Florian Vermeersch: Pogačar racing Roubaix is no riskier than racing Flanders 🎰
'The chances of crashes are the same in any race, so I think the risk factor isn’t a big argument' the Belgian rider says
On Wednesday, the news finally broke that Tadej Pogačar would make his Paris-Roubaix debut. The details were somewhat buried within a UAE Team Emirates-XRG press release that focused on the team’s rosters for E3 and Gent–Wevelgem, but it was understandable that the cycling media chose to highlight the world champion adding Roubaix to his race schedule.
Speculation surrounding Pogačar’s possible start had gained momentum since a video of him, and Tim Wellens riding recon over the cobbled was posted on Instagram earlier this year. Since then, the ‘will he, won’t he’ debate has bumbled on, but on Wednesday, at the start of Classic Brugge-De Panne, following the confirmation of Pogačar’s Roubaix participation, it was all everyone could talk about.
Sport director Fabio Baldato did TV interviews; the team bus was busier than normal, with fans gathered to hear more on the team’s plans and each rider was stopped at the sign-on to give their opinion on the matter.
We managed to sneak a few words with Pogačar’s teammate, Florian Vermeersch. The Belgian only joined the team at the start of the season but has made an instant impression - helping the team to GC wins at the Tour of Oman and UAE Tour and then taking several top-tens in the Classics. He was instrumental in piloting Juan Sebastián Molano to victory in De Panne, and at the start, he shared his view on Pogačar targeting Paris-Roubaix for the first time.
“I’m actually happy, and I’m looking forward to racing Paris-Roubaix with him. If he’s on the start line, it’s always a big boost for the team as well. I’m looking forward to it; he can do a great result there. I wasn’t surprised though because I knew already that it was on his mind and that the chance was pretty big that he would start. For me, it’s not a surprise. I knew a little bit. I think a few weeks ago, when he started to do the recon, they started talking about it, so I knew that the chances were pretty big,” he told us.
The counter-argument to the excitement is that Pogačar is taking a significant risk by racing in Paris-Roubaix.