Tadej Pogačar has achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the Tour of Flanders for the third time, equaling the record for the most victories in this prestigious one-day race. The event was notably impacted when a train passed through a level crossing, causing a split in the men’s peloton.
Race officials instructed the leading group of approximately 20 riders to slow down to allow the main pack to catch up, setting the stage for an exciting showdown between Pogačar and his formidable rival, Mathieu van der Poel. In previous years, cyclists have faced disqualification for crossing level crossings when the lights were red, and there are indications that some riders may face fines for their actions during this incident.
Pogačar, representing UAE Team Emirates-XRG, demonstrated exceptional skill and strategy as he navigated the race following the train’s disruption. He managed to stay ahead while others, including van der Poel and Wout van Aert, were halted at the crossing, allowing him to join a select group of leaders and further establish his legacy as one of only eight riders to win this historic race three times in its 113-year existence.
The Tour of Flanders, known as De Ronde, is one of cycling’s elite “monuments,” joining the ranks of other prestigious one-day races such as Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Giro di Lombardia.
After regrouping, Pogačar and van der Poel surged ahead, distancing themselves from the remaining competitors with about 18 kilometers to go. Pogačar made his decisive attack on the Oude Kwaremont, a key climb where he had previously secured victory. This time, however, van der Poel managed to stay close, limiting the gap at the summit to just a few seconds.
Despite van der Poel’s efforts to close the distance, Pogačar continued to widen his lead on the challenging Paterberg, a steep cobbled ascent. Van der Poel, a three-time winner himself, fell back by 15 seconds at the top and ultimately finished 34 seconds after Pogačar, who is also a four-time Tour de France champion.
Pogačar reflected on the race, stating, “It was really a crazy race today. It was super hard and then a bit of a waiting game.” In his debut at the Tour of Flanders, Remco Evenepoel secured third place, finishing 1 minute and 11 seconds behind Pogačar, followed by van Aert, who came in 53 seconds later.
In the women’s category, Demi Vollering claimed victory for the first time, following a strong performance on the Oude Kwaremont that saw her finish 42 seconds ahead of Tour de France champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Puck Pieterse rounded out the podium.
Among Australian participants, Ruby Roseman-Gannon was the highest finisher, completing the race alongside teammate Mackenzie Coupland, who finished 6 minutes and 53 seconds behind the leader. Unfortunately, five other Australian women did not finish the race. In the men’s event, Luke Durbridge placed 99th, finishing 11 minutes and 38 seconds after Pogačar, alongside his teammate Kelland O’Brien, while Sam Welsford and Jarrad Drizners were unable to complete the race.
