It takes two to tangle: Wout van Aert vs Mathieu van der Poel (VI/VI)

April 7 ^th 2023 - 16:35

Wout van Aert vs Mathieu Van der Poel (VI/VI)

The legends of sport are forged in the fire of long-running rivalries between two champions. Paris–Roubaix, a prime target for the cobble-gobblers, often sets the stage for no-holds-barred contests between acrobats on wheels. A mechanical at the wrong time, poor positioning or a moment of hesitation when the decisive move comes can seal the outcome of the race.  

The site paris-roubaix.fr looks back on the history of these epic duels ahead of the latest showdown between the best of enemies, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, in their hunt for a maiden win in the Queen of Classics.

These adversaries, locked in a battle for the ages since their first competitive pedal strokes in the youth categories —in cyclo-cross, in classics and as Grand Tour stage hunters—, seem destined to become two of the greatest cobble-gobblers of all time. Who will be the first to stand at the top of the podium in Roubaix Velodrome?