Wout van Aert outsprints Tadej Pogacar in Paris-Roubaix epic to deny Monument sweep as Mathieu van der Poel hit by double puncture
Updated 12/04/2026 at 19:22 GMT+1
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Wout van Aert denied Tadej Pogacar a historic Monument sweep as he proved the strongest in an epic Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian ended a six-year wait for a second Monument title by outsprinting Pogacar in the Roubaix velodrome. The front two earlier battled back from punctures on a chaotic day, which also saw Mathieu van der Poel suffer a double mechanical on the Trouee d'Arenberg.
Highlights: Pogacar’s streak snapped as Van Aert wins Paris-Roubaix classic
Video credit: TNT Sports
The unprecedented prospect of one rider winning all five Monuments in 2026 is no longer on the cards after Tadej Pogacar’s winning streak was ended in dramatic fashion on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix Hauts-de-France by an imperious Wout van Aert on Sunday.
In a frenetic, nail-biting race ridden at a record-breaking pace, Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) powered past the world champion Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) on the final bend in the Roubaix velodrome to win a two-up sprint and end his long wait for a maiden cobblestone trophy. It was only the 31-year-old's second triumph in one of cycling's Monuments and comes six years after his victory in Milano-Sanremo in 2020.
Fellow Belgian Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) outfoxed his rivals in the chase group to take the final spot on the podium ahead of triple defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), who battled back from two mechanicals on the crucial Trouee d’Arenberg section of cobbles.
Both Van Aert and Pogacar also suffered mechanical issues at key points in the race, the Slovenian notably forced to ride a neutral service bike after an untimely puncture with 120km remaining. Having closed a 45-second deficit before the Arenberg, Pogacar was back on the front when the pendulum swung in his favour and Van der Poel was waylaid by a series of issues that all but ended his chances of a fourth win.
Pogacar and Van Aert then rode clear of a select nine-man group with just over 50km remaining, dropping Denmark’s Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) to set up a tense, if a little attritional, finale. Despite his best efforts to ditch Van Aert on the infamous Carrefour de l’Arbre section of cobbles with 20km remaining, Pogacar was unable to shake off his foil.
Instead of witnessing the four-time Tour winner become the current champion in all five of cycling’s Monuments, fans were treated to the emotional sight of Van Aert finally winning a race that has always eluded him.
UAE turn race on its head
With no rain and clement temperatures in northern France, the conditions were perfect for the 123th edition of the so-called Hell of the North.
A fast and furious tempo saw the peloton gobble up 54km in the first hour of racing, with no breakaway able to stick. Besides a momentary split in the bunch, the peloton arrived at the first of thirty cobblestone sectors as one, with the UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad of the world champion taking the race by the scruff of its neck.
Juan Sebastian Molano, Alvaro Morgado, Nils Politt and Mikkel Bjerg controlled the race with their man Pogacar, who was looking to add to his previous wins in Milano-Sanremo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Having also won both Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia in 2025, Pogacar eyed a win that would make him the first rider in history to be current champion in all five of cycling’s Monuments.
But his prospects were severely dented when, with 120km remaining, the Slovenian was forced onto a blue Shimano neutral service bike after an untimely puncture – his first of three during the race.
Bolstered by his returning team-mates and, eventually, a new Colnago from his team car, Pogacar was back with the leaders in time for the crucial Arenberg Forest – but at what cost?
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'He is rattled!' - Pogacar punctures in Paris-Roubaix chaos, forced onto neutral bike
Video credit: TNT Sports
Van der Poel derailed by double trouble on the Arenberg
Seeking a fourth straight win in the Queen of the Classics, Van der Poel had tested his legs on sector 20 at Haveluy a Wallers – making Pogacar’s pursuit that much harder before the Slovenian finally made the connection.
But the shoe was soon on the other foot when Van der Poel pulled up on the Arenberg just as the race had kicked off. Swapping bikes with Alpecin team-mate Jasper Philpsen proved a fruitless task given the Belgian was riding with a new prototype pedal system that was incompatible to the Dutchman’s cleats.
A resigned but unflustered Van der Poel was then seen walking backwards along the grass verge of the Arenberg before returning to the race on team-mate Tibor Del Gross’s steed.
But a second puncture just moments later meant Van der Poel emerged from the forest with well over two minutes of a deficit – his race seemingly all but over.
Lesser riders may have thrown in the towel, but the 31-year-old never let his shoulders drop – and at one point came to within just 20 seconds of the leaders to put his push for a fourth win back on the table.
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'Catastrophic!' - Van der Poel suffers double puncture on the Arenberg Trench
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar takes risks as chasers rally behind
Following Pogacar’s every move after the Arenberg, Van Aert rode in the leading group alongside Visma team-mate Christophe Laporte, Pedersen, Stuyven, Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe).
No sooner had Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) bridged over with Jordi Meeus (Red Bull) than the Italian became the latest rider to be derailed by a mechanical – with Denmark’s Pedersen having earlier succumbed on the first of 30 gruelling cobblestone sectors.
Pithie and Meeus were soon off the back, before Pogacar and Van Aert both needed to swap bikes after yet more punctures.
When Van Aert lit the torch fuse ahead of sector 12 at Auchy-les-Orchies a Bersee, Pogacar was quick to jump on his wheel. Only Pedersen was initially able to stick with the duo but he, too, dropped back with Van der Poel and Ganna combining in a chase group that was now only 20-odd seconds in arrears.
With 51km remaining, Pogacar was pushed wide on a corner and needed all his wits to stay upright in an incident not entirely dissimilar to the one which ended his chances in 2025.
As for Ganna, another puncture snuffled out his chances before the Italian crashed while forced to ride over a speed bump on his rims.
By now, the scene was set for a thrilling two-up battle between the world champion and the Belgian nearly-man all the way to the velodrome.
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'Ooohhh!' - Ganna crashes after skidding out with puncture
Video credit: TNT Sports
Van Aert holds on for emotional triumph
Having finished second, third and fourth in his previous three editions, Van Aert seemingly never had a better chance to put his demons to bed and win the Queen of the Classics at his seventh attempt.
But Pogacar didn’t bow down and make it easy. Aware of his inferior kick, the Slovenian tried to snap the elastic on numerous occasions, but his Belgian foil always had his measure.
A last throw of the dice on the five-star Carrefour de l’Arbre section of cobbles with 20km remaining saw Pogacar skid on both wheels exiting a bend as he looked to pull clear. Amazingly, he stayed upright – but he was unable to shake off Van Aert, who stuck to his back wheel like glue.
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'Double wheel slide!' - Pogacar almost loses it during attack on cobbles
Video credit: TNT Sports
After 54.8km of cobbles and more than 258km of racing, nothing split the two contenders as they approached the historic velodrome for a nervous finish.
Van Aert used all his experience to force Pogacar into leading out the sprint on the open-air track before darting from his wheel to take a win for the ages – the one notable triumph that has eluded him during his otherwise illustrious career.
”When I entered the velodrome, I was just sticking to my plan. In my dreams, I have done that sprint so many times, so I was just sticking to my preparation – I knew exactly what to do,” Van Aert said, before heaping praise on his opponent.
”The hardest part was coming to the velodrome – there were so many attacks from Tadej and so many times when I was on the limit just to stay on his wheel.
”Honestly, there is no more beautiful way than going to the line with the world champion, who gave me such a hard time to beat him in a sprint mano-a-mano – it’s really something special.”
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Watch: Tearful Van Aert beats Pogacar to Paris-Roubaix glory
Video credit: TNT Sports
The 31-year-old Belgian also paid tribute to his former Verandas Willems-Crelan team-mate Michael Goolaerts, who suffered a fatal heart attack during the 2018 race where Van Aert made his debut.
”It’s now eight years ago since I lost a team-mate, Michael Goolaerts, and ever since then it’s been my goal to come here. I pointed my finger towards the sky [when crossing the line]. This victory is for Michael, but especially for his family – and all my friends and teammates from my previous team,” he said.
”It was a really tough day and I’ve been so many times unlucky in this race. But it also brought me experience. Even today when luck was not on my side, I kept on believing in it and finally the reward is there.”
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Emotional Van Aert 'afraid he will wake up' after Paris-Roubaix triumph
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar vows to be back
Admitting that his legs were ”like spaghetti” in the final sprint, a downcast Pogacar – his lips caked in dust and grime from the cobbles – was gracious in defeat and promised to return to a race where he has now finished runner-up twice.
”I think most people today has a lot of problems with punctures,” he said. ”I had three punctures today and three bike changes. It was not ideal, but I had a super strong team to bring me back before the Arenberg. But then I was a little bit already cooked.
”When I was with Wout there was not much freshness in the legs to drop him on the cobbles. I saw that it was going to be mission impossible. I did my best in the sprint, but he won on the Champs-Elysees [last July] and so it was hard to beat him.
”When he first attacked [with around 54km to go] I still believed that I could counter-attack him at some point. But he rode super smart afterwards. We shared the work quite well, but the Carrefour is really hard and the wind was also in the face.
”I just couldn’t – I knew from there that it was going to be 99% impossible. I still hoped but when I started the sprint my legs were just like spaghetti.”
Stuyven third, Van der Poel fourth
Attacking from the chase group with around 3km to go, Belgian veteran Styuven held on for third place, crossing the line 13 seconds down and just ahead of the battling Van der Poel.
Frenchman Laporte completed the top five while Denmark’s Pedersen settled for seventh place.
But all eyes were on Van Aert, who himself shed tears of joy and relief after getting a monumental monkey off his back. With his thrilling win, Van Aert ended a stranglehold that had seen either Pogacar or Van der Poel win 11 of cycling’s major Classics on the bounce.
The focus now shifts to the Ardennes where the likes of Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) and Mathias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) will look to get the better of Pogacar in Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
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