All articles tagged with #tour of flanders
Mathieu van der Poel, the favorite to win the Amstel Gold Race, was unable to replicate his recent winning performances, ultimately losing the race despite a remarkable comeback in the final lap.
Matteo Jorgenson of Visma-Lease a Bike expresses pride in the team's effort at the Tour of Flanders, despite being outpaced by Mathieu van der Poel who claimed his third victory. Jorgenson, who won Dwars door Vlaanderen and Paris-Nice this season, describes the race as the hardest he's ever done. His teammate Tiesj Benoot fought back into contention for a podium spot but a late mechanical issue ruined his chances. Jorgenson is set to race Paris-Roubaix next week, while Benoot will skip the event.
The 2024 Tour of Flanders was marked by the treacherous Koppenberg cobblestone sector, where Mathieu van der Poel made a race-winning move while his rivals struggled, emphasizing the climb's notorious reputation as a decisive point in the event.
Matteo Jorgenson of Team Visma-Lease a Bike was unable to keep up with Mathieu van der Poel during the Tour of Flanders, as the Dutchman's powerful attack on the Koppenberg left Jorgenson behind. Despite Jorgenson's valiant effort, Van der Poel went on to claim his third Tour of Flanders victory.
Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck secured a remarkable solo victory at the 2024 Tour of Flanders, breaking away from the field with 45km remaining and finishing with a winning margin of 1:02.
In the Tour of Flanders, a lead group of about 20 riders is formed, with Mathieu van der Poel and a few others leading the charge. Mads Pedersen makes an early attack, while Alpecin-Deceninck controls the peloton. The race is marked by crashes, mechanical issues, and strategic positioning as the riders tackle cobbled sectors and climbs, with the break's lead diminishing as the pace increases.
Tiesj Benoot blames himself for a crash that ended Wout van Aert's Tour of Flanders dream, as Van Aert suffered a broken collarbone, ruling him out of the race. Benoot, feeling responsible, explained that he may have caused the incident by accelerating and feeling a bump against his rear wheel. Despite the victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen, the team's focus shifted to the significant blow of losing Van Aert, who had been Benoot's training partner and close friend.
Wout van Aert suffered a high-speed crash during the Dwars door Vlaanderen race, casting doubt on his participation in the upcoming Tour of Flanders. The crash also affected other riders, including Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, and Biniam Girmay. Van Aert was visibly injured and had to abandon the race, as did Stuyven and Girmay. The incident is expected to impact the Tour of Flanders, with several contenders now facing uncertainty about their participation due to injuries sustained in the crash.
The UCI is considering further disciplinary action against Bahrain Victorious rider Filip Maciejuk after he caused a massive crash during the Tour of Flanders. The UCI is also investigating DSM's use of a controversial team tactic during the race. The UCI coordinator, Peter Van Den Abeele, emphasized the importance of road safety and stated that further measures could follow, including suspension and/or additional fines. The use of gutters, footpaths, and bike paths to gain an advantage in races has been a negative trend, and the UCI wants to set an example and send a signal to the riders that everyone is responsible for safety.
The 107th Tour of Flanders was a race for the ages, with Tadej Pogačar inching closer to Eddy Merckx, a terrible pile-up, and Wout van Aert's cobblestone quest remaining unrewarded. Mathieu van der Poel finished second, making it his 11th top-10 finish in a monument race. Pogačar's Strava file was flagged, but his sweep of "King of the Mountain" achievements was later unlocked. The first 98km of the race took just two hours, with Iván Romeo averaging nearly 400W for more than two hours. Mads Pedersen delivered one of the rides of the day, finishing third.
Tadej Pogacar's win at the Tour of Flanders was historic, as he dropped Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert to become the deserving winner of the race. Pogacar made the race harder by accelerating from the bottom to the top of every key climb, turning it into a watts-per-kilo game. Jumbo-Visma was the best team, but Wout van Aert could not finish it off. Mads Pedersen deserved to be on the podium for his daring and trying, while DSM's slow move on the Kortekeer and then sprinting did not pay off.
Eddy Merckx, one of the greatest cyclists of all time, has praised Tadej Pogačar's victory at the Tour of Flanders, saying that the Slovenian rider can win everything. Merckx also had praise for Mathieu van der Poel and Neilson Powless, but criticized DSM's strategy and Wout van Aert's performance. Merckx believes that Pogačar can win all five Monuments in his career and repeat his victory in Flanders in the years to come.
Tadej Pogačar, the two-time Tour de France champion, has won the Tour of Flanders, making him the first rider since Eddy Merckx to hold both titles. Pogačar is now seen as the best-placed racer in a decade to complete the elusive sweep of wins at Milan San-Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Il Lombardia. However, Pogačar has said that he will leave Paris-Roubaix for the next few years, as it is a totally different pain and suffering on those cobbles.
Wout van Aert finished fourth in the Tour of Flanders, beaten to the final step of the podium in the sprint by Mads Pedersen. Van Aert was the local favourite for the race, but he was the first of the Big Three to blink in the finale, floored by a jab from his old sparring Van der Poel on the Kruisberg. When the Dutchman and the eventual winner Pogačar disappeared from view, Van Aert was condemned to his solitary but very public pursuit.
Tadej Pogačar won the Tour of Flanders in a stunning day of racing, becoming the first Tour de France winner to win Flanders since Eddy Merckx and only the third in cycling history. Pogačar attacked relentlessly in the action-packed final hour of a crash-marred, tightly wound edition that saw Neilson Powless and Matteo Jorgenson both ride deep into the finale. Mathieu van der Poel finished second, while Mads Pedersen fended off Wout van Aert for third.