Flanders Race Report: Mathieu van der Poel was anticipated to win the Tour of Flanders, however the Alpecin-Deceuninck took an epic Ronde with solo effort within the Flemish rain, going solo from the Koppnberg. Surprisingly, Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Motels) was second and Michael Matthews was third, however the Australian was declassed in favour for Nils Politt (UAE Crew Emirates).
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Mathieu van der Poel received the Tour of Flanders for the third time. In his rainbow jersey, the World champion of Alpecin-Deceuninck soloed to victory after making the decisive assault on a soaking moist Koppenberg for a solo of 45 kilometres.
Mathieu van der Poel takes his third Tour of Flanders within the rainbow
Parcours
After the beginning in Antwerp, the primary 100 kilometres of the 270.8 kilometres race, the peloton passes by way of Sint-Niklaas, Hamme, Haaltert, Herzele and Zottegem to achieve the Flemish Ardennes, the place the race will actually begin. The Lippenhovestraat and the Paddestraat are the primary difficulties of the day after 104 kilometres of racing. The riders will then race over the standard finale of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. After 136 kilometres they tackle the primary passage of the Oude Kwaremont. From then on the climbs and cobbles come one after the opposite in fast succession. The Kapelleberg, the cobbles of the Holleweg, the Wolvenberg, the cobbles of the Kerkgate and the Jagerij, the climb of the Molenberg, the Marlboroughstraat, the Berendries and eventually the Valkenberg all inside 30 kilometres.
Flanders’24 map
The highest of the Valkenberg is just below 90 kilometres from the end. At that time the riders have accomplished 180 kilometres. After the Valkenberg, if you’re nonetheless there, there may be time to assault. That is doable on the Berg Ten Houte or the Hotond. After the Hotond it’s the Oude Kwaremont for the second time after which to the Paterberg. The primary passage of the Paterberg all the time causes motion because the Koppenberg is subsequent on the horizon. “We’ve made the run-up to the Koppenberg extra straight ahead and we’ve eradicated the descent and sharp bend simply earlier than the ascent,” the organisers defined. The powerful Koppenberg is the place the place the favourites will make their mark. The Mariaborrestraat, Steenbeekdries and Traaiberg are one other alternative for assaults. Traaiberg is adopted by the Hotond, then there are 10 kilometres to the Oude Kwaremont for the final time.
Flanders’24 profile
The Oude Kwaremont is 16.7 kilometres from the end. The cream ought to have already come to the highest of the milk by this level and now could be the time for them to make life exhausting for one another earlier than their ultimate probability, 13.2 kilometres from the end on the Paterberg. The Paterberg is brief at lower than 400 metres and preferrred for the extra explosive riders. From the summit there are 13 flat kilometres to Oudenaarde. The wind might be sturdy on the run-in to the end, powerful for a solo rider, but when there’s a group, then ways will come into play for a dash on the huge Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde.
The beginning in Antwerp
Prime favorite, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), spoke earlier than the beginning: “We’re simply going to attempt to management that race as greatest as doable and win. I’ve stated it earlier than: it’s all the time straightforward to race when the very best riders are there, which doesn’t imply that there are not any good riders now. However you simply know: with Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven, and with Mads Pedersen who’s a hundred percent, that they might trip to the end. They imagine they will win. However I anticipate an open battle at the moment. I feel that’s a bit too early (on the Kapelleberg-Molenberg). Perhaps the race will open up there, however I’m not going to pressure something there myself but. It’s a special begin (from 2023). Then the wind performed a bit. I would sit a bit of farther from the entrance.”
Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) earlier than the beginning
An issue for favorite Mads Pedersen at first
Man on type, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) at first: “We attempt to race as we’ve accomplished earlier than,”“We miss Jasper and Alex, however we’ve a really sturdy workforce. We imagine we are able to proceed racing as we’ve been doing. We expect that the race across the Molenberg might be opened, that’s not an issue for us. The sooner it turns into man-to-man, the higher for us. Have my possibilities modified after my fall in Dwars door Vlaanderen? Naturally. It’s by no means preferrred to crash three days earlier than Flanders, however all issues thought-about, I nonetheless imagine that I’m higher than different years. We’ll see the way it goes. I hope for the very best.”
Jayco AlUla’s Luke Durbridge needed to be within the ‘Break of the Day’
Get properly quickly Wout
After 20 kilometres a bunch of eight made their escape: Bert Van Lerberghe (Soudal Fast-Step), Luke Durbridge & Elmar Reinders (Jayco AlUla), Damien Touzé (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Lionel Taminiaux (Lotto Dstny), Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Cofidis), David Dekker (Arkéa-B&B Motels) and Jelle Vermoote (Bingoal WB). At first they have been chased, however it suited the workforce’s of the favourites and so their lead was allowed to extend.
Alpecin-Deceuninck took management early to verify the break stayed away
The race handed by way of Sint Niklaas, the place De Ronde began from 1977 to 1997
Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lidl-Trek took management of the peloton for Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen and so the break quickly had a lead of 4:20, however that was their most. There was lots of followers on the roadside, this precipitated no less than three crashes one regarded significantly unhealthy for a lady spectator.
The break was going to be out entrance for a very long time
Surprisingly, the primary counter-attack got here from Alpecin-Deceuninck, however Visma | Lease a Bike chased down Axel Laurence after which, with 110 kilometres to go, Matteo Jorgenson saved going. Pedersen additionally made a transfer, however every little thing calmed down once more. On the Molenberg, 100 kilometres from the end, there was extra fireworks.
The peloton was happy to see the break go, however they weren’t sitting again
As soon as once more it was Pedersen, this time with Jorgenson and Van der Poel on his wheel. A really sturdy group broke away from them, which was a harmful state of affairs for the World champion. A bunch of Pedersen, Dylan van Baarle, Tiesj Benoot, Nils Politt and Oliver Naesen had a spot. The Alpecin-Deceuninck males didn’t enable the hole to get too huge after which Van der Poel closed the hole on the Valkenberg with a powerful effort. Pedersen wasn’t completed and went once more, however he had Gianni Vermeersch on his wheel, MvdP’s teammate.
Mathieu van der Poel wasn’t getting near the entrance early within the race, right here he comes again to the peloton with Micheal Matthews
Pedersen and Vermeersch stayed off the entrance and climbed Berg Ten Houte with none issues. Within the peloton, Alpecin-Deceuninck have been in management and saved the hole small. Stefan Küng, who crashed with spectators, was capable of return. The rain and moist roads made the race very nervous within the run-up to the second passage of the Oude Kwaremont.
By means of Oudenaarde for the primary time
Oier Lazkano put the stress on, on the Kwaremont, however Van der Poel closed the hole to Pedersen and Vermeersch. On the high, solely Pedersen, Lazkano, Dylan Teuns, Laurence Pithie and Tim Wellens have been nonetheless on the wheel of the World champion, after which a bunch together with Jorgenson and Matej Mohorič was capable of be part of them. The primary time over the Paterberg the race was break up, however the gaps have been nonetheless small.
The break on the Oude Kwaremont for the primary time
Within the run-up to the Koppenberg the teams of favourites got here again collectively. Iván García jumped away and began the cobbles climb of the Koppenberg with a slight lead, however he had a mechanical downside and needed to cease. Mathieu van der Poel got here storming previous with Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen behind him. The others weren’t so fortunate and needed to run up the climb.
Loopy scenes on the Kwaremont for the peloton
The tempo that Van der Poel set on the Koppenberg was the decisive transfer of the day. Jorgenson had the World champion in sight excessive, however Van der Poel now had the bit between his tooth and took time on everybody. By the Traaiberg the lead was already 50 seconds on the American, who needed to drop again to a bunch with Bettiol, Teuns, García, Wellens, Pedersen and Laurenz Rex.
Mads Pedersen was the primary of the favourited to indicate his hand, adopted by Matteo Jorgenson
The cooperation was not good and so Van der Poel over one and a half minutes with 30 kilometres to go. He nonetheless had the Oude Kruisberg/Hotond, Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg to deal with. Behind Van der Poel, the battle for the opposite podium locations was on. On the Hotond, Teuns and Bettiol broke away, however they have been practically 2 minutes behind Van der Poel.
Pedersen went with just below 100K to go, however he had Gianni Vermeersch with him
The World champion needed to endure booing and a beer bathe the final time on Kwaremont. No issues on the Paterberg earlier than the 13 flat kilometre to Oudenaarde. Van der Poel took his third victory within the Tour of Flanders, after his victories in 2020 and 2022.
Van der Poel pulled the race collectively once more on the Paterberg
Greater than 1 minute behind Van der Poel, Bettiol and Teuns have been racing for the rostrum, however there was a big group arising from behind. Within the ending straight, Teuns and Bettiol began to play a recreation of poker, permitting the chasing group to catch them within the final 200 metres.
It was time for Van der Poel to go
Most followers have been happy, however not all
Surprisingly second place went to Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Motels), who had an enormous battle with Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla). After the end the race jury declassed the Australian for his ‘swap’ to 1 aspect. Nils Politt (UAE Crew Emirates) was awarded third place.
The World champion simply saved placing time into the chasers
2024 Tour of Flanders winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “Hardest Tour of Flanders I’ve ridden. It was simply survival at the moment. For me it was the hardest Ronde I’ve ridden in these climate situations. These final twenty kilometres have been with our eyes closed. I used to be so devastated that I didn’t suppose a lot. I’ve to suppose once more about what occurred. The rain made the cobblestone climbs tough. The Koppenberg specifically was sliding and slipping all the way in which to the highest. Then I had created a pleasant hole, however with the wind it was nonetheless far. I rode as exhausting as I might, however on the finish I used to be approach off. The workforce rode improbable. I stated that they needed to maintain it collectively till the Koppenberg. I didn’t anticipate to be alone. Once I handed by way of the Kwaremont for the primary time, I didn’t have the appropriate feeling anymore, however I’m glad I discovered it once more. My season has already been a hit. I can’t take into consideration Roubaix but. I’m fully fucked proper now.”
The win we anticipated, however nonetheless a race full of pleasure
Ronde van Vlaanderen Outcome:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 6:05:17
2. Luca Mozzato (Ita) Arkéa-B&B Motels at 1:02
3. Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Crew Emirates
4. Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Crew Emirates
5. António Morgado (Por) UAE Crew Emirates
6. Magnus Sheffield (USA) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Oliver Naesen (Bel) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
8. Dylan Teuns (Bel) Israel-Premier Tech
9. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Schooling-EasyPost
10. Toms Skujiņš (Lat) Lidl-Trek.
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