Van der Poel Cements Legacy with Historic Paris-Roubaix Three-Peat Triumph

A New Cobbled King Reigns Supreme

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) solidified his status as a modern cycling legend by becoming only the third rider in history to claim three consecutive Paris-Roubaix titles. The 30-year-old Dutchman outdueled Slovenian rival Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in a tactical masterclass through northern France's brutal cobblestone sectors.

Race-Defining Moments

71km to go: Pogacar launches first major attack, immediately countered by van der Poel
45km remaining: Duo establishes decisive breakaway after dropping chasing group
38km from finish: Critical crash for Pogacar on Sector 10's notorious Camphin-en-Pévèle cobbles
15.6km left: Van der Poel survives late bike change drama to protect lead

Key Stat: Van der Poel joins Octave Lapize (1909-1911) and Francesco Moser (1978-1980) in elite three-peat club.

Tactical Breakdown

The race unfolded as a clash of cycling philosophies:

Van der Poel's cobblestone expertise (6 prior Monument wins)
Pogacar's climbing pedigree (3 Tour de France titles)

"We saw two generations of champions rewriting the tactical playbook," noted race analyst Sean Kelly. "Van der Poel's bike handling in Sector 4's Trouée d'Arenberg was textbook perfection."

Final Standings

Position	Rider	Team	Time Gap
1	Mathieu van der Poel	Alpecin-Deceuninck	5:31:27
2	Tadej Pogacar	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	+1:18
3	Mads Pedersen	Lidl-Trek	+2:11

Notable Finish: Britain's Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) secured 9th place - best British result since 2018.

Monument Race Dominance

Van der Poel's latest victory brings his Monument tally to:

Milan-San Remo: 2 wins
Tour of Flanders: 3 wins
Paris-Roubaix: 3 wins

The Dutch star now ties Pogacar (8 Monuments each) in active rider rankings. Cycling historians note only Eddy Merckx (19) and Roger de Vlaeminck (11) remain above them in all-time lists.

What's Next?

All eyes turn to Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 27) where:

Pogacar seeks third Ardennes classic victory
Van der Poel considers tactical shift to support teammates

"This rivalry will define cycling's next decade," predicted former champion Tom Boonen. *"Today we witnessed history, but the real drama begins at La Doyenne."**