Race Breakdown: Mathieu van der Poel might have been the highest favorite for Sunday’s Tour of Flanders and largest competitor, Wout van Aert was lacking as a result of his Dwars Door Vlaanderen accidents, however successful a Monument isn’t simple. Mathieu van der Poel received his third Tour of Flanders, setting a velocity report after a forty five kilometre solo from the Koppenberg to Oudenaarde, however the Alpecin-Deceuninck group set the day up completely.
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De Ronde No.3 for Van der Poel
Mathieu van der Poel had the rainbow jersey on his again and had the No.1 pinned to it, the final time that occurred it was Eddy Merckx in 1975 and nobody might maintain the wheel of the cannibal. Frans Verbeeck tried, however he was burnt off by an infernal tempo. On Sunday it was Matteo Jorgenson who was the final man to attempt to maintain Van der Poel, but it surely was an excessive amount of for the younger American. It’s important to assume {that a} match Wout van Aert or an unhurt Mads Pedersen might need been in a position to fight the Dutch World champion or mixed to chase him down… however we’ll by no means know.
Eddy Merckx – World champion No.1
Simply because Visma | Lease a Bike didn’t have Van Aert and Lidl-Trek didn’t have Jasper Stuyven and Pedersen was affected by the identical crash, this made it tougher for Alpecin-Deceuninck to manage the race. Everybody was now them and the battle strains had been drawn earlier than the beginning.
The lads in blue managed almost every part
Alpecin-Deceuninck seemed to have a plan from the gun and it labored completely. They let a break go early after which stored it shut sufficient to not trigger an upset Then within the hilly part from the Wolvenberg to the second passage of the Oude Kwaremont they let the race rage with out Van der Poel breaking sweat. However their ‘Ace Card’ needed to be sending Gianni Vermeersch to trip with Mads Pedersen on the Valkenberg. Vermeersch labored with Pedersen which inspired the Dane to make use of his energies and on the identical time the opposite groups should have been asking if Van der Poel was on a dad day. However this put Van der Poel within the excellent place for his successful transfer on the koppenberg.
The Vermeersch tactic labored completely
It’s not lengthy for the reason that Belgian group was racing at Professional-Conti stage, now they rule over the ‘Tremendous Groups’ with their huge budgets. The group had the great sense to depart Milano-Sanremo winner Jasper Philipsen at house for the Tour of Flanders, with out the opposite controlling groups, they knew the race wouldn’t end in a bunch dash. The group perhaps put all their easter eggs in a single basket, however now there would solely be one job to do and that was to get the World champion positioned for his successful transfer.
On the Oude Kwaremont, with 55 kilometre to go, it seemed like Van der Poel was making his transfer, but it surely was too quickly, then on the Koppenberg he was gone. Behind him there was chaos, however that didn’t make any distinction, nobody might comply with even when they didn’t need to stroll.
Pedersen survived in a scene from the previous
Solely three riders stayed on their bikes up the Koppenberg: Van der Poel, Jorgenson and Pedersen, however that didn’t matter, Van der Poel had gone and the win was his.
Even with out among the predominant protagonists, this was nonetheless a ‘Basic’ Flanders and it went to a deserving winner and successful group. The riders make the race, however the race additionally shapes the thrill.
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