Mathieu van der Poel, master of the cobbles.

A Third Consecutive Victory at Paris-Roubaix

This Sunday, 13 April 2025, Mathieu van der Poel etched his name into cycling legend by winning Paris-Roubaix for the third consecutive time. He joins Francesco Moser and Octave Lapize in the very exclusive club of riders who have claimed victory three times in a row in the "Hell of the North", one of the most iconic races in the world of cycling.

A Historic Achievement

After the favourites began battling it out 100 kilometres from the finish, with the gradual elimination of riders like Pedersen and Van Aert... the race took a decisive turn following a mistake by Tadej Pogačar, who crashed in a corner of the Camphin-en-Pévèle cobbled sector. This opened the door for Mathieu van der Poel to claim a solo victory at the end of a breathless mano a mano that will long be remembered. The Dutch rider from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team mastered the 256.6 kilometres of the Hell of the North, from Compiègne to the Roubaix velodrome, moving one step closer to a fourth victory in Paris-Roubaix, just as his grandfather, Raymond Poulidor, once predicted.

The Mercier Spirit Lives On

Poulidor too once rode the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix wearing the iconic purple Mercier jersey. Though he never claimed victory in the race, he passed on the unshakable confidence of a true warrior, a spirit that still drives those who take on the Hell of the North today. At Mercier, we are proud to see athletes like Mathieu van der Poel making history, carrying forward the same passion and fighting spirit that have always defined our brand. Just like Marcel Kint, Rik Van Steenbergen, Raymond Impanis and Louison Bobet, all of whom triumphed in the Roubaix velodrome wearing Mercier colours, Mathieu van der Poel displayed courage, flair, and tactical brilliance to win. His performance stands as a symbol of continuity, linking the eternal cobbles with the evolution of cycling equipment and the athletes themselves.

Chapeau, Mathieu. And thank you.

Photo credit: Icon Sport | Photo credit: Eurosport