for Pogačar?
With Roubaix behind him, Pogačar will now turn his attention to recovery and recalibration. His spring season has already been decorated with a podium at Strade Bianche and a thrilling runner-up finish at Liège–Bastogne–Liège just weeks earlier.
The primary goal, of course, remains the 2025 Tour de France, where he will seek to reclaim his crown after a narrow defeat last year to Jonas Vingegaard.
But Roubaix has planted a seed.
Asked if he would return in 2026, Pogačar didn’t hesitate.
“Absolutely. You can’t do Roubaix just once. It gets in your blood.”
A Debut Remembered
Though he didn’t lift the cobbled trophy in Roubaix, Pogačar’s performance has already become part of the race’s lore. A debut so raw, so thrilling, and so tragically cut short — it was everything the Paris-Roubaix demands of its riders: heart, guts, and the willingness to suffer.
And as he walked out of the velodrome, bruised but smiling, his final words to the media echoed like a quiet warning to rivals and a promise to fans:
“Next time, maybe I’ll make it to the velodrome on two wheels.”
