Van der Poel Wins Third Consecutive Paris-Roubaix

Mathieu van der Poel triumphed at the Paris-Roubaix for the third consecutive year, overcoming a significant challenge from world champion Tadej Pogacar, who made a critical mistake on a cobbled section of the race. Pogacar's crash, which caused him to lose his chain, allowed Van der Poel to extend his lead and secure victory by finishing 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead. This win marks Van der Poel's eighth title in cycling's prestigious Monument classics, tying him with Pogacar, who was seeking to become the first Tour de France champion to win this event since 1981. Despite Pogacar's efforts to recover after the crash, he ultimately could not catch up, especially after suffering a puncture later in the race. Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen rounded out the podium in third place, highlighting a competitive field of world champions. Van der Poel's achievement ties him with cycling legends, as he becomes the first since Francesco Moser to win Paris-Roubaix three times in a row.