Pogačar Dominates Tour of Flanders, Securing Third Victory and 12th Career Monument

In a clinical display of power and timing, Tadej Pogačar has claimed his third Tour of Flanders title, further cementing his status as one of the most versatile riders in the history of professional cycling. Reports indicate that the Slovenian star secured the victory after a decisive attack that left his primary rival, Mathieu van der Poel, unable to respond in the closing stages of the race.

The victory marks a significant milestone for Pogačar, who reportedly reaches a total of 12 monuments in his career. In cycling, a “Monument” refers to one of the five longest, oldest, and most prestigious one-day classics—the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Lombardy, and the Tour of Flanders. Winning 12 of these events places Pogačar in an elite tier of riders who can master the grueling terrain and tactical volatility of the sport’s most historic races.

The Decisive Move

The race reached its boiling point 18 kilometers from the finish line. According to initial accounts, Pogačar launched a searing attack that effectively broke the resistance of the lead group. Van der Poel, riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech, was the last man capable of matching the pace, but he was eventually dropped as Pogačar accelerated away to secure the win.

For those unfamiliar with the dynamics of the Tour of Flanders, the final 20 kilometers are often a game of high-stakes poker. Riders must balance the effort of climbing steep, cobbled hills with the necessitate to save enough energy for a final sprint or a long-range solo effort. Pogačar’s decision to strike with 18 kilometers remaining was a bold tactical gamble that paid off, stripping the race of its suspense and leaving his competitors to fight for the remaining podium spots.

A Perfect Start to the Season

This triumph is not an isolated flash of brilliance but part of a dominant streak. Pogačar has reportedly won three consecutive races since the start of the season, maintaining a 100% success rate in his early 2026 campaign. This level of form suggests a rider at the absolute peak of his physical and mental powers, entering the peak of the spring classics season with an aura of invincibility.

The ability to maintain such a streak across different types of terrain—from the undulating hills of Flanders to other early-season tests—highlights the tactical depth and recovery capacity Pogačar has developed over the last few years.

The Rivalry: Pogačar vs. Van der Poel

The battle for the Tour of Flanders has increasingly become a duel between Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. Known as “The Flying Dutchman,” van der Poel is a specialist in the classics and has a storied history with this specific race. Records from ProCyclingStats confirm that van der Poel has previously won the Tour of Flanders three times, in 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Van der Poel’s pedigree in the cobblestone classics is immense. Beyond his Flanders success, he has secured three wins at Paris-Roubaix (2023, 2024, 2025) and has shown incredible consistency in the 2026 season, recently winning both the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Classic. However, in this particular encounter, the Slovenian’s explosive acceleration proved too much for the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider to overcome.

This rivalry represents a clash of styles: van der Poel’s raw power and cyclo-cross background against Pogačar’s climbing efficiency and relentless engine. Whereas van der Poel remains a formidable force in the gravel and road disciplines, Pogačar’s ability to drop the world’s best specialists on their own turf signals a shift in the hierarchy of the spring classics.

By the Numbers: A Historic Campaign

While the full official statistics for the 2026 season are still being compiled, the current trajectory of Pogačar’s career is staggering. To reach 12 monuments requires a level of consistency and longevity that few riders in the history of the sport have achieved.

• 3: The number of Tour of Flanders titles now held by Pogačar.
• 12: The reported total number of monuments won by Pogačar in his career.
• 3-for-3: Pogačar’s win-loss record in races since the start of the current season.
• 18km: The distance from the finish line where Pogačar made his winning move.

What This Means for the Season

Pogačar’s victory in Flanders does more than just add a trophy to his cabinet; it sends a psychological message to the rest of the peloton. By defeating a rider of van der Poel’s caliber in a race that the Dutchman has mastered in the past, Pogačar has established himself as the man to beat for the remainder of the spring.

The focus now shifts to how the other top teams will attempt to neutralize Pogačar. In professional cycling, a rider in this kind of form often forces rivals to change their tactics, moving away from individual attacks and toward collective efforts to isolate the leader. Whether the peloton can coordinate a defense against the Slovenian’s aggression will be the primary storyline of the coming weeks.

For van der Poel, the loss is a setback, but not a crisis. His recent wins in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and E3 Saxo Classic prove he is still operating at a world-class level. The rivalry between the two remains the most compelling narrative in the sport, promising high-drama encounters in every race they both enter.

The next confirmed checkpoint for the cycling world will be the official post-race analysis and the upcoming schedule of the remaining spring classics. We will continue to monitor the official UCI updates for final standings and performance data.

Do you think Pogačar is now the greatest classics rider of all time, or does van der Poel still hold the edge on the cobbles? Let us know in the comments.