2025 Paris-Roubaix Odds, Predictions, and How To Watch

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On Sunday, April 13, one of the sport’s oldest races will get underway live from Northern France, with the 122^nd running of Paris-Roubaix.

Also known as “The Hell of the North,” this Monument race will begin in Compiegne and finish at the Roubaix Velodrome per tradition.

Two-time defending winner, Mathieu van der Poel, will take the starting line as he looks to win for a third straight year. However, he faces his most difficult challenge to date – Tadej Pogacar.

The two men have battled it out this spring with each rider winning a significant race against the other. First, it was van der Poel outlasting the sport’s top rider Pogacar at Milan-San Remo.

Then, last Sunday, it was Pogacar getting revenge as he rode away from van der Poel to win the Tour of Flanders.

However, Paris-Roubaix is unlike any other cycling race on the calendar. It will test the peloton in ways that no other race can.

So, we should see another epic battle between van der Poel and Pogacar on the cobbles of Northern France this weekend. Can anyone else disrupt this duel?

Let’s take a look at the latest cycling odds, courtesy of the top sports betting sites, and make our Paris-Roubaix predictions.

How To Watch Paris-Roubaix?

Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix can be viewed on the usual platforms like TNT Sports, SBS, FloBikes and Eurosport. In the United States, cycling fans can watch the race on Peacock. The 2025 Paris-Roubaix has an 11:10am local start time. Peacock coverage begins at 4:05am.

Paris-Roubaix 2024

The 2024 edition of Paris-Roubaix was another historic victory by Mathieu van der Poel. Not only did he capture his second straight win in The Hell of the North, but he did it in spectacular fashion. Van der Poel rode away with 60km to go and absolutely crushed the peloton.

Not only did MVDP soak up the cheers at the velodrome, but he completed the fastest time ever for Paris-Roubaix.

Paris-Roubaix Route

Since 1977, the race has started in Compiegne. Prior to that, it began in Paris from 1896 until 1965, and then Chantilly from 1966-1976.

Since 1943, this event has seen Roubaix as the finishing point. Most notably, the Roubaix Velodrome is where the finish line is located. In-between these two points, is cycling carnage for nearly 260km.

Like last year, this edition will also have a small detour to slow down the speeds of the peloton heading into the Forest of Arenberg. Eventually, the field will have to race over 30 cobbled sectors including two new additions: Artres and Famars.

Although the new sectors aren’t very difficult, it pretty much means that riders will race across five sectors of cobbles without much, if any, asphalt.  

Eventually, the riders will finish the cobbled sectors and enter the velodrome where they will cross the finish line.

Paris-Roubaix Odds

Check out the latest Paris-Roubaix odds:

The roles have reversed with Paris-Roubaix compared to Tour of Flanders. Instead of Tadej Pogacar being the favorite, like he was at Flanders, Mathieu van der Poel is the odds-on favorite to win Paris-Roubaix.

Additionally, Wout van Aert has leaped over Mads Pedersen on the odds-boards as their positions were reversed at Flanders as well. Following this duo is Jasper Philipsen and Filippo Ganna. No other cyclist is within striking distance of these six riders.

The top handicappers are split between van der Poel and Pogacar. Keep reading to see our Paris-Roubaix predictions.

How Did Paris-Roubaix Get Its Nickname?

Before we dissect the contenders for the 2025 Paris-Roubaix race, let’s take a quick look at how this Monument got its nickname “The Hell of the North.”

Typically, by the end of the race, the riders look like they just came from hell as they’re caked with mud and dirt from the cobbled sectors. Additionally, the fatigue is all over their faces as they often slump over their bikes at the end of the race. However, that’s not where this nickname came from.

France suffered four years of shelling during to World War I, which led to the cancelling of Paris-Roubaix. So, in 1919, when the race returned, organizers and journalists went out to see what was left of the traditional route.

According to an excerpt from Procycling, this is what was found:

“But then, as they neared the north, the air began to reek of broken drains, raw sewage and the stench of rotting cattle. Trees which had begun to look forward to spring became instead blackened, ragged stumps, their twisted branches pushed to the sky like the crippled arms of a dying man. Everywhere was mud. Nobody knows who first described it as ‘hell’, but there was no better word. And that’s how it appeared next day in the papers: that little party had seen ‘the hell of the north.’”

1919 Paris-Roubaix winner, Henri Pelissier stated that year’s event was more of a pilgrimage than a race. Popular French news outlet, L’Auto, had the following excerpt:

“We enter into the centre of the battlefield. There’s not a tree, everything is flattened! Not a square metre that has not been hurled upside down. There’s one shell hole after another. The only things that stand out in this churned earth are the crosses with their ribbons in blue, white and red. It is hell!”

Now, that we have set the table for what the riders will endure, let’s dive into the top contenders.

Paris-Roubaix Contenders

Let’s take a look at the top contenders for the 122^nd edition of Paris-Roubaix:

Mathieu van der Poel +250        

Mathieu van der Poel began the 2025 season with a win in the Ename Samyn Classic. He followed that up with two Top 3 finishes in the Tirreno-Adriactico.

Then, MVDP outdueled Pogacar in Milan-San Remo and would go on to dominate the E3 Saxo Classic. This put him in a head-to-head battle with Pogacar at Flanders. However, he would come up short in his quest to win a third De Ronde in a row by finishing third.

Van der Poel made the following comments about his Flanders’ performance:

“I was already on the limit from quite far. With the crash, of course, it was not ideal, but I think we put up a good fight with the team, and I did everything I could. I’m happy with the podium. It’s never good to be in a crash, but I think the damage was still quite OK. For the crash, I was lucky. But of course, it was not ideal.”

In four Paris-Roubaix appearances, van der Poel has won the last two events, finished 9^th in 2022, and was third in his debut race of 2021. That’s three podium finishes in four appearances and I fully expect MVDP to add to that total this weekend.

Tadej Pogacar +300

Tadej Pogacar started off the year winning the UAE Tour, which included two stage victories. He also put on an all-time winning performance at Strade-Bianche. Pogacar crashed late in the race, got back up, then rode away from the field to a solo, yet bloody victory.

Pogacar would lose to MVDP at Milan-San Remo but come back with a vengeance at the Tour of Flanders to win on another solo breakaway.

Now, the sport’s top cyclist will make his Paris-Roubaix debut of which he made the following comments:

“Of course, haha! But that race is completely different from the Tour of Flanders. Of course, this victory has given me some more confidence. I know I have good legs and am in good shape. So I am looking forward to it. We have a super strong team again with two guys who were already second in Paris-Roubaix. It is my first time, but because we have a good team we can make it a great race. I am really looking forward to it!”

Wout Van Aert +400         

Despite not winning a race so far this season, Wout van Aert seems to be turning things around from some disappointing performances like 11^th at Omloop Nieuwsblad, 75^th at Kuurn-Brussel-Kuurne, and 15^th at the E3.

Van Aert finished 2^nd at Dwars door Vlaanderen and 4^th at the Tour of Flanders. Neither were the victories that he hoped for, but they showed that WVA is improving his form.

Van Aert returns to Paris-Roubaix for the first time since 2023, when he finished 3^rd. In 2022, he was 2^nd overall. Prior to that, he was 7^th in 2021, 22^nd in 2019, and 13^th in 2018.

With two consecutive podium finishes, WVA’s chances of a third are going to be tough despite the oddsmakers making him the third overall pre-race favorite. Mads Pedersen has been riding better than WVA this season. So has Filippo Ganna.

Nevertheless, if van Aert is on form, he will be a tough challenge for both van der Poel and Pogacar. The only question is whether or not his best form is good enough to upset the two favorites.

Mads Pedersen +450

Mads Pedersen’s great form has continued throughout the spring. Prior to Flanders, Pedersen won the Tour de la Provence, took the green jersey competition in Paris-Nice, finished 7^th at Milan- San Remo, was second to MVDP at the E3 Saxo Classic, won at Gent-Wevelgem, and was 5^th at Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Then came the Tour of Flanders where I made the following predictions about Pedersen:

“Depending on if Pedersen can follow the wheel of the favorites, he might just be a podium contender this weekend. And, if either of the favorites have a bad day, we could see him move up and challenge for the top spot on the podium.”

MVDP had a bad day, due to a crash, and Pedersen was able to move up to second on the podium. He now heads to Paris-Roubaix where the Lidl-Trek rider has seven previous appearances.

After two consecutive DNFs, Pedersen came on strong in 2023 with a 4^th place result. He bested that mark in 2024, with a third-place finish. I believe he could snag the third spot again this year if he stays out of trouble. But it’s too much of an ask for Pedersen to beat both van der Poel and Pogacar.

Jasper Philipsen +700      

Van der Poel’s teammate, Jasper Philipsen, aims to win his first ever Paris-Roubaix race. He’s finished runner-up the last two years and hopes to outduel his teammate MVDP and Pogacar.

When we last saw Philipsen, he was caught up in a crash at Dwars door Vlaandeeren and didn’t finish the race. That continue a stretch of bad results where he was 44^th at Gent-Wevelgem, 47^th at Classic Brugge-De Panne, 163^rd at Milan-San Remo, and DNF at Danilith Nokere Koerse where he crashed.

With that said, Philipsen has had some success this season as well. He was Top 3 on two stages in the UAE Tour, third and Omloop, and won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne..

Unfortunately, I think this field is loaded and going to be too difficult for Philipsen to win. The only chance he has is a bunch sprint at the end. And, we already know that both Pogacar and MVDP will try for long breakaways to prevent any bunch sprints or sizable pelotons at the finishing line.

Filippo Ganna +1200

I have consistently gushed over Filippo Ganna’s season so far. So, you can expect that praise to continue for this preview as well.

Ganna finished 2nd at Tirreno-Adriatico after being the leader of that race. He then finished 2^nd at Milan-San Remo, where he beat Pogacar to the line. The Italian cyclist finished 3rd at E3 behind the two favorites of MVDP and Pedersen.

At Flanders, Ganna was a +4000 longshot to win the race. Yet, I had him pegged as the best Top 10 finish for the race.

“Ganna’s +100 odds offers fantastic value for a rider looking to test himself against the best. And, for a rider who has three podium finishes during the Spring already.”

And, that’s exactly what he did. Ganna finished 8^th at the Tour of Flanders which was easily his career-best result in that race.

This week, I’m thinking that the 28-year-old can find another Top 10 finish. Ganna’s best result at Paris-Roubaix was 6^th in 2023. With the way he’s riding this season, look for the INEOS rider to crack the Top 10 and continue his stellar 2025 campaign.

Paris-Roubaix Predictions

Like at Flanders and San Remo, this race will come down to the battle between van der Poel and Pogacar. Each man has one win over the other so far this season. So, we will get a tie-breaker in Roubaix this weekend.

I picked Pogacar to win both Flanders and San Remo. However, I’m going with van der Poel for Paris-Roubaix. This is a tough race and Pogacar is making his debut. Van der Poel has won two years in a row and will want revenge for fading in the latter stages at Flanders.

Pogacar clearly has the skills to win this race, but my “Spidey senses” are telling me to take van der Poel. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with betting on either man this weekend. And, if you decide to take that path, you can still come away with profits regardless who wins.

If you can’t wait for Paris-Roubaix, check out our coverage of the 2025 Tour of the Basque Country will fills this week with cycling action from Spain. It also gives cycling fans something to do after the conclusion of Flanders as we all wait for the hell of Paris-Roubaix.

Bet: Mathieu van der Poel (+250)

Paris-Roubaix Results

Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen hold the record for the most Paris-Roubaix wins with four apiece. There are seven riders with three victories including Eddy Merckx and Favian Cancellara. Additionally, there are 12 riders with two wins including Mathieu van der Poel.

Belgium has won the most Paris-Roubaix races with 57 victories. France is second with 28 and Italy is third with 14. The United States has been shutout of this event.

The following is a list of the recent Paris-Roubaix winners: