Tour of Flanders

The race appeared to have escaped the big three of Pogačar, Van der Poel and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) after a group of 10 riders opened a 3-muinute gap after ...

With Pogačar and Van Aert both represented out in front, the onus was initially on Van der Poel to marshal a chase, even though he had already lost a sizeable part of his teammates following their tough start. But he had the speed to hold off the tired chasers. On the following Wolvenberg, with 114km still to race, Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) went on the attack in a bid to outflank the Big Three, drawing an interesting group with him. The effort did nothing to knock the Big Three off their stride, but the ensuing split did condemn Van der Poel and Alaphilippe to another stint of chasing. By the time Küng et al caught the break on Berg Ten Houte with 77kmkm to go, they had two minutes in hand over a peloton living an uneasy truce ahead of the grand finale. Shortly afterwards, the commissaires announced the disqualification of Maciejuk, but it was scant consolation for Turner, Sagan and Wellens, who were forced to abandon the race. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), third a year ago, was forced to abandon due to illness, while a crash in the peloton forced another split, with Pogačar now forced to chase back on. This time out, the most raucous cheers on the Grote Markt were for the Big Three of Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogačar and defending champion Mathieu van der Poel. Then it’s pure power to the top and it’s long. “I knew I had to go solo on the last time up the Kwaremont. The Slovenian time trialed to the finish, extending his lead into a headwind. However Pogačar inspired a comeback and determined chase and then surged past last attacker Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) on the final time up the Oude Kwaremont.

Filip Maciejuk apologised, saying the move was "a big error in my judgement"

Sorry again to the peloton, my teammates and the fans." All I can do now is apologise for my mistake and learn from this in the future. This should not happen and was a big error in my judgement.

The majority of the peloton was wiped out in a horror crash at the Tour of Flanders after a rider hit a puddle and veered into his rivals.

All I can do now is apologise for my mistake and learn from this in the future. I hope all those involved are in good health and safe. “That is bad.

The Slovenian becomes the third man to complete Tour de France-Tour of Flanders double, and just the second racer after legendary Eddy Merckx to win three ...

Tadej Pogačar won the men's race at the Tour of Flanders in a thrilling race between the greats of cycling.

After another crash for the peloton, though, the SD Worx team started making moves towards the front of the race in order to protect their riders and start to lead the race. Meanwhile, SD Worx, Trek Segafredo and UAE all sent riders up the road to chase the leaders. With 55 kilometers to go, attacks began to bring the big three—Van der Poel, Van Aert or Pogačar—back to the front of the race. Ahead of them, the lead group of 11 worked hard to maintain their lead on the three superpowers of cycling, with Neilson Powless, one of the few Americans in the race, in the mix in the lead group. As usual, with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the mix, those were the riders to watch, but there were quite a few other contenders on the start line. But similar to the men’s race, a big crash as riders came into Oudenaarde took out quite a few riders in the main peloton. By 77 kilometers to go, the chase group made contact with the breakaway, creating a 19-rider strong lead group, nearly two minutes ahead of the peloton containing many of the race favorites. Meanwhile, the crashes allowed a group of eight to continue to grow their advantage in a breakaway. At 70 kilometers into the race, a crash took out several riders and split the newly-reformed peloton—but that wouldn’t be the only crash of the day. At 140 kilometers to go, a huge crash in the peloton took out many riders including Peter Sagan—racing his last Tour of Flanders before his upcoming retirement—and Tim Wellens. At 273.4 kilometers with six cobble segments and 19 climbs, the men’s Tour of Flanders—the second Monument race of the season—runs from Brugge to Oudenaarde in Belgium. The race was marred by many crashes, and the racing was some of the most exciting we’ve seen all season.

Updates from the men's and women's Tour of Flanders as Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogocar line up, while two-time champion Annemiek van ...

Men's race - 145km to go: It took forever for the breakaway to form, but now it has the seven men up front have a lead approaching five minutes. The group ahead, which contains the other favourites, has a lead of more than 30 seconds and has the firepower to power away from Van der Poel's group. Men's race - 99km to go: A strong-looking group of nine has clipped off the front after the ascent of the Molenberg. Men's race - 105km to go: the peloton have chalked off two minutes of the breakaway's lead, and the action behind is hotting up. The pair have bridged across to the break of five, ensuring that Soudal-QuickStep have presence in the breakaway. Meanwhile, the break of seven continue to enjoy a lead in excess of five minutes. Men's race - 89km to go: This 11-strong group led by Mads Pedersen now has a minute's lead over the peloton, and is closing in on the breakaway up ahead. Men's race - 113km to go: Today's race has developed into a crash-fest. Women's race - 20km to go: Kopecky and Persico continue with a lead of 25 seconds, and behind the chase group has regrouped. Men's race - 71km to go: Another crash brings down Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) and Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious), while the peloton is now led by Jumbo-Visma. Van der Poel is chasing hard after the UAE-Team Emirates rider, but it was going to require a huge collapse from Pogačar on the Paterberg to give van der Poel a chance of the win in Oudenaarde. Women's race - 28km to go: Kopecky flies up the Kruisberg and only Persico is able to keep pace.

Pogačar drops Van der Poel to become first Tour de France winner since Eddy Merckx to win Flanders. Mads Pedersen hits third.

Van der Poel was initially caught out when the bunch split in a crosswind sector and the speed ramped up. The main group tried to regroup on the first passage over the Oude Kwaremont as an eight-man leading group widened its lead to north of 5 minutes. Pedersen jumped out of the front group on the Kruisberg to carve a promising gap. Digging deep to bridge across was Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) and Benoit Cosnefroy (Ag2r-Citroën), and the race dynamic quickly changed. The gap was down to one minute, and everything was up for grabs. He lost control and swept right straight into the middle of the peloton. Asgreen led the front group over the Paterberg, with Pogačar doggedly pushing on alone about 15 seconds ahead of Van Aert, Laporte, Van der Poel and Pidcock chasing onto the Paterberg. Trentin continued to chug along in the leading group as Jorgenson and Powless hung tough. It was a time trial all the way to Oudenaarde. With Pedersen dangling off the front, two of the “big three” were caught the leaders heading onto Oude Kwaremont with everything in play. Behind them, a searing attack from Van der Poel at Kuisberg was answered by Pogačar, but Van Aert — riding with a bloody knee — could not match the pace. [Download the app](https://outsideapp.onelink.me/wOhi/6wh1kbvw).

Tadej Pogacar won the Tour of Flanders on Sunday with a searing solo attack in the final 20km on the 274km one-day race.

"Milan-SanRemo looks like the hardest to go and get, and I might need to put on some weight to win (Paris) Roubaix," he said of the remaining two. Pogacar's soaring triumph makes him the first man since the great Eddy Merckx to win both the Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders (1969, 1975). Oudenaarde (Belgium) (AFP) – Tadej Pogacar won the Tour of Flanders on Sunday with a searing solo attack in the final 20km on the 274km one-day race.

After being outsprinted in 2022, Pogacar looked to win the race on the cobbled climbs as he first distanced Wout van Aert, and then Van der Poel.

While Pogacar will sit out Easter Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, the likes of Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pedersen will do battle again over the cobblestones of Northern France in the Hell of the North next weekend. It was on this same climb that Van der Poel put in a powerful unseated surge to snap Van Aert’s elastic and push Pogacar to the extreme of his limits. His focus will now switch to the Ardennes ahead of his bid to win a third Tour de France in July. But Pogacar used his supreme time trialling ability to hold the Dutchman at bay and ensure there was no repeat scenario of last year’s race on the home straight. After sitting up over the summit, he was joined by the in-form Jumbo-Visma duo of Van Aert and Christophe Laporte, as well as Van der Poel and Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers). Having dropped Van der Poel, he picked off the other escapees and then swept past Pedersen to open up a small but telling gap over the summit. They were later joined by Benoit Cosnefroy (Ag2R-Citroen) and Matteo Jordenson (Movistar) after the duo kicked clear on the climb of Berendries. Maciejuk promptly took to social media to apologise for causing the high-speed crash, which resulted in scores of riders hitting the deck and notably ended the race of the Belgian Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates). While the 23-year-old was able to stay up on two wheels, dozens of riders were not so lucky as carnage ensued in his wake. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) held off a late surge from Belgium’s Van Aert to secure the final spot on the podium after a strong chase group came home in Oudenaarde over a minute behind. The 107th edition was also the fastest with Pogacar coming home to complete the 273.4km course in an whopping average speed of 44.1kmph. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) wrote the next scintillating chapter in his illustrious career with a remarkable solo victory in the fastest Tour of Flanders ever raced.

All the action across the famed Koppenberg, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg into Oudenaarde.

The crowds are waiting for her as she can cruise over the line to take her second Tour of Flanders. No one could live with the SD Worx rider including her team full of other stars in Marlen Reusser, Lorena Wiebes and Demi Vollering. Kopecky has put on an absolute masterclass today to win her second Tour of Flanders. Labous is the latest attacker with just over 5km to go. Persico has been swallowed up by the chasers with Van Anrooij looking the strongest of the rest. Reusser is driving the trio out front with Persico sat in on the back. Longo Borghini is keeping the pressure on despite her recent bout of illness. It's what we expected, SD Worx are leading the race with the trio of Reusser, Wiebes and Kopecky. Lippert is having a nightmare with her chain after looking string at the foot of the climb. Only Reusser and Persico were able to stay on their bikes over the climb. AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step are still in a great position with Wollaston now 40 seconds ahead and onto the foot of the Berendries. She's hit the bottom of the Wolvenberg alone which tops out at 17.3% gradient.

A number of riders were left injured in the crash. Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies), the 2016 champion, was forced to abandon early in what was his final Tour of ...

"I’m really sorry for my mistake and causing the crash today," Maciejuk said in a statement. Fellow contender Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) gritted his teeth to fight the pain as he waited for mechanical service, and he was later able to chase back on. Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. A number of riders were left injured in the crash. Maciejuk was seen moving up along the side of the road with 140 km to race. [Wout van Aert ](https://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/wout-van-aert/)(Jumbo-Visma) was among the riders to hit the deck, although he quickly remounted and rejoined the peloton.

Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar jokes that he can now retire happy from cycling after winning the Tour of Flanders classic for the first time ...

"Toughen my hands for the cobbles." I arrived there in good shape this year," said Pogacar, who won the Paris-Nice stage race this year. "I can be super happy and proud." Sunday's cold and humid weather contributed to several crashes. He is uncertain whether he is bulky enough to take on Roubaix, which is known as "L'Enfer du Nord" (The Hell of the North). The 24-year-old Slovenian Pogacar clinched his victory on Sunday with a superb solo attack to add Flanders -- one of the five 'Monument races' in one-day cycling -- to his glittering list of wins.

The Slovenian's fourth Monument victory came after an attack for the ages on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont.

Behind his brilliance, Van der Poel was left with second place, Wout van Aert and Jumbo Visma the big losers on the day, an early crash, dropped on the Kruisberg and never within touching distance of Pogačar nor his great rival. The two joined the chase group while Jumbo Visma's Van Hooydonck dropped back to aid his leader's chase. Those were the words of Tadej Pogačar this week ahead of the Tour of Flanders, a race he did come to the finish alone in and a race he did indeed also win, not bad for a man who was still

The Bahrain-Victorious rider Filip Maciejuk has issued an apology for causing a huge crash at the Tour of Flanders that led to both Peter Sagan and Tim ...

and won't be the last He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels. He joined Bahrain-Victorious and the WorldTour tanks last year. Sorry again to the peloton, my teammates and the fans.” Both were OK to continue in the race, but Wellens of UAE-Team Emirates and Sagan of TotalEnergies were unable to.

Filip Maciejuk (Bahrain-Victorious) had a Tour of Flanders to forget, disqualified from the race after he caused a massive crash in the peloton which saw ...

The crash was the biggest out of many in what was the fastest edition of the 273.4 kilometre classic, as multiple riders were brought down in another fall with 71 kilometres to go including Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) who was rushed to hospital in the aftermath. But the road narrowed as he tried to do so, and Maciejuk was forced to ride into a puddle on the ensuing grass section, causing him to lose control of his bike and veer directly into a UAE Team Emirates rider at the front of the peloton. The 23-year-old found himself out from the peloton on the left-hand side of the road with 140 kilometres to go in the race as he tried to use the extra width to move up in position.

Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are among the riders to heap praise on Tadej Pogacar after the UAE Team Emirates star claimed an impressive victory ...

On missing the podium, van Aert added: “I was a bit surprised by Mathieu van der Poel’s bomb. “But the legs have spoken. “Nathan van Hooydonck was part of a dangerous group, and we didn’t have to ride in the front or the back. I came to win, but it wasn’t meant to be.” “I have ridden the Tour of Flanders five times now but have never experienced this. He was also very impressive on the second time (on) Oude Kwaremont.

No injuries for World Champion after she loses opportunity to take third victory in Oudenaarde, in top form for Ardennes.

Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. However, Van Vleuten's chain was dislodged so she also had to delay for a bike change and crested the Koppenberg almost two minutes behind the front group. Van Vleuten had come into the Belgian race with the form to compete for victory and had she achieved it would have been the first woman ever to have won the Tour of Flanders three times. “I did my best 60-minute power numbers ever, but that’s not much use if you’re not in the front. Two of my teammates waited for me, but the race was over, really. “I was well-positioned in the train of Trek-Segafredo but I got off the road into the gutter and fell.

The UAE Team Emirates rider had smashed the Oude Kwaremont KOM, setting the fastest time by 11 seconds.

A little over six hours later he joined the club... The 24-year-old's decisive attack on the final ascent of the Kwaremont was also the fifth fastest time ever set, not bad for someone with a KOM and nearly 260km already in the legs. [activity](https://www.strava.com/activities/8821189932) to the ride-sharing app for us to stare longingly in disbelief at the stats, the most eye-catching of which was his second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, the one that distanced the entire peloton and had Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert scrambling, and saw him become the first man to go sub-four minutes up the 2.15km segment.