Mathieu Van der Poel is the rider everyone is waiting for, and when he's racing, the show is always guaranteed. As the reigning Paris-Roubaix champion, the Dutchman returns to the Hell of the North with great ambition, confidence, and a team ready to play its part. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider is calm, because 2025 has already been a year of important successes for him, and when you line up at the start of a race with a Monument Classic already in your pocket, the pressure is certainly lower. The former world champion feels fit and focused again, after overcoming small health issues and recovering from his crash at the Tour of Flanders.

"Racing at E3 Harelbeke made things worse" - Van der Poel explained - "The Monday after the race I felt really bad. I ended up taking antibiotics and during the Tour of Flanders I was not yet at 100%, although I managed to defend myself quite well. In the end, I still made it to the podium".

The victory at the Ronde went to Tadej Pogacar, and the Dutchman finished third behind Pedersen. "After the Tour of Flanders, I had another small dip. It's probably not surprising, but I had not yet fully recovered. But now I feel much better. I think I'm in good enough shape to try to defend my title".

The crash at Flanders did not have major consequences and only left a slight stiffness, which then passed. His motivation for Paris-Roubaix remains unchanged and the goal is naturally victory. "When I start a race, I always do so with the intention of winning, so this Roubaix will be no exception. Of course, it's easier said than done, but this is the mentality I always bring to the start. And if I'm not at my peak, we'll do everything possible to keep the victory within the team. Jasper Philipsen has shown in the last two years that he is more than capable of winning and if the conditions are right for him, we'll work to bring him to victory".

Van der Poel knows he is strong, but at the same time is aware of being part of a well-equipped group, emphasizing the strength of his team. "We have a really strong formation. Five of the six teammates contributed to our success last year. The sixth, Jonas Rickaert, was part of the 2023 team. This shared experience really counts in a race like this".

Regarding the competition, he expects an open battle, with Pedersen, Pogacar, Stuyven and Van Aert, who in his opinion will be the most dangerous opponents, and then he points to Filippo Ganna, who he believes has excellent chances of success. "Probably this time it's perhaps more difficult to predict who the winner will be. Pogacar is always a great contender. But at Flanders we also saw Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven racing at a very high level. And then there's Ganna. Paris-Roubaix could be the perfect race for him".