Flanders Race Report: Mathieu van der Poel was expected to win the 2024 Tour of Flanders, but the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider took an epic Ronde with solo effort in the Flemish rain, going solo from the Koppenberg. Surprisingly, Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) was second and Michael Matthews was third, but the Australian was declassed in favour of Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates).
Mathieu van der Poel won the Tour of Flanders for the third time. In his rainbow jersey, the World champion of Alpecin-Deceuninck soloed to victory after making the decisive attack on a soaking wet Koppenberg for a solo of 45 kilometres.
Mathieu van der Poel takes his third Tour of Flanders in the rainbow
Parcours
After the start in Antwerp, the first 100 kilometres of the 270.8 kilometres race, the peloton passes through Sint-Niklaas, Hamme, Haaltert, Herzele and Zottegem to reach the Flemish Ardennes, where the race will really start. The Lippenhovestraat and the Paddestraat are the first difficulties of the day after 104 kilometres of racing. The riders will then race over the usual finale of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. After 136 kilometres they take on the first passage of the Oude Kwaremont. From then on the climbs and cobbles come one after the other in quick succession. The Kapelleberg, the cobbles of the Holleweg, the Wolvenberg, the cobbles of the Kerkgate and the Jagerij, the climb of the Molenberg, the Marlboroughstraat, the Berendries and finally the Valkenberg all within 30 kilometres.
Flanders’24 map
The top of the Valkenberg is just under 90 kilometres from the finish. At that point the riders have completed 180 kilometres. After the Valkenberg, if you are still there, there is time to attack. This is possible on the Berg Ten Houte or the Hotond. After the Hotond it’s the Oude Kwaremont for the second time and then to the Paterberg. The first passage of the Paterberg always causes action as the Koppenberg is next on the horizon. “We have made the run-up to the Koppenberg more straight forward and we have eliminated the descent and sharp bend just before the ascent,” the organisers explained. The tough Koppenberg is the place where the favourites will make their mark. The Mariaborrestraat, Steenbeekdries and Traaiberg are another opportunity for attacks. Traaiberg is followed by the Hotond, then there are 10 kilometres to the Oude Kwaremont for the last time.
Flanders’24 profile
The Oude Kwaremont is 16.7 kilometres from the finish. The cream should have already come to the top of the milk by this point and now is the time for them to make life hard for each other before their final chance, 13.2 kilometres from the finish on the Paterberg. The Paterberg is short at less than 400 metres and ideal for the more explosive riders. From the summit there are 13 flat kilometres to Oudenaarde. The wind can be strong on the run-in to the finish, tough for a solo rider, but if there is a group, then tactics will come into play for a sprint on the wide Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde.
The start in Antwerp
Top favourite, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), spoke before the start: “We are just going to try to control that race as best as possible and win. I have said it before: it is always easy to race when the best riders are there, which does not mean that there are no good riders now. But you just know: with Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven, and with Mads Pedersen who is one hundred percent, that they would ride to the finish. They believe they can win. But I expect an open battle today. I think that’s a bit too early (on the Kapelleberg-Molenberg). Maybe the race will open up there, but I’m not going to force anything there myself yet. It’s a different start (from 2023). Then the wind played a bit. I might sit a little further from the front.”
Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) before the start
A problem for favourite Mads Pedersen at the start
Man on form, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) at the start: “We try to race as we have done before,”“We miss Jasper and Alex, but we have a very strong team. We believe we can continue racing as we have been doing. We think that the race around the Molenberg can be opened, that is not a problem for us. The faster it becomes man-to-man, the better for us. Have my chances changed after my fall in Dwars door Vlaanderen? Naturally. It is never ideal to crash three days before Flanders, but all things considered, I still believe that I am better than other years. We’ll see how it goes. I hope for the best.”
Jayco AlUla’s Luke Durbridge wanted to be in the ‘Break of the Day’
Get well soon Wout
After 20 kilometres a group of eight made their escape: Bert Van Lerberghe (Soudal Quick-Step), Luke Durbridge & Elmar Reinders (Jayco AlUla), Damien Touzé (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Lionel Taminiaux (Lotto Dstny), Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Cofidis), David Dekker (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) and Jelle Vermoote (Bingoal WB). At first they were chased, but it suited the team’s of the favourites and so their lead was allowed to increase.
Alpecin-Deceuninck took control early to make sure the break stayed away
The race passed through Sint Niklaas, where De Ronde started from 1977 to 1997
Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lidl-Trek took control of the peloton for Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen and so the break soon had a lead of 4:20, but that was their maximum. There was a lot of fans at the roadside, this caused at least three crashes one looked particularly bad for a woman spectator.
The break was going to be out front for a long time
The peloton was pleased to see the break go, but they were not sitting back
Strangely, the first counter-attack came from Alpecin-Deceuninck, but Visma | Lease a Bike chased down Axel Laurence and then, with 110 kilometres to go, Matteo Jorgenson kept going. Pedersen also made a move, but everything calmed down again. On the Molenberg, 100 kilometres from the finish, there was more fireworks.
Mathieu van der Poel wasn’t getting close to the front early in the race, here he comes back to the peloton with Micheal Matthews
Through Oudenaarde for the first time
Once again it was Pedersen, this time with Jorgenson and Van der Poel on his wheel. A very strong group broke away from them, which was a dangerous situation for the World champion. A group of Pedersen, Dylan van Baarle, Tiesj Benoot, Nils Politt and Oliver Naesen had a gap. The Alpecin-Deceuninck men didn’t allow the gap to get too big and then Van der Poel closed the gap on the Valkenberg with a strong effort. Pedersen wasn’t finished and went again, but he had Gianni Vermeersch on his wheel, MvdP’s teammate.
The break on the Oude Kwaremont for the first time
Pedersen and Vermeersch stayed off the front and climbed Berg Ten Houte without any problems. In the peloton, Alpecin-Deceuninck were in control and kept the gap small. Stefan Küng, who crashed with spectators, was able to return. The rain and wet roads made the race very nervous in the run-up to the second passage of the Oude Kwaremont.
Crazy scenes on the Kwaremont for the peloton
Oier Lazkano put the pressure on, on the Kwaremont, but Van der Poel closed the gap to Pedersen and Vermeersch. At the top, only Pedersen, Lazkano, Dylan Teuns, Laurence Pithie and Tim Wellens were still on the wheel of the World champion, after which a group including Jorgenson and Matej Mohorič was able to join them. The first time over the Paterberg the race was split, but the gaps were still small.
Mads Pedersen was the first of the favourited to show his hand, followed by Matteo Jorgenson
In the run-up to the Koppenberg the groups of favourites came back together. Iván García jumped away and started the cobbles climb of the Koppenberg with a slight lead, but he had a mechanical problem and had to stop. Mathieu van der Poel came storming past with Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen behind him. The others were not so lucky and had to run up the climb.
Pedersen went with just under 100K to go, but he had Gianni Vermeersch with him
The pace that Van der Poel set on the Koppenberg was the decisive move of the day. Jorgenson had the World champion in sight over the top, but Van der Poel now had the bit between his teeth and took time on everyone. By the Traaiberg the lead was already 50 seconds on the American, who had to drop back to a group with Bettiol, Teuns, García, Wellens, Pedersen and Laurenz Rex.
Van der Poel pulled the race together again on the Paterberg
The cooperation was not good and so Van der Poel over one and a half minutes with 30 kilometres to go. He still had the Oude Kruisberg/Hotond, Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg to tackle. Behind Van der Poel, the battle for the other podium places was on. On the Hotond, Teuns and Bettiol broke away, but they were nearly 2 minutes behind Van der Poel.
It was time for Van der Poel to go
The World champion had to endure booing and a beer shower the last time on Kwaremont. No problems on the Paterberg before the 13 flat kilometre to Oudenaarde. Van der Poel took his third victory in the Tour of Flanders, after his victories in 2020 and 2022.
Only three riders could ride the Koppenberg: Pedersen, Jorgenson and Van der Poel
More than 1 minute behind Van der Poel, Bettiol and Teuns were racing for the podium, but there was a large group coming up from behind. In the finishing straight, Teuns and Bettiol started to play a game of poker, allowing the chasing group to catch them in the last 200 metres.
Most fans were pleased, but not all
Surprisingly second place went to Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), who had a big battle with Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla). After the finish the race jury declassed the Australian for his ‘switch’ to one side. Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) was awarded third place.
The World champion just kept putting time into the chasers
2024 Tour of Flanders winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “Toughest Tour of Flanders I have ridden. It was just survival today. For me it was the toughest Ronde I have ridden in these weather conditions. Those last twenty kilometres were with our eyes closed. I was so devastated that I didn’t think much. I have to think again about what happened. The rain made the cobblestone climbs difficult. The Koppenberg in particular was sliding and slipping all the way to the top. Then I had created a nice gap, but with the wind it was still far. I rode as hard as I could, but at the end I was way off. The team rode fantastic. I said that they had to keep it together until the Koppenberg. I didn’t expect to be alone. When I passed through the Kwaremont for the first time, I didn’t have the right feeling anymore, but I’m glad I found it again. My season has already been a success. I can’t think about Roubaix yet. I’m completely fucked right now.”
The win we expected, but still a race full of excitement
The sprint didn’t go so well for Michael Matthews – Declassed from 3rd place
Ronde van Vlaanderen Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 6:05:17
2. Luca Mozzato (Ita) Arkéa-B&B Hotels at 1:02
3. Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Team Emirates
4. Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates
5. António Morgado (Por) UAE Team Emirates
6. Magnus Sheffield (USA) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Oliver Naesen (Bel) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
8. Dylan Teuns (Bel) Israel-Premier Tech
9. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost
10. Toms Skujiņš (Lat) Lidl-Trek.
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