The spring classics season is entering its most intense phase, and the rivalry between Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel has reached a new level of intensity. After Pogačar’s dramatic Milan-San Remo victory — where he dropped van der Poel on the Poggio after surviving a crash — the two are set for a series of head-to-head battles across the cobblestones and bergs of northern Europe.
Both riders arrive at the upcoming races in exceptional form, and cycling fans are in for a treat as two of the most talented riders in the sport’s history clash in the races that define the spring calendar.
Form Guide
Pogačar’s form needs no introduction. The Slovenian’s Milan-San Remo win — achieved after crashing and then launching a race-winning attack — demonstrated both his physical condition and his supernatural ability to produce decisive efforts when it matters most. He is the reigning World Champion, a multiple Grand Tour winner, and now a monument victor in the spring as well.
Van der Poel, meanwhile, showed at Tirreno-Adriatico that he remains one of the strongest one-day racers in the world. His stage wins on both the gravel stage and a regular road stage proved his versatility, and his third-place finish at Milan-San Remo would have been a podium at most editions of the race. He simply ran into a Pogačar operating at peak capacity.
The Races Ahead
The cobbled classics offer a different battleground from the long-distance test of Milan-San Remo. The Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix reward explosive power, tactical intelligence, and the ability to handle cobblestones and short, steep climbs at race-ending speeds.
Van der Poel is the defending champion at both Flanders and Roubaix and has shown repeatedly that he is the most complete classics rider of his generation. But Pogačar’s increasingly impressive one-day racing record suggests he is more than capable of challenging van der Poel on his home turf.
The Wild Cards
While Pogačar and van der Poel dominate the headlines, the spring classics are rarely a two-horse race. Wout van Aert is always dangerous and will be looking to improve on his third at San Remo. Tom Pidcock’s form at Pinarello-Q36.5 makes him a factor in every race. And emerging talents like Isaac del Toro could add an unexpected dimension to the cobbled races.
The spring classics are cycling’s most unpredictable, exciting, and physically demanding races. With the current crop of riders performing at such an extraordinary level, the 2026 edition could produce some of the greatest racing the sport has ever seen.
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