Cycling
Van der Poel wins 121st Spring Classic Paris-Roubaix
Mathieu van der Poel also won Paris-Roubaix after the Tour of Flanders. photo
© Jasper Jacobs/Belga/dpa
The Dutch cycling star also performed well at Paris-Roubaix. The 29-year-old achieved a rare double success.
Road cycling world champion Mathieu van der Poel also has the 121st spring classic Paris-Roubaix won in impressive style.
Like last year, the Dutchman took victory after 259.7 kilometers, including 55.7 kilometers over the dreaded cobblestones. Van der Poel’s Belgian teammate Jasper Philipsen and the Dane Mads Pedersen took second and third place by a clear margin. The best German was Nils Politt, who finished fourth.
Van der Poel had just won the Tour of Flanders single-handedly last week. He is the first driver since Swiss classics specialist Fabian Cancellara in 2013 to achieve this rare double. For the Dutchman, it is his sixth success overall at one of the five cycling monuments.
The decision was made a good 60 kilometers from the finish when van der Poel attacked and the competition could no longer follow. Previously, Politt, who took second place in Roubaix in 2019, had also ridden in a three-man leading group. But Politt and Co. had no chance against van der Poel. Veteran John Degenkolb also played a good role. The 2015 winner was at the forefront for a long time.