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James Moultrie

'It was clear that Tadej was the strongest' – Mathieu van der Poel makes no excuses in defeat to Pogačar at Tour of Flanders as team reveal pre-race illness

van der Poel Mathieu van der Poel Tadej Pogačar Flanders Christoph Roodhooft Tadej Pogacar Antibiotics Cyclingnews Ronde
OUDENAARDE, BELGIUM - APRIL 06: (L-R) Mathieu Van Der Poel of Netherlands and Team Alpecin - Deceuninck and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and Team UAE Team Emirates - XRG compete during the 109th Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres 2025 - Men's Elite a 269km one day race from Bruges to Oudenaarde / #UCIWT / on April 06, 2025 in Oudenaarde, Belgium. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images).

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceunick) made no excuses after losing the Tour of Flanders to "clearly stronger" Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), despite crashing at high speed during the race and his revealing that illness had affected his trainiing. 

The Dutchman appeared to be ill as he spoke after winning the E3 Saxo Classic, but played down what he thought then was "just a blocked nose." 

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