The difficult circumstances, the abnormal time and the great uncertainty beforehand, it all contributed to the experience of the 104th Tour of Flanders. But fair is fair, every sports fan also enjoyed the sporting rivalry between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Personal rivalry often gives top sport that little bit more. Wouter Vandenhaute remarked both for the fans and for the top athletes involved. “Last year, Van der Poel was clearly better. This year Van Aert has a farming year and Mathieu is slightly less. That is going to play in the head.”
“Take Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters as examples. First there was Clijsters, then Henin came, then they were worth each other and at a certain point Henin started to win grand slam tournaments and it suddenly seemed as if Clijsters was not such a top tennis star at all. Then Henin stopped. and Clijsters started to win grand slams. “
“That’s how it goes when you have two great champions who are in each other’s waters all the time. That makes it fun and exciting, but that is also in the head of the top athletes.”
Van Aert took a lead over Van der Poel after the corona break with victories in the Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo and the Tour. Van der Poel responded with his victory on Sunday. So we can look at Van Aert again in the future.
“They are two very large engines and both have a very good head. For the rivalry between the two, it is indeed the best that Van der Poel has won.”
“But everyone has forgotten exactly that Van der Poel could already have won the Tour last year. Whether he was the best this year, I don’t dare to put my hand in it, but last year he was certainly the best.”
