Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel won the Tour of Flanders for the second time in his career on Sunday. In Oudenaarde, 27-year-old Van der Poel won the sprint of a group of four after 272 kilometers.
Countryman Dylan van Baarle came in second. He and Frenchman Valentin Madouas joined leaders Van der Poel and Slovenian Tadej Pogacar just before the finish.
Afterwards, Van der Poel indicated that Pogacar, the winner of the Tour de France, was perhaps the strongest in Sunday’s race. He had even awarded the ‘offensive driving’ Slovenian the victory.
Van der Poel drove the last kilometers together with Pogacar. The Slovenian could not get rid of the Dutchman on the last two climbs of the race, the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg. At the end, Van der Poel was a bit surprised by Van Baarle and Madouas who came back. At that moment he started the sprint.