World champion Mathieu van der Poel has impressively confirmed his position as favorite for the Tour of Flanders. The Dutchman won the spring classic in Belgium on Sunday in the rain for the third time after 2020 and 2022. The 29-year-old from the Alpecin team sat down with 45 kilometers to go on the Koppenberg cobblestones, which were particularly slippery due to the rain pursuers and achieved a dominant victory.
IMAGO/Photo News/Nico Vereecken
Van der Poel won the 108th edition of the Ronde, which was made even worse by rain in the last third, after 271 km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, 1:02 minutes ahead of surprise man Luca Mozzato (Arkea). The Italian won the sprint of the pursuers ahead of the German Nils Politt (UAE Emirates), who moved up to third place after the Australian Michael Matthews was disqualified.
Van der Poel’s Belgian arch-rival Wout van Aert was injured after his serious crash on Wednesday at Across Flanders.
