The Slovenian cycling phenom may have finished an impressive second place in his ‘Hell of the North’ debut last weekend. Still, it was his wrist — or rather, what was on it — that captured the attention of eagle-eyed fans during the closing kilometres.
When Horology Meets Hell
As Pogačar battled the closing sections of the race’s bone-jarring cobblestones, sharp-eyed watch fans noticed something alarming: his white UAE Team Emirates glove was increasingly stained red with blood.
The culprit? His Richard Mille RM 67-02 timepiece — a featherweight Grade 5 titanium watch worth approximately $250,000.
While most cyclists wouldn’t dream of wearing anything that adds unnecessary grams during the 260km race, Pogačar’s wrist candy was no ordinary accessory. The Richard Mille — worn as part of UAE Team Emirates’ partnership with the Swiss luxury watchmaker — became an unlikely protagonist in the day’s drama.
Unlike the Tour de France mountains where Pogačar typically dominates, Paris-Roubaix’s legendary 30 cobblestone sectors showed no respect for either his status as reigning Tour champion or his quarter-million-pound wristwear.
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A Bloody Timekeeper
The irony wasn’t lost on cycling fans: a watch designed for elite athletes, worn by perhaps cycling’s most elite athlete, drawing blood during one of the sport’s most elite events.
Social media quickly filled with comments about Pogačar’s decision to race with such an expensive item.
Some fans suggested a budget Casio might have been more appropriate for the cobbles. Others questioned whether the UCI should regulate watch-wearing for safety reasons. A few noted that fellow Richard Mille ambassador Mathieu van der Poel — who won the race for his third consecutive Paris-Roubaix victory — emerged with his wrist unscathed.
The Crash That Changed Everything
With 38km remaining and still battling alongside van der Poel, Pogačar overshot a corner on sector 9, following motorbikes with too much speed and tumbling onto the grass.
“I should know there’s a corner, so no excuses,” Pogačar admitted post-race. The crash forced a bike change and effectively ended his chances of victory. He finished second just over a minute behind van der Poel.
The Richard Mille Lifestyle
Despite the crash and unforgiving cobbles, Poggy’s watch remained firmly strapped to his wrist even during his post-race shower in the famous Roubaix velodrome facilities.
For DMARGE readers familiar with Richard Mille’s philosophy of “a racing machine on the wrist,” Pogačar’s bloodied glove represents perhaps the ultimate testament to the brand’s commitment to performance in extreme conditions. Few luxury timepieces can claim to have survived both a Tour de France victory and the pavé of northern France—all while drawing blood from their owner.
Monument Man
Despite the bloody distraction, Pogačar’s performance shouldn’t be overlooked. His second-place finish matches the legendary Eddy Merckx as the only reigning Tour de France champion to finish second at Paris-Roubaix.
The result also completes Pogačar’s remarkable Monument collection, having now stood on the podium in all five of cycling’s most prestigious one-day races within the past 12 months: 2nd at Paris-Roubaix, 1st at Tour of Flanders, 3rd at Milan-San Remo, 1st at Il Lombardia, and 1st at Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
“I can win it,” Pogačar said confidently of Paris-Roubaix after his debut. And after watching him race with a $250K watch cutting into his wrist without complaint, who would doubt him?
Perhaps UAE Team Emirates might consider a redesign of their Richard Mille straps before next year’s cobbled classics season. Or, at the very least, provide Pogačar with a matching red glove for his left hand.
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