<p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">The Paris-Roubaix is the next Monument race to take place, with the Tour of Flanders freshly in the rear-view mirror for some of the world's best road cyclists.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Tadej Pogačar managed to claim victory in that event, but will he be the one to win the upcoming Paris-Roubaix? We'll find out when it takes place on Sunday, April 12 (local time)...</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:18pt;">Quick Picks</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;"><strong>Our pick:</strong> Mathieu van der Poel to win</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;"><strong>Value bet:</strong> Wout van Aert in the each-way</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;"><strong>Long shot:</strong> Tadej Pogačar as outright winner</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:18pt;">Betting Preview</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Known as 'The Hell of the North', it's a race that will truly test the best of the best.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Paris-Roubaix 2026 is a 258.3 km one-day Monument on Sunday 12 April, starting in Compiègne and finishing on the Roubaix velodrome, with 30 cobbled ("pavé") sectors totalling 54.8 km of brutal, uneven stones.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">It begins with some flat rolling through the northern French coalfields, with 30 categorised cobbled sectors covering 54.8 km, all packed into roughly the final 165 km. Two riders have won it four times, with Mathieu van der Poel aiming to become the third after winning three successive editions.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">This race will be the second time Pogačar has entered, and he finished second in 2025, making him an expected challenger to Van der Poel. Still, the Dutch cyclist is considered a specialist in this type of event, given his strong history.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:18pt;">Betting Markets to Watch</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Given his strong form and history in this race, <strong>Van der Poel edges the betting</strong> ahead of the upcoming 2026 Paris-Roubaix event. Unsurprisingly, <strong>Pogačar is right behind him.</strong></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Van der Poel is the favourite for Paris-Roubaix because he is both the current defending champion and the most dominant cobbled-race rider of his generation, with a mix of power, bike-handling, and race-smarts perfectly suited to the "Hell of the North".</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Still, we think there could be value in the each-way market, especially with 3 places being paid out. <strong>Wout van Aert is a rider we think could offer value in this market.</strong> He has multiple podium finishes in this race and a proven ability to navigate the chaos at Arenberg and Mons-en-Pévèle. However, it's worth keeping an eye on how things progress, as he is best suited if it's a small, fast group where his power and sprint win out over erratic cobbled attacks.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:18pt;">Our Prediction</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">You can check out our latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/cycling/outrights">cycling outright betting</a> to place a bet on the upcoming 2026 Paris-Roubaix Monument race.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Our prediction is that <strong>Van der Poel wins this race</strong> and joins the record holders with four wins. However, we think that he's a short price, meaning there's value elsewhere.</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;">Indeed, the each-way market offers better value in our opinion, with 3 places being paid. We think <strong>Van Aert has the best chance of finishing inside the podium spots</strong> alongside <strong>Van der Poel and Pogačar.</strong></p>