Tadej Pogačar appears nearer than ever to a Paris-Roubaix debut this season as experiences from Italy declare the world champion is “very shut” to taking over the cobbled Monument in April.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG have beforehand denied that the Slovenian star shall be heading to northern France for the Queen of the Classics, with directeur sportif Marco Marcato stating in February: “I can say that Roubaix remains to be not on Tadej’s programme.”
Back in early February, Pogačar was a part of a mini-UAE Roubaix recon experience which included the Trouée d’Arenberg. He teased the recon in a video posted to Instagram, setting tongues wagging a couple of attainable debut for Pogačar on April 13.
At the weekend, La Gazzetta dello Sport reporter Ciro Scognamiglio reported that Pogačar’s participation on this yr’s version of the race is “now not a suggestion, nor even a speculation”, noting that his beginning can now be thought-about as “extremely possible”.
Pogačar was just lately a visitor on the French RMC radio present, Sport Bartoli Time, the place he gave the strongest trace but that he is in line to tackle Paris-Roubaix.
“I shall be there in future,” he mentioned. “When? I am unable to say if it will likely be this yr or subsequent yr. There’s a risk that it will likely be this yr, there’s all the time an opportunity.
“We will see. Let’s go away it as a little bit shock.”
Pogačar mentioned that he had thought the race could be “too laborious” for him earlier than he took on that route recon in February. He added that any resolution on a debut this spring would come after Milan-San Remo on March 22.
“I believed it will be too laborious for me, however after I did the reconnaissance, I mentioned to myself that possibly I might do it,” he mentioned.
“For now, I’m centered on Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo, after these two races I believe I’ll make my resolution.”
February’s recon experience noticed Pogačar head to northern France with Belgian teammate and Classics specialist Tim Wellens in addition to UAE directeur sportif Fabio Baldato. As properly as tackling the Trouée d’Arenberg, he accomplished the rest of the course – and the 19 remaining cobbled sectors – earlier than ending the experience on the well-known Vélodrome André-Petrieux.
While Pogačar has acknowledged that any resolution to experience Roubaix could be taken after Milan-San Remo – the opposite remaining Monument he has but so as to add to his palmarès – La Gazzetta experiences {that a} attainable participation wouldn’t be linked to his outcome and degree of type at San Remo.
A choice could also be introduced after La Classicissima, although internally the choice must be finalised earlier than, given the probability of a ensuing shift-around of his race programme – which presently contains the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem forward of the Tour of Flanders and a shot on the Ardennes treble later in April.
