- Tour victor Pogacar clinches the 109th Flanders Race
Forget about the 2021 Tour of Flanders mishap—this year, Slovenian powerhouse Tadej Pogacar rewrote history by securing his second victory at the 111th Tour of Flanders. Crushing the competition, Pogacar left the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel trailing, averting van der Poel from becoming the event's record holder with his fourth win.
The 269-kilometer race from Bruges to Oudenaarde was a spectacle, with Pogacar completing the grueling course in an astounding 6 hours, 1 minute, and 5 seconds. Taking the runner-up spot was Denmark's Mads Pedersen, while Pogacar's rival, van der Poel, finished third. Notably, no German rider could crack the top ten.
Pogacar's game-changing move came 19 kilometers from the finish line at the Oude Kwaremont, where he built an insurmountable lead and never looked back. This victory served as retaliation after his bitter defeat to van der Poel in the Milan-Sanremo race earlier in the year.
Race Ravaged by Mass Collision
Approximately 130 kilometers from the finish, disaster struck as a high-speed collision involving twelve riders tore through the peloton. Among those caught up in the chaos was John Degenkolb of Germany, who was forced to abandon the race. Though van der Poel and van Aert managed to carry on, they certainly felt the sting of the crash.
Next Sunday, Pogacar and van der Poel square off once again at the cobblestone classic Paris-Roubaix, where Pogacar will make his debut.
- Tadej Pogacar
- Cycling
- Flanders
- Poel
- John Degenkolb
- Slovenia
- Bruges
Pogacar's Previous Tour of Flanders Triumphs
- 2023 Tour of Flanders: Pogacar made an entrance to the cycling world’s limelight by dominating the iconic cobbled climbs and claiming his inaugural Tour of Flanders title.
- 2025 Tour of Flanders: Pogacar hadn't simply dominated the competition; he had annihilated it, setting records on critical climbs like the Koppenberg, cementing his legacy in cycling history.
The Aftermath of Pogacar's Wins
- The Competitive Arena: Pogacar's unparalleled victories have heightened the competitive stakes, putting pressure on rivals such as Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert to step up their game.
- Tactical Evolution: Pogacar's success demonstrates the importance of adaptability and courageous, solo moves. His strategies have set the stage for new racing tactics that blend team cooperation and individual brilliance.
- Cycling Icons in the Making: Pogacar has earned a place among cycling’s pantheon of greats with these wins, challenging the legendary players before him[3][5]. The anticipation for his subsequent exploits in other revered races like Paris-Roubaix[2][5] is palpable.
- Tadej Pogacar's second victory at the 111th Tour of Flanders is a testament to his resilience, after his mishap in the 2021 edition.
- In the 2023 Tour of Flanders, Pogacar dominantly claimed his first title, showcasing his prowess on the iconic cobbled climbs.
- John Degenkolb, a German rider, was affected by the mass collision that occurred approximately 130 kilometers from the finish line of the 2023 Tour of Flanders.
