{"id":195331,"date":"2024-04-02T12:48:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T12:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=195331"},"modified":"2024-04-02T12:51:42","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T12:51:42","slug":"wheels-roundup-van-der-poel-soloes-to-flanders-win-evenepoel-hits-the-cement-in-time-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2024\/04\/02\/wheels-roundup-van-der-poel-soloes-to-flanders-win-evenepoel-hits-the-cement-in-time-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Wheels Roundup: Van der Poel Soloes to Flanders Win, Evenepoel Hits the Cement in Time Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mathieu van der Poel did exactly what was expected in Sunday\u2019s Tour of Flanders by soloing 45 km to another dominant Classics victory to take the third De Ronde victory of his career. He crossed the finish line 1:02 ahead of Luca Mozzato (Ark\u00e9a\u2013B&B Hotels) and Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) but Mathews was later relegated for deviating from his line to prevent Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) from passing him. As a result, Pollit moved onto the podium in his place.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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But the talk was all about van der Poel who once again showed that he belongs to an elite group of dominant Classics riders, with Tadej Poga\u010dar\u00a0(UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal\u2013Quick Step), who all have the legs, lungs and panache to win with long-distance solo breakaways. However, their much-anticipated \u201csummit meeting\u201d at this month\u2019s Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge<\/a> may not take place. After the Tour of Flanders, van der Poel told Sporza<\/em><\/a>, \u201cLi\u00e8ge is not 100% certain but there is still a chance,\u201d and noted that Poga\u010dar and Evenepoel will \u201cfind a course [in the Li\u00e8ge] that is made for them. It will be difficult but I would like to try. I am realistic enough to know that I probably won\u2019t be able to follow when they are at the top. But the race still has to be run, [and] you never know what can happen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

If he doesn\u2019t ride in the race on April 21, it will be because Flanders took a lot out of him and he has Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race still to ride before Li\u00e8ge. \u201cIt was just survival today,\u201d he said after the race. \u201cFor me, this is the toughest Tour so far due to the weather conditions. In the last 20 kilometres, I rode to the finish with my eyes closed. I was so exhausted that I didn’t think much\u2026 The rain made the cobblestone climbs so difficult. On the Koppenberg, there was slipping and sliding all the way to the top. At the top, I had a nice gap but [the finish line] was still quite far away.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Say hello to the brand new Tour of Flanders co-record holders! \ud83d\udc4b#RVV24<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NUFCltZOcG<\/a><\/p>\n

— Ronde van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) March 31, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n