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James Moultrie

Why Pogačar and Van Aert's teams aren't sensing weakness for the Tour of Flanders despite Mathieu van der Poel's near-miss at E3 Saxo Classic

Alpecin-Premier Tech's Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel reacts after winning the 'E3 Classic', one day cycling race, 208.8 km from and to Harelbeke, on March 27, 2026. (Photo by JASPER JACOBS / Belga / AFP via Getty Images) / Belgium OUT.

In cycling's current era, when the "aliens" of the peloton attack away, there usually isn't any chance at bringing them back. Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar are the men's pros that currently fall into that category, claiming all 10 of the last Monument Classics between them, mostly in dominant fashion and alone.

Naturally, when they face off in the spring at Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, those races have been closer, but usually in the absence of the other at the start line of lesser Classics, it's almost expected that no one, barring injury or incident, will be able to challenge them.

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