Spaghetti legs, but Pogačar doesn't blame bad luck: 'Dropping Van Aert was mission impossible'
CyclingSunday, 12 April 2026 at 17:10
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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogačar and his #striveforfive will have to wait another year. The Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates-XRG did not have a flawless Paris-Roubaix and ultimately had to bow to a rock-solid Wout van Aert in northern France. "Wout was super strong and smart" Pogačar said afterwards.
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Did Pogačar lose the race because of bad luck? The Slovenian wanted none of it. "Most riders had plenty of problems. I punctured three times and had to change bikes three times."
"I'd already punctured once before at the front, but I was saved by the sealant in my tubular," Pogačar told Sporza. "But then I was riding at the back completely flat and couldn't continue."
He eventually had to carry on using a Shimano bike. "That was very uncomfortable. I then took my own bike back, but I punctured again. I had to use up a few bullets that I shouldn't have had to. But still, I enjoyed it. It was a beautiful race."
"We had a super strong team that brought me back before Arenberg. But by then I was already on the limit — there wasn't much freshness left in the legs," the world champion admited, after having to dig deep on the Haveluy sector.
In the end, he did manage to break apart the lead group — bar one man: Van Aert. "Dropping him on the cobbles felt like mission impossible. He also won on the Champs-Élysées," Pogačar recalled, referencing their duel on the final stage of last year's Tour de France.
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Pogacar had 'spaghetti legs'
'I still wanted to go on the Carrefour de l'Arbre, but the wind was against us and I had to gamble on my sprint,' the UAE team leader continued, speaking to Eurosport.
'When he first attacked, I thought I could counter, but he rode super strong and smart. We shared the work well. I kept hoping, but when I launched my sprint, my legs felt like spaghetti,' he said, producing a fine metaphor after 260 kilometres of racing.
'Will I come back? I can't say right now, but maybe. It's the hardest race of all,' said Pogačar, for whom The Hell of the North is the only Monument he still needs to win.
'Last year I had no bad luck and finished second. This year I did and I finish second again. Maybe next time it'll go better. Will I win here one day? I want to try,' he assured.
'Everyone who finishes second is disappointed, but we should be proud of how we rode as a team. I tried to beat Wout in the sprint. It didn't work, but it was a fantastic experience,' he concluded.
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Enric saying “limit the damage” feels right, but he can’t keep giving Pog 5–10 seconds every summit. Minor gripe: the article glosses over Gall’s watts—would’ve loved some data. Grande etapa, pero faltan números, no?lindae28-08-2026
- - Red Bull-BORA with Roglič a minute back—does that gap matter this early or is it normal to let Pogačar have a cushion before the high mountains/time trial? Also, is Stage 9 a proper queen stage or just media hype?cadencekingm28-08-2026
- - Quick question: why did Decathlon take it up if it helped Pog in the end? Wouldn’t it have been better to sit on UAE’s tempo and wait? I’m still figuring out how these team tactics work on summit finishes.julien28-08-2026
- - Not sure I buy Mas’ “frustrated” angle. Pogacar just rode the numbers when Gall opened the gap, then closed and added six seconds for free. If that’s irritation, I hope my GC leader gets angry like that every day.samanthak28-08-2026
- - Gall looked sharp today. That Decathlon CMA CGM pull on the last climb actually made sense tactically—force UAE to respond, then Felix goes. Pog’s counter was vintage: measure, then sting. Stage 9 is going to be carnage if he’s already this comfy.patriciaw28-08-2026
- - Slightly sceptical about the piece framing it as frustration. The quotes from Pogacar read like he was in control. Maybe we’re overreading the body language?tourdeforce928-08-2026
- - “We’re here to win the GC, not to mess around.” That line says it all. He saved UAE’s matches and still gained time. Efficient as ever.andrewf28-08-2026
- - Can someone explain why Decathlon was pacing for Gall if he couldn’t follow when Pog pushed on? Is that a normal tactic or did it backfire?gearguru3328-08-2026
- - Mas stirring the pot a bit there. Don’t think Pog was “angry,” more like opportunistic when the gap opened. That steady-pace surge is his trademark. GC contenders behind must be fuming.patriciaw28-08-2026
- - Loved how Pogacar downplayed the drama. Classic Tadej: calm, clinical, and straight to the point. If Decathlon want to light it up for Gall, he’ll just ride them off his wheel anyway.lindae28-08-2026
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