Van der Poel shows he’s ready for Tour of Flanders with Dwars door Vlaanderen win

Mathieu van der Poel took his second career Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, in an entertaining middle race of Flanders Week. Van der Poel is now the man to beat in Sunday’s Tour of Flanders.

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The Course

Dwars door Vlaanderen is the shortest one-day WorldTour race of the spring at 183.7 km. The riders had 11 climbs, six cobbled sectors and two cobbled climsb to face. The final climb was Holstraat with 10 km to go before the finish in Waregem.

#DDV22 ?

Time for the men's race. The guys will tackle a tricky 184km that includes 13x climbs & 5x cobble sectors. Take a look at the route?? pic.twitter.com/AALXplFuR2

— Team BikeExchange-Jayco (@GreenEDGEteam) March 30, 2022

Five intrepid fugitives shook loose after 35 km raced. With 100 km to go van der Poel made an acceleration that seemed to shock other peloton riders into activity.

Trek-Segafredo hurtled the field towards Berg Ten Houte where the quintet still had a 3:00 lead. A crash right at its entrance delayed Tadej Pogačar. Ineos Grenadiers took over and their efforts created another group of six containing van der Poel, Tom Pidcock and Tiesj Benoot that meant to close the gap to the escapees on the Kanarieberg.

?? #DDV22

a strong group around Van der Poel attacked from the bunch and is on the way to bridge across to the leading group. pic.twitter.com/dCdSD1a3zy

— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) March 30, 2022

On Kanarieberg, Pogačar attacked in a bid to join Pidcock and van der Poel.

Pogačar wasn’t closing to the chase, but the chase was getting closer to the breakaway. The Slovenian returned to the peloton.

The breakaway was snagged on the Hotond with 48 km to go. Pogačar created another group of six trying to join the 11 out front. Ladeuze streamlined the breakaway, but Pogačar’s group couldn’t come over.

Nokereberg was the penultimate climb. Van der Poel surged but couldn’t pop his breakmates. By the last climb, Holstraat, Pogačar was still endeavouring to bridge with two others, but it seemed all for naught with an unbudgable 45-second deficit.

#DDVmen – ? 15 km

44" to cover for these guys. Will they make it to the front of the race before the finish? #DDV22 pic.twitter.com/UQmLHoZWrN

— Dwars dr Vlaanderen (@DwarsdrVlaander) March 30, 2022

Holstraat witnessed no attacks. Someone would surely make a move on the road to Waregem. Stefan Küng tried something to no avail, but Victor Campernaerts pried open a gap.

Pidcock and Benoot nabbed Campernaerts and then van der Poel sewed it up. Four kilometres remained. Campernaerts and Benoot dashed away again. Once more it regrouped. Pidcock hit the gas.

Benoot skipped clear and van der Poel grabbed his wheel. They had a handful of seconds at the red kite. Benoot pulled up in the final sprint and van der Poel, who first won in 2019, was wracked by coughs after the finish line. Pidcock rounded out the podium and Pogačar was tenth.

2022 Dwars door Vlaanderen
1) Mathieu van der Poel (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Fenix)
2) Tiesj Benoot (Belgium/Jumbo-Visma)
3) Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers)