Tadej Pogačar wins eighth career Monument at Ronde van Vlaanderen

Tadej Pogačar might have been stymied at Milan-San Remo, the first Monument of the year, but he won Sunday’s second Monument of the season, the Tour of Flanders or Ronde van Vlaanderen. It’s the world champion’s second Ronde van Vlaanderen title and his eighth Monument, including four Il Lombardia trophies and two Liege-Bastogne-Liege honours.

Last Season

Mathieu van der Poel soloed to his third Ronde van Vlaanderen title, attacking on the Koppenberg 45 km from the finish. With the hat trick, the Dutchman joined Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen and four others in a tie for most Tour of Flanders victories. Slippery conditions made for a chaotic day.

The Course

Awaiting the riders were sixteen climbs, most of them cobbled, in the latter half of 258.9 km. The formidable cobbled duo of Oude Kwaremont–Paterberg would be tackled twice and comprised the day’s final ascents. The Koppenberg, Taaienberg and Oude Kruisberg/Hotond were possible ambush points as well. The last Paterberg (400 meters of 8.9 percent) peaked 15 km from the finish line on the Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde.

By the time the race reached its very first keypoint, cobbled Oude Kwaremont I (2.2 km, 4 percent), there was an octet of fugitives 4:20 up the road from the peloton.

With 127 km to race and the Eikenberg looming, van der Poel was one of a dozen riders caught up in a crash. He had two teammates to help him tag back on.

Van der Poel had a lot of riders to pick off before the Wolvenberg. Both before and on the Paddestraat cobbled section, with riders dropping from the original break, counterattacks started to flare off from the peloton. By the Berendries climb, there were 14 escapees including Filippo Ganna and the Gent-Wevelgem podium man Tiesj Benoot 50 seconds ahead of the UAE-Emirates-whipped main group.

On the first visit to the Paterberg, van der Poel attacked and Pogačar tagged along. Eventually Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Wout van Aert and Matteo Jorgenson were able to join in on the move.

The favourites group continued to grow as both the Koppenberg and the remnants of the breakaway drew nearer. It was Pogačar’s turn to light the fuse on the Koppenberg. This thrust captured the breakaway. Van Aert now had the same two teammates that comprised the Gent-Wevelgem Shambles, Benoot and Jorgenson.

Pogačar again made the move on the Taaienberg with 36 km to race. Van der Poel and Pedersen made the selection. Oude Kruisberg/Hotond were the next climbs, and the Visma-Lease a Bike trio toiled to close the gap. With van Aert himself closing in, the man in the rainbow jersey hit the gas, dislodging Pedersen. At first leading duo’s lead grew but van Aert, Pedersen and Stuyven came back again.

There were two climbs remaining: Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg. Van Aert took off in order to hit the Kwaremont with a buffer. But it didn’t matter because the Slovenian made a huge dig and finally dropped van der Poel and everyone else. Van Aert led the chase.

There was no stopping Pogačar once he had the bit between his teeth. By the red kite his gap was 50 seconds. He added the 2025 Ronde van Vlaanderen to the UAE Tour and Strade Bianche he has won this season.

Pedersen came runner-up and van der Poel rounded out the podium.

Pogačar, Pedersen, van der Poel, van Aert and Stuyven will reassemble at next Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix.

2025 Ronde van Vlaanderen
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 5:58:41
2) Mads Pedersen (Denmark/Lidl-Trek) +1:01
3) Mathieu van der Poel (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.