Roubaix winner Andrea Tafi explains the difference between Van der Poel and Pogacar: “Cyclocross can give you a huge advantage”

On his debut in the Hell of the North, Pogačar started peppering the field from more than 100 kilometres out. In the end, only Van der Poel could truly match the Slovenian’s power. Andrea Tafi, the 1999 Paris–Roubaix winner, expects a similar head-to-head in 2026. “In Roubaix, the fight could come down to a duel between Pogačar and Van der Poel,” Tafi told Bici.Pro.

The Italian did add a note of caution. “Pogačar has shown his outstanding qualities—even in a Classic that’s so far from his usual style. Or from what we expected of him. But I think it’s too early to say he can win this race already this year. Pogačar can certainly threaten Van der Poel, but there are many external factors you have to take into account.”

When it comes to a straight duel between the two, Tafi would normally still lean towards Van der Poel. The Dutchman has won Paris–Roubaix three years in a row and tends to be at his best when it matters most. And in Tafi’s eyes, there’s a key area where the reigning road world champion still has ground to make up.

“The difference between the two was mainly technical: being a cyclocross athlete, like Van der Poel, can give you a huge advantage,” Tafi explained. “Taking corners, handling certain types of cobbles, even pedalling over rough stones—being completely at home on the bike is incredibly important. Even the crash that took Pogačar out was, so to speak, fairly insignificant, but it shows that technically he was still missing something.”

Still, Tafi warns against underestimating Pogačar—especially given how relentlessly he targets goals. “Tadej Pogačar is extremely determined,” he said. “If he wants to achieve something, he goes for it and works until he reaches his goal. He has proven he is by far the best rider in the world, so it will be a fantastic battle. And what makes it even more exciting is that you can prepare for Roubaix as well as possible, you can train and practise—but there is always something external that can influence the outcome of the race.”

And what about the idea that Pogačar is simply built more for climbing than for the pavé? “There has been a lot of talk about the weight difference between the two,” Tafi said, “but in my opinion that matters less nowadays. The technical development of the bike has advanced so far that this physical characteristic has become secondary. Pogačar has now practically reached the near-perfect level needed to win Roubaix.”