Tadej Pogacar Sets Strava KOM During Paris-Roubaix Recon

Tadej Pogačar is preparing for a historic attempt at the 2026 Paris-Roubaix, seeking to become the first non-Belgian and only the fourth man to win all five of cycling’s Monuments. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider enters the race following a dominant start to the 2026 season, having won his first three appearances at Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders on April 5, 2026.

Pogačar’s pursuit of the title is underscored by a remarkable streak of success. If he secures victory at Paris-Roubaix this Sunday, he will become the first rider to win five of the most prestigious one-day races in a row, a sequence that began with his victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège during the previous season.

The Ultimate Test

Despite his current form, the challenge of the pavé remains significant. His team has described Paris-Roubaix as his ultimate test. This follows his debut in the race one year prior, where a late crash resulted in a second-place finish behind Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Premier Tech.

Pogačar has acknowledged the importance of the event, stating on his team website that it’s no secret that Paris-Roubaix is one of the big goals for this part of the season. He added that while his motivation is high because his recent races have gone perfectly, he feels the pressure remains low.

Reconnaissance and Performance Data

To prepare for the event, Pogačar has conducted extensive reconnaissance rides on the cobbles of northern France. During a 213-kilometre training ride, he covered nearly all 30 sectors of the Paris-Roubaix route, averaging 37.6kph.

The data from these rides, shared via Strava, indicated high levels of performance. Pogačar set new course records on several key sectors, including:

• Auchy-lez-Orchies: He recorded a time six seconds faster than the 2022 mark set by Dylan van Baarle.
• Mons-en-Pévèle: He surpassed the previous top time set by Guillaume Van Keirsbulck in 2019 by two seconds.
• Carrefour de l’Arbre and Gruson: He finished within one second of the time recorded by Wout van Aert during the 2023 edition.

While Pogačar dominated these specific segments, he did not break the record on the Arenberg sector, finishing well behind the time set during the previous year’s race.

Broader Competitive Context

Pogačar’s preparation has been meticulous, often integrating reconnaissance for multiple classics into single training blocks. In addition to the Paris-Roubaix sectors, he has used his training rides to recon key climbs for the Tour of Flanders, such as the Oude Kwaremont. In the 2023 edition of the Tour of Flanders, Pogačar had previously held the KOM record for that climb.

The 2026 campaign marks a continued effort to solidify his place among the greatest one-day racers in history. Having claimed Milan-San Remo in March 2026 on his sixth attempt, the victory at Paris-Roubaix represents the final piece of the Monuments puzzle.

Pogačar will lead the UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad this Sunday as he attempts to convert his training dominance and recent winning streak into a victory at the Queen of the Classics.