Tadej Pogačar is going to Paris-Roubaix. It’s official—and it’s huge.

After weeks of speculation, UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed Wednesday morning that the world champion will line up for the Hell of the North on April 13. As a result, he’s scratching the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem from his race calendar.

That means no warm-ups, no half measures—just straight into Flanders and, a week later, then the fire of Roubaix.

From Rumors To Recon To Roubaix 2025

The buzz had been growing for weeks. Pogačar was originally expected to ride E3 (March 28), Gent-Wevelgem (March 30), and the Tour of Flanders (April 6). But on Tuesday, his name disappeared from the provisional start list for E3. By Wednesday morning, Gent-Wevelgem was also off the table.

Flanders? Still happening. Pogačar will hunt his second Ronde title on April 6.

But the bigger headline is Roubaix.

Back in February, Pogačar scouted some of the infamous cobbled sectors alongside teammate Tim Wellens. Since then, he’s made no secret of his desire to race it. Now, he’s getting his wish.

“It was initially planned for Tadej Pogačar to participate in both the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem. However, after discussions with the team, it has been decided that he will adjust his calendar to focus on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix instead, aiming for peak form in those iconic races,” UAE Team Emirates said in a statement.

The Push, The Risk, The Resistance

Sources close to the team say the decision was Pogačar’s own. Team management initially resisted, worried about the risks of racing Roubaix just months before the Tour de France.

“Tadej wants to try Roubaix, but I keep telling him to wait,” team boss Mauro Gianetti told Cyclingnews earlier this month. “He shouldn't take risks there. A bad crash could ruin his Tour—and maybe even his whole season. I hope he doesn’t do it this year. There’s still time in his career to ride Roubaix.”

But Pogačar clearly isn’t interested in waiting. And after years of chasing Monuments—and winning most of them—Roubaix is the glaring hole on his résumé. He’s never raced it as a pro. As a junior, he finished 30th in 2015 and 13th in 2016.

Now, the reigning world champ is taking his shot.

Pogacar Joins Elite Ranks In Bid For Paris-Roubaix Glory

The 26-year-old Slovenian becomes the first reigning Tour de France champion to compete in the notoriously dangerous Monument since Greg LeMond in 1991, when the American finished 55th.

Cycling legends Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx also attempted to win the one-day classic in 1982 and 1975, respectively, a year after their Tour victories. While neither succeeded in those attempts, both achieved the rare feat of winning the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix in the same year—Merckx in 1970 and Hinault in 1981.

A victory on April 13 would put Pogacar in position to join that elite group. He already holds seven Monument victories, including the 2023 Tour of Flanders.

Paris-Roubaix is considered the most dangerous race in cycling, with over six million uneven cobblestones that have caused numerous rider injuries.

Pogacar’s decision to race Paris-Roubaix after placing third in Milano-Sanremo was welcomed by race director Thierry Gouvenou.

"It is a huge moment for cycling," said Gouvenou. "It has been a long time since we had a Tour de France winner who is a genuine contender to win the Paris-Roubaix."

"He is going to face a challenge suited to his talent."

Still, Gouvenou noted the difficulty of Pogacar’s task against top rivals like Van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Filippo Ganna, who was second in Milan-San Remo.

"If Van der Poel is at the top of his game, it will be very difficult for Pogacar," he said. "He is going to race on a route that is not suited to him.

"If ever he wins Paris-Roubaix it will be against the odds. But that is what we all expect: to see champions up against it.

"This race could make him even greater than he is now."