Wout van Aert restores unpredictability to the Monument hierarchy at Paris-Roubaix

Wout van Aert restores unpredictability to the Monument hierarchy at Paris-Roubaix

Three tactical decisions across the cobbles of northern France gave Van Aert the platform to outsprint Pogačar in Roubaix. Here's how he managed it.

By Danny Bellion · · 4 min read

Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) won the 2026 Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, beating Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in the velodrome sprint after a race defined by mechanicals, forced selections, and one rider's refusal to spend a watt more than necessary.

Van Aert's victory turned on three moments: entering the Trouée d'Arenberg at the front of the race, splitting the group again on Orchies and Mons-en-Pévèle when Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was closing in, and then making Pogačar do the heavier share of the work before the sprint. Each decision compounded the last, and the cumulative effect was a rider who arrived in Roubaix with a finishing kick his rival could not match.

The race was brutal on equipment. Pogačar punctured with roughly 120km to go and lost close to a minute before chasing back to the main group just before the Arenberg. Van der Poel then punctured half way through the forest, probably the worst possible moment and was unable to take Jasper Philipsen's bike due to having different pedals. He exited the Arenberg already more than two minutes down. Van Aert had his own issue and was forced to chase solo at one point, dropping around 20 seconds behind, but he rejoined with less damage done than either of his main rivals.

Results

Compiègne — Roubaix • Apr 12 • 259km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Mathieu van der Poel
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK5:31:27
🥈
Tadej Pogačar
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:18
🥉
Mads Pedersen
LIDL-TREK+2:11
4
Wout van Aert
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:11
5
Florian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+2:11
6
Jonas Rutsch
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+3:46
7
Stefan Bissegger
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+3:46
8
Markus Hoelgaard
UNO-X MOBILITY+3:46
9
Alfred Brockwell Wright
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+4:35
10
Laurenz Rex
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+4:36
11
Jasper Philipsen
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK+4:38
12
Marco Haller
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+4:43
13
Filippo Ganna
INEOS GRENADIERS+4:45
14
Madis Mihkels
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+4:45
15
Biniam Girmay
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+4:45
16
Mike Teunissen
XDS ASTANA TEAM+4:45
17
Daan Hoole
LIDL-TREK+4:45
18
Mick van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+4:45
19
Marius Mayrhofer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+4:45
20
Taco van der Hoorn
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+4:45
21
Johan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ+4:48
22
Dries de Bondt
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+5:20
23
Phil Bauhaus
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+5:41
24
António Tomas Morgado
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+5:41
25
Florian Dauphin
TOTALENERGIES+5:41
26
Erik Nordsaeter Resell
UNO-X MOBILITY+5:41
27
Axel Huens
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+5:41
28
Yves Lampaert
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+5:41
29
Cees Bol
XDS ASTANA TEAM+5:41
30
Tim van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:41
31
Rasmus Pedersen
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+5:41
32
Frederik Frison
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:41
33
Tomas Kopecký
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+5:41
34
Edward Planckaert
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK+5:48
35
Dylan van Baarle
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:52
36
Tim Merlier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+6:17
37
Giacomo Nizzolo
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+6:19
38
Jenthe Biermans
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS+6:22
39
Anthony Turgis
TOTALENERGIES+6:22
40
Sébastien Grignard
LOTTO+6:22
41
Damien Touze
COFIDIS+6:27
42
Søren Wærenskjold
UNO-X MOBILITY+7:03
43
Stefan Küng
GROUPAMA-FDJ+8:18
44
Matthew Brennan
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+8:58
45
Stanislaw Aniolkowski
COFIDIS+10:55
46
Lukáš Kubiš
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+10:55
47
Hugo Hofstetter
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+10:55
48
Guillaume Boivin
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+10:55
49
Vlad van Mechelen
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+10:58
50
Mikkel Norsgaard Bjerg
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+11:40
51
Cedric Beullens
LOTTO+11:40
52
Joshua Michael Tarling
INEOS GRENADIERS+11:42
53
Jordi Meeus
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+11:42
54
Joshua Giddings
LOTTO+11:42
55
Andreas Stokbro Nielsen
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+12:16
56
Pavel Bittner
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:16
57
Tom van Asbroeck
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+12:16
58
Petr Kelemen
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:16
59
Maximilian Richard Walscheid
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:16
60
Fabian Lienhard
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:16
61
Kasper Asgreen
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:16
62
Clément Russo
GROUPAMA-FDJ+12:16
63
Jasper de Buyst
LOTTO+12:16
64
Owain Doull
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:16
65
Riley Sheehan
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+12:16
66
Jonas Rickaert
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK+12:16
67
Yevgeniy Fedorov
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:16
68
Gijs van Hoecke
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+12:16
69
Julien Vermote
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:16
70
Sandy Dujardin
TOTALENERGIES+12:16
71
Andrea Pasqualon
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:16
72
Alessandro Romele
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:16
73
Max Walker
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:16
74
Arthur Kluckers
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:16
75
Sven Erik Bystrøm
GROUPAMA-FDJ+12:16
76
Rory Townsend
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:16
77
Abram Stockman
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+12:19
78
Samuel Watson
INEOS GRENADIERS+12:21
79
Kim Alexander Heiduk
INEOS GRENADIERS+12:21
80
Matteo Moschetti
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:21
81
Ben Swift
INEOS GRENADIERS+12:21
82
Oscar Chamberlain
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+12:21
83
Pierre Gautherat
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+12:21
84
Brent van Moer
LOTTO+12:21
85
Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+12:24
86
Hartthijs de Vries
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+13:26
87
Alec Segaert
LOTTO+13:26
88
Marcel Camprubi Pijuan
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+13:29
89
Ludovic Robeet
COFIDIS+13:29
90
Michael Schwarzmann
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+13:29
91
William Levy
UNO-X MOBILITY+13:32
92
Ben Turner
INEOS GRENADIERS+13:32
93
Rasmus Tiller
UNO-X MOBILITY+13:32
94
Oliver Naesen
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM+13:32
95
Jasper Stuyven
LIDL-TREK+13:32
96
Adrien Petit
INTERMARCHÉ - WANTY+13:32
97
Joren Bloem
UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS+14:03
98
Cyril Barthe
GROUPAMA-FDJ+14:03
99
Timo Roosen
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:03
100
Eddy le Huitouze
GROUPAMA-FDJ+14:03
101
Jonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+14:03
102
Giosue' Epis
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS+14:03
103
Robert Donaldson
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+14:57
104
Aivaras Mikutis
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:57
105
Oded Kogut
ISRAEL - PREMIER TECH+14:57
106
Sean Flynn
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:57
107
Jack Rootkin-Gray
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:57
108
Colby Simmons
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:57
109
Alexys Brunel
TOTALENERGIES+14:57
110
Vincenzo Albanese
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:57
111
Baptiste Veistroffer
LOTTO+14:57
112
Miles Scotson
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS+15:01
113
Pierre Thierry
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS+16:20
114
Daniel Skerl
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+16:57
115
Andrea Raccagni Noviero
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+17:49
116
Mathias Vacek
LIDL-TREK+18:04
117
Oier Lazkano Lopez
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+21:45

How Van Aert controlled the decisive sectors

Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 12/04/2026 - Cycling - 2026 Paris Roubaix - Wout Van Aert, Visma Lease a Bike, Tadej Pogacar, UAE Team Emirates XRG.

The Arenberg was the first point where Van Aert's positioning paid off. Teammate Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike) gave him what amounted to a lead-out into the sector, placing him on the front before the cobbles began. That mattered because the rider at the front picks the cleanest line and avoids the accordion effect behind. While others fought for his wheel, Van Aert rode through the forest in relative comfort. Van der Poel did not have this luxury and paid for it.

The second key move came on the Orchies and Mons-en-Pévèle sectors. Van der Poel had been clawing his way back and at one point closed to within 20 seconds of the front. Van Aert responded by hitting the cobbles hard at the front, splitting the group immediately. The selection came down to Van Aert, Pogačar, and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Pedersen could not hold on for long, and the race became a two-up contest. Van der Poel rejoined a chasing group behind, but the gap stabilised between 30 and 40 seconds for most of the remaining distance.

Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 12/04/2026 - Cycling - 2026 Paris Roubaix - Wout Van Aert, Visma Lease a Bike

From that point, Van Aert's race became an exercise in restraint. He let Pogačar lead where possible, did enough work to keep the pair clear of the chasers, but refused to burn energy that would cost him at the finish. Pogačar attacked hard on the uphill exit of Mons-en-Pévèle and again at the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Van Aert held his wheel each time without losing contact.

By the time the pair reached the velodrome, Van Aert had the speed advantage and used it decisively. The gap between conservation and collapse was narrow, but Van Aert stayed on the right side of it.

For Pogačar, the defeat delays his bid to become the first rider to hold all five Monument titles simultaneously. He rode aggressively after his early puncture and animated the finale, but the energy cost of chasing back and then trying to drop Van Aert on the cobbles left him without a sprint to match. The road to the full set remains open, but this edition showed it will not come easily.

Van Aert's victory was clearly a fan favourite, not least because of the Belgian's deep emotional journey. "The process leading to to a day like today – it's already worth it. It gives my life and my family's life meaning. This has been a hell of a job." Van Aert's catharsis was shared by thousands of fans who were willing him to be back to his very best.

"It feels like I rounded some kind of circle with this victory."

The narrative of this Classics season had effectively reduced to one question – is Pogačar or Van der Poel on the startlist? Wout van Aert’s victory shows the hierarchy is not fixed, and reminds us why the Monuments retain their grip on the sport: no races combine status, chaos and unpredictability quite like Roubaix.

Image credits: Zac Williams/SWpix.com

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Danny

Danny Bellion

Senior Tech Editor

Danny is an ultra-endurance cyclist and the technical co-founder of Velora. He’s been riding for over 20 years across road, gravel and MTB and done gravel races on both sides of the Atlantic. He’s completed ultras including BikingMan Oman and Dales Divide, where he finished 2nd in 2021.

Away from racing, he’s ridden in more than 40 countries, from bikepacking trips across Europe to an eight-month tour of Asia. He draws on two decades of experience to inform Velora’s product reviews, training and event coverage.