Paris‑Roubaix Pairs Men’s and Women’s Races for the First Time as Pogacar–Van der Poel Duel Looms

Overview

• The 123rd Paris‑Roubaix runs Sunday with the men on 258.3 km from Compiègne and the women on 143.1 km from Denain, both shaped by long cobbled sectors that include the famed Trouée d’Arenberg in the men’s route.
• Tadej Pogacar targets the only Monument missing from his résumé, while triple defending winner Mathieu van der Poel starts as the main favorite on a flat, 30‑sector course that favors powerful cobble specialists.
• Reigning women’s champion Pauline Ferrand‑Prévot made a late decision to start, facing 20 sectors that make up a larger share of cobbles than the men’s race and a finale over iconic sectors such as Mons‑en‑Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.
• Union Bordeaux‑Bègles defeated Toulouse 30‑15 on Sunday to reach the Champions Cup semi‑finals, setting up a home tie against Bath in three weeks and keeping their title defense alive.
• In league play Saturday, Barcelona beat Espanyol 4‑1 to open a nine‑point La Liga lead, while in France Rennes moved up to fifth by edging Angers 2‑1 and Auxerre’s 0‑0 with Nantes kept a five‑point gap in a key relegation fight.