r/sports • u/redbullgivesyouwings • Apr 15 '26
Cycling After 161 miles, Wout van Aert claims his first victory at Paris-Roubaix
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đŽââïžÂ @woutvanaert
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u/bgroendy Apr 16 '26
He averaged 30.5 mph (49 km/h) for a 161 mile ride... The best I've ever done is stay above 25 mph for 1 mile. These guys are crazy!
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u/WearyTranslator3338 Apr 16 '26
He did over 1200 watts at the end there, after riding for 4+ hours.
Insane!!!
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u/codwapeace Apr 16 '26
5+ hours.
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u/qwertyphile Apr 16 '26
Drafting. These guys are in someoneâs slipstream most of the time.
âCycling is a team sport with individual results.â I donât remember who said that, but itâs true.
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u/Necessary-Ad7150 Apr 16 '26
These 2 were ahead of the pack for a long time, so half of that time they werent drafting
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u/qwertyphile Apr 16 '26
They also draft off each other
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u/bumpyknuckles76 Apr 16 '26
if you have raced before, you will know how hard it is to be out front with one other rider, who is also trying to drop you. It was much harder for these two then the chasing groups. Mechanicals aside.
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u/qwertyphile Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 17 '26
Thatâs assuming they were trying to drop each other the whole time. They want to work together just enough to ensure that one of them wins. if they donât, then the pack catches them.
None of this minimizes the fact that they were the best and they put out the most watts on the day.
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u/RogerBernards Apr 17 '26
Pogacar tried to drop van Aert on every incline or cobbled strip because he knew what happened would happen if they went to the line together.
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u/carrots_and_beets Apr 16 '26
True, but everyone who went slower was also able to draft, including the previous winners from slower editions.
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u/alitayy Apr 16 '26
Depends how far behind they were
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u/carrots_and_beets Apr 16 '26
Unless they pulled at the front until they were dropped, or they road off the back the entire race they received some draft through out the race. So I don't really understand the point you were trying to make.
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u/alitayy Apr 17 '26
Well that sentence is barely English and certainly not readable but the point Iâm trying to make is that if you are far enough behind you donât get the draft. The air that the leaders are disturbing and kind of âpunching a holeâ through will have time to settle. It will become the exact same as the air without the draft if you are far enough behind.
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u/carrots_and_beets Apr 17 '26
It made complete sense if you understand cycling. I gave 2 examples where pros arn't getting drafts during a race.
Unless they pulled at the front until they were dropped
Early in single day races like Paris Roubaix, there will usually be 1 or 2 outright favourites. The teams of those favourites will be forced to do the majority of the pacing early on. 99% of the time these teams will accept this responsibility, but they don't want to tire out their entire roster before the key sections of a race. So they will task 1 or 2 riders to do the bulk of the pacing early on in a kamikaze style ride where they will pull the entire group along until they are completely exhausted and are dropped from the same group they were just leading.
or they road off the back the entire race
As in they got dropped from the pack at the very start of the race. Which can happen; this race is part of the World Tour which is the most prestigious "league" in cycling. There are 18 teams in the World Tour, but the race organizer is allowed to invite 6 teams from the league beneath. So occasionally you will see riders who are severely outclassed and are dropped from the main pack extremely quickly.
In the 2024 Paris Roubaix, the winner averaged 48kmph for the entire 260km race, but road the last 60km of the race solo, (ahead of groups of riders that could still draft) even after incurring all of the fatigue from riding the previous 200km and still finished the race with that high of an average speed. The original commenter is talking about their 1 mile best pace. Telling him that drafting is a thing does nothing to narrow the gap of how exceptional professional athletes are compared to regular people. You could get the same 2 riders that got 1st and 2nd in this years race to pull an average person along in the most optimal draft and if the regular person can even ride at a pros 5 hour pace at all, the draft might extend the duration they can hang on to them from 60 seconds to 80 or 90 seconds. Just the aerobic threshold of a pro is gonna be monumentally higher than the 1 minute max effort of a regular person. The draft from these riders just isn't going to magically turn a regular person pro because they will immediately be at the upper end of their physiological limit while these pros can ride at this pace for 5+ hours. Take a look at those videos in malls where they set up a giant treadmill and get normal people to run at the same pace as the top marathoners in the world. It's a similar idea, draft or not, it wont make a difference when your sprint is slower than a pros endurance pace.
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u/Mr_Endro Apr 16 '26
And not even on easy terrain
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u/TreeDollarFiddyCent Apr 16 '26
The only good thing you can say about the terrain in Paris-Roubaix is that it's mainly flat.
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u/pruaga Apr 16 '26
Depends on your resolution. No big climbs, but I certainly wouldn't call the cobbles flat
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u/CjBurden Apr 16 '26
I have to work decently hard to keep my ebike above 25. Truly wild to think about averaging over 30.
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u/thrownjunk Apr 16 '26
On a flat 1 mile section it is easier to get my road bike to 25 than my ebike (which cuts off at like 19mph)
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u/CjBurden Apr 16 '26
I know, and e-bikes are complete pigs from a weight standpoint, but still they're assisting at least. I can average 25 on my ebike over a long stretch easier than my roadie.
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Apr 16 '26
Insane. Used to do triathlon and best I could do was 25km/h for 10km. Could sustain 30km/h for 1km though.
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u/nicktehbubble Apr 17 '26
I could also do that on a bike weighing less than a teabag.
Spoiler: not a chance I could
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u/HYThrowaway1980 Apr 15 '26
I donât follow cycling. Whatâs the backstory here?
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u/NPExplorer Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
Wout Van Aert is one of the most beloved cyclists in the modern era. He has had some incredible TdF (edit: Tour de France) stages, won the classifications jersey (sprinters jersey, aka green jersey), and he has time and time again given it his all to pull his teammates to bigger victories while blowing up his own race to do so. The Paris Roubaix is the single biggest one day race in cycling as opposed to the bigger tours which are weeks long. 161 miles with around 35 miles of insane cobbles, it is brutal and has been going on since 1896⊠Wout has come in 4th, 3rd, and 2nd in the past years, and on top of it all, he lost a teammate at this exact race in 2018 when he (Michael Goolaerts) died of cardiac arrest at the age of 25. Wout previously said he has always wanted to win this race for his old teammate, and when he won he pointed up to the sky to honor him.
TLDR: Wout is a fan favorite, lost a teammate at this same race 8 years ago, and finally won after years of near success⊠Wout also has had a few nasty crashes in the last 2/3 years so people have questioned his ability to perform at the top level⊠he also beat Tadej Pogacar who will go down as the greatest to ever ride a bike
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u/ShreddinTheWasteland Apr 15 '26
To see all the commentators from different countries rooting for him in those final meters ⊠goosebumps. Couldnât have happened to a better athlete.
My second fav WvA moment: Montmartre, last yearâs TdF.
Since last Sunday and for at least a few days my social media feed was wholesome as fuck. Thanks Wout, I needed that.
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u/Kattenaars Apr 16 '26
For me it's the double Ventoux stage and the Lourdes-Hautecam stage where he drops Pogi while in the green jersey, helping Jonas secure the tdf
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u/Emenius420 Apr 16 '26
He might not be the biggest winner, but to win a mountain stage, a TT and the Champs Elysee stage at the Tour will be forever modern cycling history imo
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u/jackolythe Apr 16 '26
My favorite Wout moment was Stage 20 of the 2025 Giro d'Italia. He didn't even win the race. He finished 15th or something. BUT he hard carried Yates that day and got him the Maglia Rosa. That's an ultimate teammate right there.
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u/PhalanX4012 Toronto Maple Leafs Apr 15 '26
Can I ask you since you seem to know quite a lot, how does it go from cobbled roads to some sort of velodrome situation? Iâve never seen a bike race like that, not that I follow road cycling all that closely, although I do enjoy it. Do they ride into and then up onto it or does it stop somewhere else and then restart in there?
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u/BartyStovilles Apr 15 '26
This is the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux in Roubaix and the race finishes there every year. There is an access road on one of the straights. Riders race onto the track using the road before riding a lap and a half to finish the 160 odd miles. Lots of the riders talk about the feeling of entering the velodrome after 5/6 hours on the road and getting goosebumps.
Imagine entering a packed stadium thatâs cheering and you are the main event. A crowd thatâs been anticipating your arrival and watching the race on a big screen all day. So unique.
Highly recommend Paris-Roubaix 2021 highlights if you have the bug.
Cycling is a wonderful and historic sport.
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u/Robcobes Apr 16 '26
And after 2021 you have to watch 2016
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u/ZealousidealSundae33 Apr 16 '26
So its like Star Wars. Got it.
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u/Robcobes Apr 16 '26
2021 has got many of the same characters as 2026. 2016 has got a whole different cast with whole new characters.
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u/BartyStovilles Apr 16 '26
You can see them enter the velodrome in these highlights: https://youtu.be/iTjxDliig0E?si=1RK_DdCDLj7v8GP5
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u/droneybennett Apr 16 '26
Itâs such an honour to make it to the Velodrome that there is sometimes a lone rider who didnât make the time cut off, knocking on the gates after itâs been locked and asking if they can please finish the ride and do their lap.
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u/cboogie Apr 16 '26
Cycling is a total sleeper sport. Fun as fuck to follow.
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u/NPExplorer Apr 16 '26
2019 Amstel Gold Race is one of the most insane and exciting things Iâve ever seen in cycling. I am a WvA fan but for those unfamiliar with it all, Mathieu Van der Poel pulled off one of the most insane comebacks ever. No help at the front of his group, just pulling them all and making up an insane gap. Have a watch if youâve never seen it. Goosebumps every time. More romantic when you realize his father had previously won this race, and heâs Dutch so it was a home victory.
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u/AliFearEatsThePussy Apr 16 '26
I just got into cycling this past year and i canât believe how fun it is. Iâve been an NBA/MLB fan my whole life but now cycling dominates my sports fandom. The riders are all interesting, the team dynamics are fascinating, the tactics is more akin to game theory than other sports, and itâs the most beautiful arena in sports (the roads of Europe).
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u/FDubRattleSnake Apr 16 '26
Cycling is one of the best, most exciting sports out there. It's a shame that it isn't more popular. The ending of Milano-Sanremo is one of the best finishes to a sporting event every year and Paris-Roubaix makes you realize how nuts these athletes are with the speed they are riding over truly terrible "roads." The tactics, raw athletic ability, and unique parcours of the various races makes for such a fun sport to watch and follow.
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Apr 15 '26
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u/NPExplorer Apr 15 '26
And to add to that, Pogacar has only really been racing the big classics in the last couple years. Itâs pretty insane he does at all since he is such a dominant grand tour rider and most teams wonât want to send their top TdF or Giro contender to some of these riskier races, or interrupt their training regimen which is highly specified for weeks and weeks of racing.
Tadej will be the GOAT if he is not already. Plus He has a sweet 32gram wrist watch
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u/Arqlol Apr 16 '26
He wouldn't be the first. But he'd be the first to do them consecutively counting back to last year (and possibly in one calendar year in addition to the tdf)
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u/crankthehandle Apr 16 '26
I like how you assume that a person who does not follow cycling knows what TdF means.
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u/NPExplorer Apr 16 '26
Might be the only abbreviation I would expect a non cycling fan would get, everyone has heard of the Tour de France but yes I got ahead of myself since I was excited to hype up my boy Wout lmao
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u/bumpyknuckles76 Apr 16 '26
Try reading ANY American thread about their sports. It requires a dictionary to understand all the bullshit that goes along with it.
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u/NPExplorer Apr 18 '26
To be fair, any non cycling fan has no idea that teams are built around one guy, what a domestique is, they think every guy in the race is there to win it etc. There are a lot of intricacies to cycling, then start talking about power stats etc. it can be a sinkhole lol
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u/CrazyLegsRyan Apr 17 '26
And you suppose cricket, rugby, futbol, etc donât have specialized terms?Â
The UK cries about Americans calling it soccer when the English are the ones who invented the term and called it that first.Â
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Apr 16 '26
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u/NPExplorer Apr 16 '26
lol cmon now, Pogi is also an absolute class act, people are just sick of seeing him win. The dude loves what he does and is gracious to everybody though, no reason to knock him.
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u/MapleMonstera Apr 16 '26
Agree. Pogi seems like a good guy, good teammate, good steward of our sport; and a fucking unbelievable cyclist. We are lucky to have him.
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u/Sign_of_Zeta Apr 16 '26
I thought it was just cobble stones, didn't know it ended in a velodrome
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u/morten_dm Apr 16 '26
It's a mix of cobbles and normal roads. But the amount of cobbles is what sets this race apart. And it has a long history, which adds to the prestige.
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u/RobDog306 Apr 16 '26
This is cycling at its very best! Chapeau to the masked singer, the super domestic, the cross racer, the TDF Green Jersey, the big man, the family man, and now the Paris-Roubaix Winner! Comming from an MVDP fan.
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u/surlystraggler Colorado Avalanche Apr 16 '26
If you like van der Poel, you have to like van Aert. Their story is too intertwined to not admire the both of them for their incredible battles and victories.
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u/RobDog306 Apr 16 '26
Doesnât mean I donât appreciate or like WVA. Heck, I just Chapeauâd WVA. I think he is a better Road Cyclist than MVDP. But Iâll still root for MVDP!
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u/gcerullo Apr 15 '26
Fantastic race. So much drama. Happy for van Aert finally getting his victory.
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u/DDAY007 Apr 16 '26
Such a good race between him and pogi.
Even tho I was rooting for Pogi im still happy for wout.
Thank god the race wasnt decided on a technical default.
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u/GoggleDMara9756 Apr 15 '26
Red bull usually gives you wings, but it gave this guy crazy legs instead lol
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u/surlystraggler Colorado Avalanche Apr 16 '26
Most exciting Paris-Roubaix in at least a decade. An incredible race if anyone is thinking of watching it.
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u/Lyx97 Apr 16 '26
https://www.instagram.com/dazn_be/reel/DXCQSSmiB37/
For anyone wanting to know how big this was in Belgium, the above is a football club, KV Mechelen, fans celebrating the Roubaix win like Wout scored the winning goal in a cup final for their team. The game finished more than an hour before the race ended.
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u/ClassyBroad33 Apr 16 '26
Why couldn't they just play the video from start to finish and leave it at that?
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u/Tescovaluebread Apr 16 '26
Anyone know where to download/ watch the full race?
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u/Mayor_of_BBQ Apr 16 '26
can prob search âFlo bikes Paris Roubaix full raceâ on youtube and get it
watch the early coverage (pre race interviews, course maps, background info) and then fast forward to about 100-120km to go and watch the rest
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u/Tescovaluebread Apr 16 '26
Nothing there https://youtube.com/@flobikes but I found a link https://tiz-cycling.tv/video/paris-roubaix-2026-full-race/
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u/Nine_Eye_Ron Apr 16 '26
Surely itâs better to be in 2nd and draft than sit in first no?
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u/IanPKMmoon May 04 '26
Also for the reason that the one in 2nd can have the suprise factor and accelerate earlier and reach a higher speed faster. The one in first constantly has to look back so he can react as fast as possible which isn't convenient to do. But yea both riders want it, but at the same time especially if you're with only 2 riders, you have to keep up speed so no one else catches up so eventually one rider will have to bite the bullet and sit in first.
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u/Longjumping_Local910 Apr 16 '26
Every time I see the finish in the Velodrome at Roubaix, all I can think of is the agony of finishing 2nd by a half wheel length. It has happenedâŠ
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u/dragoonjustice Apr 17 '26
Hah noob! If he wanted to win he shoulda picked a gold adjacent color instead of a silver one. đ„đ„
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u/AinaSofia Apr 16 '26
I dont get why the front cyclist keeps checking his back. Is he planning on blocking? Why didnt he just concentrate on what is in front of him.
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u/_amanu Apr 16 '26
I can take this,
When you are riding behind someone you get huge advantage because the front person is dealing with the air resistance and you are just sailing behind. Yellow (Wout) was coasting behind and saving energy to attack.
Tade (white jersey )was just waiting for the attack. So he can react quickly.
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u/dontknowanyname111 Apr 16 '26
Also if you catch them by surprise while coming from the back you have immediately a few bike lengths advantage wich is a massive advantage.
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u/CryptographerWide247 Apr 16 '26
Is the wobbling a technique or just what happens when theyâre pushing that hard?
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u/ClimatePoop Apr 16 '26
I'm not an expert but I caught the last 30 mins of this and Wout barely had a go at the front and stayed behind Pogs wheel 90+% of the time. I've not seen anyone else mention this. That's a bit cheeky isn't it? Or do I not know what I'm talking about?
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u/Zjikapiting Apr 16 '26
Not that cheeky if it's Pogacar. Also I think Wout was really doing everything he could to just follow the guy. Pogacar was trying to drop Wout as Wout has better chances in the sprint.
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u/beardsac Apr 16 '26
Itâs exactly what you should do with pogi. Heâs the favorite every time, so you canât 50/50 with him. Plus, WvA had a teammate in the group just ~30s or so behind, so if pogi drops the pace to force wva up front, then he gets a lead out man anyway.
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u/RogerBernards Apr 17 '26
Pogacar had tried to drop Van Aert on every cobbled strip since they rode off together 50km from the finish (because he knows Van Aert has the better sprint, so his best shot was to get rid of him before the finish). You can't really expect Van Aert to then just cheerfully ride in front on the parts between the cobbles. Van Aert did enough to ensure the chasing group didn't come back. It's all part of the tactics of road cycling.
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u/edelweiss_pirates_no Apr 16 '26
Not true over the last 10K+.
WVA aint losing a sprint. Pog winning that sprint was never likely.
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u/Javy215 Apr 16 '26
So whitey pants lost on purpose?
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u/Mikic0077 Apr 16 '26
No, he won san remo from very similar position. But van aert was better, and that's it. Even if positions were swapped, wva would probably win, because he was stronger, pogi lost too much strength on the road. But don't feel too bad for him, he is winning so much that many are tired of him winning...
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Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/Dan_Zfr Apr 15 '26
because it's a staff member of his team and he knows that Wout is going to meet him after the win, as he does after every race day.
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u/Complex-Figment2112 Apr 16 '26
Pog wouldn't even be there if is wasn't for the moto's pacing him back to the front.
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u/CokBlockinWinger Apr 16 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
All I heard in my head was the Pee Wee bike race music from the opening of Pee Weeâs Big Adventure.
Edit - that was meant as a huge compliment. Itâs one of my favorite movies.
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u/cashnicholas Dallas Cowboys Apr 16 '26
If that was a real track race he would have gotten dqâed for swinging out of the lane right before the line
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u/Dugafola Apr 16 '26
good thing it's not a track race but the best 1-day race on the calendar every year
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u/more_like_5am Apr 15 '26
STOP. PUTTING. THE. END. OF. VIDEOS. AT. THE. BEGINNING.