The Roubaix debut by Tadej Pogacar is approaching with big steps. The world champion completes the dress rehearsal for the “hell of the north” on Sunday at the cobblestone classic Flanders-and meets Mathieu van der Poel again.
Before the new date with “Flanders Schönest”, Tadej Pogacar feels this very special tingling again. “One of the most exciting races of the season,” said the three-time Tour-de France winner on Thursday, “Valaanderens Mooiste” is how the cycling-crazy Belgians lovingly baptized their prestige-rich Flanders.
Pogacar wants to conquer it for the second time in the 109th edition on Sunday – and also cut out a part -time brooch Mathieu van der Poel in the giant duel.
The Hatz about the dreaded Hellingen is more concerned with more than the gold-shiny winner trophy for its plump showed show-off this year.
The cobblestone classic serves as the last test run for its highly expected premiere at Paris-Roubaix on April 13th and is also said to serve as a revenge for the painful defeat at Milan-Sanremo.
“You saw it at Milan-Sanremo, Mathieu is one of the best sprinters in the Peloton. Flanders is a completely different race. But when it comes to the sprint, I will do my best,” said Pogacar in retrospect about the first monument of the year in Italy. Pogacar had spectacularly dueled with van der Poel at the poggio rise, in the end he became third behind the victorious Dutch despite several attacks.
Pogacar knows how to win the Flanders Tour
Unlike Milan-Sanremo, Pogacar has already won the Flanders Tour. He won two years ago, this year he started as a world champion in the 269 km race from Bruges to Oudenaarde. Pogacar will roll off well. For his Roubaix debut, he finally missed the races E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem.
At the “Ronde”, Pogacar expects a true folk festival on the roadside – and a merciless excretion race with the rivals, in which he does not want to get a sprint. “When I feel good, I have more opportunities to avoid such arrival.
The team UAE Emirates-XRG Pogacar provides strong helpers to support. Cologne-based cycling professional Nils Politt, as the last year’s knight a proven Flanders expert, puts its own ambitions back, as is so often the “bodyguard”. In the second of five monuments of the year, the Belgian Tim Wellens is also an important support.
It is not due to waves that the hosts look at their own chances of winning. Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel has not yet races after his serious accident during training. In Belgium, the experts argue about the form of classic hunter Wout van Aert.
Real contenders on “Flanders” are probably only Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel.