PROFESSIONALS | 30/03/2022 | 17:05
by Luca Galimberti
It’s a Mathieu Van der Poel in Flanders format the one that puts his seal on Dwars door Vlaanderen. The captain of Alpecin Fenix was a great protagonist of the race and in the final he scored the winning shot, preceding in order the Belgian Tiesj Benoot and the British Tom Pidcock.
The Dutch champion repeated his success in 2019 by attacking two kilometers from the finish with Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma) and then jumping the Belgian on the final straight.
THE RACE – At the start of this “appetizer” of the Tour of Flanders, 166 of the 171 entrants show up (Milan from Friuli is also among the non-parties). The first twenty kilometers slips away without jolts (several runners also slide to the ground in the opening stages), then, uAbout forty kilometers after the start, the escape is born promoted by Nils Politt (BORA – hansgrohe), Johan Jacobs (Movistar Team), Kelland O’Brien (Team BikeExchange – Jayco), Aaron Verwilst (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise) and Mathijs Paasschens (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB). The forwards come to have a maximum advantage of 5 minutes and behind them are the men of Alpecin Fenix and UAE Team Emirates working to not allow too much room for action.
Ninety kilometers from the finish, a shot by Mathieu Van der Poel select the group and turn on the ride. Shots and counter-shots follow one another, the fugitives lose ground and the best fight each other. Thomas Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers), Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers), Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal), Stephan Kung (Groupama – FDJ) and set out to hunt for treads.
Also comes out of the platoon all alone Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in an attempt to “get on the train” of Van der Poel, the Slovenian approaches but fails to recover his pursuers. He then decides not to waste energy and lets the group recover.
47 kilometers from the final line the Van der Poel squad reaches the first attackers of the day from which the exhausted Aaron Verwilst (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise), Mathijs Paasschens (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) and Johan Jacobs (Movistar Team) soon break away. Now the leading group is reduced to eight with a trio composed of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Jan Tratnik (Bahrain – Victorious) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama – FDJ) to follow.
The two Slovenians and the Frenchman are unable to reach the head of the race where, in the last kilometers, he begins – once again – the brawl: Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) tempts us several times, Kung imitates him. Nothing to do. He seeks glory Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Van der Poel reaches him and thunders him by taking the thirty-seventh career victory.
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ORDER OF ARRIVAL
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix)
2. Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma)
Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers)
4. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal)
5. Nils Politt (BORA-hansgrohe)
6. Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)
7. Kelland O’Brien (Team BikeExchange-Jayco)
8. Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers)
9. Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious)
10. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
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