Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took a record-equalling victory on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, becoming a member of an unique membership of riders who’ve gained the race thrice.
The world champion launched his successful transfer on the Koppenberg, the twelfth of 17 rain-soaked hellingen climbs, with 45km to go. There, as his opponents unclipped and scaled the 20% slope by foot, the Dutchman sailed clear.
He then soloed over the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg, on to the road in Oudenaarde. Over a minute later, Luca Mozzato (Arkéa – B&B Resorts) pipped Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) to second in a photograph end. The Australian was then relegated, with Nils Politt (UAE Group Emirates) rounding out the rostrum.
Solely seven males in historical past have gained the Tour of Flanders thrice, amongst them Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara and Johan Museeuw.
Van der Poel’s victory got here within the absence of his career-long rival, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), who suffered “a number of fractures” in a crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday and pulled out of the Monument.
The way it occurred
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
One of many greatest races within the calendar, assaults for the victory began from 100km to go. The primary significant transfer got here courtesy of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who accelerated on the 400m-long Molenberg, agitating the bunch, and pulling away a choose group of the race favourites, save for Van der Poel, who bided his time within the group behind.
When the Dutchman zipped throughout the hole 10km later, Pedersen attacked once more off the entrance. Van der Poel wouldn’t earn his third win simply, it turned clear. His Alpecin-Deceuninck team-mate Gianni Vermeersch adopted Pedersen to police the transfer.
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With 55km to go, on the second of three ascents of the Oude Kwaremont, Van der Poel caught and handed the main duo. Would he go solo? Not simply but. The group reassembled a couple of kilometres later, and scaled the Paterberg as one.
Ivan García Cortina (Movistar) led onto the Koppenberg, the steepest of the hellingen within the race, however fell sufferer to a mechanical and stepped off onto the cobbles.
Because the Spaniard tinkered frantically along with his bike, Van der Poel flew over his shoulder. One bike size, two bike lengths. The hole to his rivals behind grew on the slippery, double-figure gradients. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) chased, whereas virtually each different rider unclipped and walked up the cobbles. A peculiar sight, befitting of the sportive held the day earlier than, however telling of the problem of the pitch.
For the six-time cyclo-cross world champion, the Koppenberg was mild work. His seven-second benefit to Jorgenson stretched out on the descent. Inside moments, he was virtually two minutes clear, and cruising over the well-known finale pairing of the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg.
With the end line in sight, Van der Poel slowed to freewheel and soak within the second. He then lifted his bike above his head, a Belgian-born Dutchman, triumphant in Flanders as soon as once more.
“It is one of many hardest races I’ve ever carried out,” Van der Poel stated afterwards. It was additionally one in every of his most spectacular victories.
Outcomes
Tour of Flanders 2024: Antwerp > Oudenaarde (270.8km)
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck, in 6-05-17
2. Luca Mozzato (Ita) Arkéa – B&B Resorts, +1-02
3. Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Group Emirates
4. Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Group Emirates
5. António Morgado (Por) UAE Group 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 Training-EasyPost
10. Toms Skujiņš (Lat) Lidl-Trek, all at identical time
