Van der Poel chases fourth Roubaix win with stacked Alpecin-Premier Tech team

Mathieu van der Poel has a strong team around him to support Sunday's quest for a fourth Paris-Roubaix victory. Alpecin-Premier Tech announced their squad on Friday. The Dutchman will enjoy a mix of experience and youthful energy around him in northern France. Among them are two other former podium finishers and the 'surprise' inclusion of Tibor Del Grosso.

Van der Poel is the defending champion in Paris-Roubaix — in fact, he has won the last three editions of the Hell of the North. In his five appearances, he has only once failed to finish on the podium: in 2022, when he came ninth. In both 2023 and 2024, teammate Jasper Philipsen finished second. The tried-and-tested duo will once again line up together in Compiègne.

Silvan Dillier is another rider who knows what it feels like to stand on the podium at the Roubaix Vélodrome. The experienced Swiss was in the early breakaway in 2018 and was the last survivor, but ultimately had to settle for silver after a sprint against then-world champion Peter Sagan. This year, he will be worth his weight in gold in the opening phase of the race.

Another name that stands out is Del Grosso. The 23-year-old Dutchman is a recent addition to the Paris-Roubaix start list, with rumours of a spot in the squad growing more persistent in recent weeks. When he was spotted at the recon, we knew enough. Ehile it is the debut of the winner of won the NXT Classic, he has ridden the U23 edition, finishing in 8th place.

The rest of the Alpecin-Premier Tech squad will mainly consist of experienced heads. Edward Planckaert (3 appearances, 34th in 2025), Jonas Rickaert (5 appearances, 45th in 2021) and Florian Sénéchal (10 appearances, 6th in 2019), join the aforementioned quartet. They will need to support Van der Poel in his hunt for victory number four. If he succeeds, he will move to the top of the winners' list alongside Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen. And more impressively, become the first rider ever to win four in a row.