Tadej Pogačar Dominates Tour of Flanders to Secure Record-Equaling Third Title

Tadej Pogačar delivered another masterclass on the cobbles of Belgium on Sunday, claiming a record-equaling third victory at the Tour of Flanders. The Slovenian powerhouse distanced his primary rival, Mathieu van der Poel, with a decisive solo attack to cross the finish line first in Oudenaarde, Belgium, on April 5, 2026.

The victory marks Pogačar’s 12th career Monument crown, positioning the 27-year-aged as the second-most successful rider in the history of cycling’s most prestigious one-day races, trailing only the legendary Eddy Merckx, who holds 19.

For Pogačar, the win is a continuation of a dominant spring. Having already secured a victory at Milan-San Remo last month, he now holds a perfect two-for-two record in this season’s top-tier classics.

The Decisive Move on Oude Kwaremont

The race’s outcome was largely decided with approximately 18 kilometers remaining. After a grueling day of attrition, Pogačar and Van der Poel had emerged as the strongest riders in the pack, riding together at the front. Though, the partnership ended abruptly on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, where Pogačar launched a blistering attack that Van der Poel simply could not match.

The aggression from Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad was evident early in the race. With just over 100km to move, the team ignited the action on the Molenberg, a move that effectively shattered the main peloton and pulled only the 16 strongest riders to the front.

This tactical pressure set the stage for Pogačar’s eventual solo effort, leaving Van der Poel to play second fiddle in a race he had hoped would bring him a record fourth victory.

Van der Poel’s Power Struggle

Mathieu van der Poel, riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech, was candid about the gap in strength during the closing stages of the race. In a rare admission of specific performance metrics, the Dutch three-time winner revealed that even pushing 650 watts was not enough to maintain contact with Pogačar’s wheel during the winning move.

“I was riding 650 watts and still couldn’t follow his wheel,” Van der Poel said after finishing second. “At a certain point, cycling becomes very simple. I did everything I had to do, but there was someone stronger. There was nothing I could do about it.”

Van der Poel’s frustration highlighted the current level of Pogačar’s domination, as the World Champion turned the final kilometers into a solo exhibition across the Flemish landscape.

Legal Trouble at the Railway Crossing

Despite the celebratory atmosphere of the win, Pogačar faces potential legal repercussions following a controversial incident during the race. The Slovenian was among a group of riders who reportedly ran a red light at a railway crossing.

Although the main peloton stopped as required, Pogačar and several chasers crossed the tracks in an attempt to catch a leading group, ignoring warning signals and the risk of an oncoming train. Pogačar defended the action, claiming the riders were alerted to the light too late to stop safely.

“Suddenly, three guys jumped in the middle of the road and started waving to stop. How can you stop in one second,” Pogačar stated. “I was thinking maybe it’s some protesters or something crazy is going on.”

The East Flanders public prosecutor’s office has announced it will pursue the offenders for breaching road safety rules, noting that a report will be filed once the riders are identified.

Women’s Race: Vollering Triumphs

The women’s Tour of Flanders similarly saw a dominant performance, with the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering taking the victory in Oudenaarde. Vollering crossed the line first, beating out France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who finished second, and fellow Dutch rider Puck Pieterse, who took third place.

With this victory, Pogačar continues to rewrite the record books, proving himself an almost unbeatable force on the cobbles. The cycling world now looks toward the remaining spring classics to see if any rider can disrupt the Slovenian’s momentum.

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