Tadej Pogačar has caused a stir in the cycling world with a video of his ride through the Arenberg forest. The reigning world champion from UAE Team Emirates - XRG shared footage on his social media channels showing him exploring the notorious cobblestone sector. The Arenberg forest is considered one of the most difficult sections of the Paris-Roubaix spring classic. With this action, the Slovenian has further fuelled speculation about his possible participation in the "Queen of the Classics", as Paris-Roubaix is also known.
Tadej Pogačar glides through the Arenberg forest
The short clip shows Pogačar riding seemingly effortlessly over the bumpy cobblestones. His team-mate Tim Wellens accompanied him on the exploratory tour and acted as cameraman. "Guess the location," Pogačar commented on his video with a wink. His team's official Instagram page responded with a meaningful eye emoji, further fuelling the rumour mill.
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UAE Team Emirates - XRG responds to rumours
On Tuesday, a day after the video was released, his racing team UAE Team Emirates - XRG responded to the emerging rumours about Pogačar's possible participation in Paris-Roubaix this year. "I can't say too much about the exploratory ride itself, but I can say that Paris-Roubaix is not yet on Tadej's programme," Marco Marcato, one of the team's sporting directors, told the team on the sidelines of the Tour of Oman Het Nieuwsblad.
Pogačar's spring classics programme is largely fixed
Pogačar has already announced an extensive programme for the 2025 spring classics. In addition to Milan-San Remo, the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders, his racing calendar also includes Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Taking part in Paris-Roubaix, which takes place one week after the Tour of Flanders, would be a logical addition to this ambitious programme.
Most recently, Pogačar and his team had already decided to cancel their participation in Paris-Roubaix in the medium term (See goals of Pogačar 2025).
Competition keeps a close eye on Pogačar's plans
Classics specialists such as Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen are likely to have mixed feelings about Pogačar's possible debut at Paris-Roubaix. Jasper Philipsen, team-mate of van der Poel and runner-up at Paris-Roubaix 2024, commented under Pogačar's post "Please not" with a bet and a smile. In recent years, Pogačar has proven time and again that he can quickly find his way around unfamiliar terrain.
However, the Paris-Roubaix route with its numerous cobblestone sectors presents a particular challenge that differs significantly from the demands of the Grand Tours, where Pogačar has celebrated his greatest successes to date. However, the combination of strength, endurance, technical skill and luck required for a successful performance in the "Queen of the Classics" could be just what the ambitious Slovenian is looking for.
Decision on Vuelta or Giro still pending
The question of which second Grand Tour Pogačar will tackle alongside the Tour de France also remains unresolved. There are many indications that he will Vuelta a España the Giro d'Italia prefers. On the edge of the UAE Tour (from 17 February), the world champion is set to announce his decision, as his team manager Matxin Fernández recently told the Spanish sports newspaper AS explained.
