{"id":1861000,"date":"2026-04-02T02:04:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T23:04:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1861000"},"modified":"2026-04-02T02:04:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T23:04:37","slug":"pogacar-vs-van-der-poel-why-cyclings-greatest-rivalry-will-define-the-tour-of-flanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1861000","title":{"rendered":"Poga\u010dar vs. Van der Poel: Why Cycling’s Greatest Rivalry Will Define the Tour of Flanders"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/pog-vdp-flanders.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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Jim Cotton<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Updated April 2, 2026 03:48AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tadej Poga\u010dar and Mathieu van der Poel have won every edition of the Tour of Flanders since 2021.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to see that streak being broken on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar and Van der Poel will set the tone and dictate the narratives of the Ronde van Vlaanderen.<\/p>\n

It feels like only the cycling Gods could prevent one of them from taking the win on this \u201cHoly Day\u201d of Belgian cycling.<\/p>\n

The rivalry between Poga\u010dar and Van der Poel has become the driving force of the modern peloton. The cycling world shakes every time they clash.<\/p>\n

And this time around, history is on the line.<\/p>\n

Not even the prospect of a shock debut from Remco Evenepoel is more tantalizing. Flemish favorite Wout van Aert\u2019s resurgence in form feels like a subheading.<\/p>\n

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Physiological phenom vs. cobblestone king<\/h2>\n
\"Poga\u010dar
Poga\u010dar started his season at Strade Bianche the only way he knows how \u2013 by obliterating everyone. (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Poga\u010dar is the favorite for the 110th Ronde van Vlaanderen.<\/p>\n

The double world champion will land into Oudenaarde bubbling hot and brimming with confidence after he dropped Van der Poel and outsprinted Tom Pidcock for a sensational victory at Milan-San Remo.<\/p>\n

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King Pog will be level with Van der Poel on 3 wins if he defends his 2025 Tour of Flanders title on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The Slovenian megastar could even \u2013 say it quietly<\/em> \u2013 be on the brink of completing the sweep of all five monuments.<\/p>\n

Van der Poel must still be haunted by the memory of being gapped by Poga\u010dar last spring on the Kwaremont. Isn\u2019t MVDP the \u201cgreatest cobblestone rider of our generation?\u201d<\/p>\n

He is \u2013 unless Poga\u010dar is around.<\/p>\n

Van der Poel could reaffirm that status Sunday if he wins a record fourth time at De Ronde. Of course, he\u2019ll have to re-prove himself one week later in Roubaix.<\/p>\n

Whether you like it or not, the Tour of Flanders could be a two-horse race on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Van der Poel and Poga\u010dar have won every monument on the calendar since Evenepoel romped away at the 2023 Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge. But sorry Remco, that race is asterisked *without Poga\u010dar.<\/em><\/p>\n

However, don\u2019t despair.<\/p>\n

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If you zoom out a few dozen watts, Van Aert and Mads Pedersen are still in the scene as they pursue their monument dreams.<\/p>\n

Old-school sluggers like Jasper Stuyven, Christophe Laporte, and Matteo Trentin are a cobbled sector back in a wide but distant chasing pack.<\/p>\n

The historic stakes of the 2026 Tour of Flanders<\/h2>\n
\"Poga\u010dar
Poga\u010dar rode away from Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Pedersen last spring to win Flanders a second time.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It seems a wild statement, but De Ronde is a Tour de France climber\u2019s race to lose.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar landed out of the off-season looking as good \u2013 if not better \u2013 than ever. Another massive victory at Strade Bianche and a beyond-belief win in San Remo prove that the Slovenian\u2019s certainly not going stale.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar could be on the brink of history if he delivers his 111th career win on Sunday.<\/p>\n

It would make the 66kg physiological freak a super-favorite for Paris-Roubaix.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d join Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlameminck, and Rick Van Looy in owning the monument set if he keeps cool (and navigates the corners) later this month in \u201cHell.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019d also be the reigning champion of San Remo, Flanders, Roubaix, Li\u00e8ge, Il Lombardia, and<\/em> the Tour de France. The baby-faced wonder would be a rainbow jersey-clad king of the cycling world.<\/p>\n

And if Van der Poel proves those hints of weakness at E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem were a blip?<\/p>\n

He\u2019d become the winningest rider in the history of De Ronde if he slaps on back at Poga\u010dar. The strapping Dutchman would be deserving of an honorary Flemish passport.<\/p>\n

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A rivalry that brightened as others faded<\/h2>\n
\"Van
Van der Poel had to go deep to fend off a malfunctioning chase group at E3 Saxo Classic last week.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Poga\u010dar vs. Van der Poel is the<\/em> narrative of the modern era.<\/p>\n

Not Poga\u010dar vs. Jonas Vingegaard.<\/p>\n

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Not Van der Poel vs. Van Aert.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar and Van der Poel have lit up one-day racing in a 36-month blaze of Richard Milles, Whoop straps, and crushing attacks.<\/p>\n

They pressed fast forward on the spring classics and forced a wild new form of one-day racing.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Poga\u010dar\u2019s domination of the past two Tour de France changed the complexion of the grand tour landscape.<\/p>\n

Vingegaard, torpedoed by crashes and concussions, was relegated to a chaser.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a similar story for Van der Poel and Van Aert. Their \u201crivalry\u201d across the bumps and bergs of Flanders lost relevance when Van Aert was struck by a curse of calamity.<\/p>\n

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The rivalry that will dictate the Tour of Flanders<\/h2>\n
\"Poga\u010dar
Poga\u010dar vs. Van der Poel adds another layer of hype to the most spectacular day of Belgian cycling.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s the lay of the land ahead of Sunday\u2019s race.<\/p>\n

Tadej Poga\u010dar, 27:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Monument starts:<\/strong> 21<\/li>\n
  • Monument victories:<\/strong> 11<\/li>\n
  • Flanders starts:<\/strong> 3<\/li>\n
  • Flanders victories:<\/strong> 2 (2023, 2025)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The monument stakes:<\/strong> Victory in Flanders would elevate Poga\u010dar to second-best monument rider on record with 12 total wins.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe Greatest\u201d monument rider? Guess.<\/p>\n

    Yep, Eddy has 19 of the fantastic five on his palmar\u00e8s<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Mathieu van der Poel, 31:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    • Monument starts:<\/strong> 22<\/li>\n
    • Monument victories:<\/strong> 8<\/li>\n
    • Flanders starts:<\/strong> 7<\/li>\n
    • Flanders victories:<\/strong> 3 (2020, 2022, 2024)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The monument stakes:<\/strong> Van der Poel would go level with Tom Boonen if he wins De Ronde for a record-making fourth time. It would take MVDP to 4 in Flanders and 3 in Roubaix \u2013 a mirror of Tommeke\u2019s 3 in Flanders and 4 in Roubaix.<\/p>\n

      Victory Sunday would erase beyond doubt that MVDP is one of the cobblestone GOATs.<\/p>\n

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      Bonus fact:<\/strong> Believe it or not, but Van der Poel and Poga\u010dar are currently tied 11-11 in their history of classics head-to-heads.<\/p>\n

      Who will take bragging rights on Sunday afternoon?<\/p>\n

      Poga\u010dar vs. Van der Poel, data courtesy Pro Cycling Stats<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Poga\u010dar vs Van der Poel, classics head-to-heads.<\/span> (Image:\u00a0Pro Cycling Stats)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      A \u2018modern\u2019 route for a modern rivalry<\/h2>\n

      Two gut-punch repeats of the Oude Kwaremont-Paterberg duo will be the stage of a big brawl Sunday at De Ronde.<\/p>\n

      The \u201cOG\u201d Muur-Bosberg finale hasn\u2019t been seen since organizers put Flanders in a fluster by cutting it from the course in 2012.<\/p>\n

      \"Tour
      (Photo: Tour of Flanders roadbook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      For Poga\u010dar, the playbook is simple: Shake everyone off the wheel before the final berg.<\/p>\n

      The Paterberg at 15km to go is Pog\u2019s last chance. He\u2019s not going to gamble on taking a rider with an extra 10kg and 100 watts to the finish line.<\/p>\n

      For fast-finishing Mathieu, Wout, and Mads, the strategy is equally straightforward.<\/p>\n

      Don\u2019t. Get. Dropped.<\/p>\n

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      Ranking the outsiders<\/h2>\n
      \"Wout
      Who wouldn\u2019t want to see Wout win on Sunday?<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      The Tour of Flanders could be a two-man show. But there\u2019s a full echelon of riders who won\u2019t let them rule entirely.<\/p>\n

      Here\u2019s our not-so-expert ranking of the outsiders, from best to worst:<\/p>\n

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      1. Wout van Aert: The rider the world wants to win<\/li>\n
      2. Mads Pedersen: The comeback king?<\/li>\n
      3. Florian Vermeersch: Pog\u2019s backup plan<\/li>\n
      4. Remco Evenepoel: Begging for beginner\u2019s luck<\/li>\n
      5. Jasper Stuyven: The Wolf Pack\u2019s top dog<\/li>\n
      6. Christophe Laporte: Wout\u2019s backup plan<\/li>\n
      7. Alec Segaert: The super-outsider<\/li>\n
      8. Jonas Abrahamsen: No skipping pulls this time<\/li>\n
      9. Tim van Dijke: Resurgent on a Red Bull<\/li>\n
      10. Matteo Trentin: Mr. Consistent<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        How to watch the Tour of Flanders?<\/h2>\n

        You can check our full guide here.<\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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        Jim Cotton<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
        Updated April 2, 2026 03:48AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

        [analyse_source url=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/pogacar-van-der-poel-rivalry-tour-of-flanders\/”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        [analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/pog-vdp-flanders.jpg”] Jim Cotton Updated April 2, 2026 03:48AM Tadej Poga\u010dar and Mathieu van der Poel have won every edition of the Tour of Flanders since 2021. It\u2019s hard to see that streak being broken on Sunday. Poga\u010dar and Van der Poel will set the tone and dictate the narratives of the Ronde van […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-1861000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1861000"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861000\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1861000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1861000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1861000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}