Tadej Pogacar Secures Third Record Victory in 110th Ronde van Vlaanderen

OUDENAARDE, Belgium — In a display of absolute dominance that has rewritten the history books of Flemish cycling, Tadej Pogacar claimed his third record victory at the 110th Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, April 5, 2026. The Slovenian world champion utilized the brutal gradients of the Oude Kwaremont to shatter the competition, leaving Mathieu van der Poel and debutant Remco Evenepoel to battle for the remaining podium spots.

The 278.2-kilometer odyssey, stretching from Antwerpen to Oudenaarde, served as a masterclass in tactical aggression and raw power. Pogacar, who has now won every race on his program since the World Championships in Rwanda last season, entered the race as the favorite and exited as one of the few riders in history to join the elite ranks of the monument’s record winners.

The Kwaremont: Where the Race Was Won

While the race featured numerous challenges, the Oude Kwaremont proved to be the definitive turning point. On the second passage of the climb, Pogacar launched a decisive assault that thinned the lead group and isolated his closest rivals. The sheer intensity of the effort was captured by Velon data, which revealed Pogacar pushing between 500 and 520 watts at a speed of 29 kilometers per hour during the ascent.

This surge effectively ended the hopes of Wout van Aert. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider, who finished fourth, admitted that his legs were not strong enough to follow the world champion on the Kwaremont. Van Aert’s race had already been complicated earlier when the finale opened unexpectedly on the Molenberg; he found himself slightly too far back in the positioning, a moment he described as crucial to his eventual result.

For those unfamiliar with the geography of “Vlaanderens Mooiste,” the Oude Kwaremont is a legendary cobbled climb known for its length and the psychological toll it takes on riders. When a rider of Pogacar’s caliber accelerates there, the gap often becomes insurmountable because the remaining distance provides little room for a coordinated chase.

A Podium of Titans

Despite the onslaught, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel managed to cling to the lead group as they headed toward the Paterberg. On that climb, Pogacar’s power spiked even further, reaching 550 watts. While Evenepoel experienced a precarious moment on the Paterberg, he demonstrated remarkable resilience to remain in contention.

The final sequence after the Kwaremontplein saw one last “power surge” from Pogacar. This final acceleration caused Van Aert to crack completely, while Van der Poel and Evenepoel managed to stay attached, though they could not match the Slovenian’s pace. Pogacar crossed the line alone, followed by Van der Poel in second and Evenepoel in third.

Evenepoel’s third-place finish is particularly noteworthy as it came during his debut in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Despite being dropped on the first passage of the Paterberg, the time-trial specialist fought back, closing a 20-second gap in the descent after the Koppenberg to stay within striking distance of the lead.

Van Aert’s Reflection on a Fourth-Place Finish

Wout van Aert, finishing fourth for the second consecutive year, expressed a mix of satisfaction and resignation. Speaking to Eurosport after the race, Van Aert noted that while he hoped for a better result, a fourth-place finish was “the highest achievable” given the form of the leaders.

“I was honestly a bit surprised that the finale was already opened on the Molenberg,” Van Aert said. “I was a bit too far back. I have to thank my teammates for putting me in an okay position at the foot, but it was a crucial moment.”

After breaking away from the lead group on the Kwaremont, Van Aert formed a duo with Mads Pedersen. The two worked together in an attempt to claw back time, but the gap to Pogacar, Van der Poel and Evenepoel remained too wide. Van Aert credited Pedersen for a “great ride” and a strong partnership, though he acknowledged that the result was out of their hands.

Historical Significance and the Merckx Comparison

Pogacar’s victory is not merely another win; it is a statistical anomaly. By winning both Sanremo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen in the same season, Pogacar has joined Eddy Merckx as the only rider to achieve this double. This feat cements his status as the current dominant force in professional cycling.

With this third victory, Pogacar enters the record books of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, matching the win totals of the race’s most storied champions. His ability to control the race from the front, combined with the raw wattage recorded on the climbs, suggests a level of performance that has left the rest of the peloton searching for answers.

As the cycling world looks ahead, the focus shifts to Paris-Roubaix. For riders like Van der Poel and Van Aert, the “Hell of the North” represents the next opportunity to break Pogacar’s winning streak. Given the current trajectory of the world champion, the peloton will be eager to see if any tactical adjustment can neutralize the power that defined this year’s trip to Oudenaarde.

Next Checkpoint: The professional peloton now prepares for Paris-Roubaix, where the battle for dominance over the cobbles continues.