Gallery: Cobbles and chaos at Tour of Flanders

Sunday’s cobbled Classic delivered stunning racing for fans of men’s and women’s road racing. With heavy rain soaking riders and making the infamous cobbled climbs treacherous, Tour of Flanders this year’s most memorable racing yet.

After going head-to-head last week at Gent Wevelgem, Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen returned to Flanders destined for a different sort of showdown. After a daring long-range attack by the Dane, it would the Dutch world champion that proved untouchable in this year’s Ronde.

On the women’s side, a thrilling tactical finale played out between a trio of leaders and a quintet of the sports most powerful riders just a handful of seconds behind. Again, it was Lidl-Trek involved in shaping the race. Elisa Longo Borghini delivered a victory for the team with a major assist from Shirin van Anrooij.

Beyond the front of the race, the rabid Belgian tifosi cheered every rider brave enough to take on the brutal conditions and punising cobbles of Sunday’s Tour of Flanders. Here’s what the camera’s saw within the race:

Gallery: 2024 Tour of Flanders

Mathieu van der Poel finesses the brutal and slippery Flandrian cobbles

Longo Borghini and teammate Shirin van Anrooij overpowered Canyon-SRAM's Kasia Niewiadoma in the Flander's finale . Photo: Sirotti

Lidl-Trek executed perfectly for Elisa Longo Borghini in Sunday's race. Photo: Sirotti

The elation ...

... and aftermath of Sunday's effort. Photo: Sirotti

Pedersen tried to hold van der Poel's wheel up Old Kwaremont's cobbles

But there was no rider that could match the dominant Dutchman on Sunday's treacherous cobble sectors. photo: Sirotti

Matej Mohoric tried to escape on a wet descent but the Flandrian hills weren't quite long enough for the Bahrain Victorious rider to get an advantage

After sending van der Poel off on his own, Alpecin - Deceuninck teammates still had to make their own way up Old Kwaremont cobbles. Photo: Sirotti

Guillaume Boivin was one of two Canadian starter for Israel Premier Tech. After assisting Dylan Teuns to a top-10 result, neither Canuck crossed the finish line themselves.

Alpecin-Decuninck left Mads Pedersen dangling off the front of the race for hours before setting up their leader for his own attck. Photo: Sirotti

The tifosi support every rider brave enough to take on Flanders' cobbles

Bingoal - Wb rider struggles to stay ahead of the sweep up Old Kwaremont. Photo: Sirotti

But maybe not as much as UAE staff will struggle to get Marc Hirschi's kit to look white again

Lidl-Trek are all over the Spring Classics this season but couldn't deliver in Flanders' finale on Sunday. Photo: Sirotti