'Compared to him, I'm a goat on a bike' – Filippo Ganna acknowledges his Paris-Roubaix weakness but throws down gauntlet for Pogačar and Van der Poel

Filippo Ganna, the formidable Italian time trialist and track star, has publicly acknowledged his current limitations on the cobbles, stating he's "a goat on a bike" compared to Paris-Roubaix specialists. Despite this self-assessment, Ganna declared his intention to challenge Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel in future editions of the 'Hell of the North', emphasizing his clear objective to improve in the Monument. This statement, coming from a rider of Ganna's calibre, sets a clear marker for his ambitions.

This declaration is significant given Ganna's career trajectory. While a multiple world champion in time trials and individual pursuit, and a Giro d'Italia stage winner, his best Paris-Roubaix finish remains 35th in 2023. His physical gifts are undeniable, but the specific demands of Roubaix – bike handling, positioning, and sustained power over brutal terrain – require a different skillset. His commitment to mastering this race, often seen as the ultimate test of a classics rider, signals a potentially fascinating evolution for a rider already considered one of the sport's most powerful engines.

Ganna's ambition is commendable, though transforming a pure rouleur into a cobble king is a monumental task. While his engine is certainly built for it, history suggests that goats rarely become lions in the Roubaix velodrome.