The Tour of Flanders never disappoints. Two stunning solo victories, for Tadej Pogačar and Lotte Kopecky, placed both riders in the history books, as Pogačar became the first rider to win both the Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders since 1975, and Kopecky became the first to repeat a Tour of Flanders win since Mirjam Melchers in 2005-2006.
Pogačar’s victory, ahead of consummate Classics racers like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, was one that arguably elevates the Slovenian into the ranks of the all-time stars of the sport. Victories in Liège-Bastogne-Liège or Il Lombardia are not so infrequent for riders who have made a name for themselves in the Grand Tours. Flanders, though, is another story, and as Eddy Merckx - the previous rider to capture both Flanders and the Tour, way back in 1975, observed afterwards, “Pogačar can win anything.”
