Dwars door Vlaanderen 2026, April 1

[Red Rick]

Having watched the actual finale I can only conclude Vermeersch is only riding for Pogacar's Monegasque conspiracy with Van Aert being on Pogacar's blacklist.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

The only rider who can possibly follow Pogi is Van der Poel. And I'll take Evenepoel as a wildcard. Both of them riders who will surely cooperate with Pogi.

I think barring some bizarre tactical manoeuvres a Flanders win is out of the question for Wout.

As much as I hate this reality, it's reality.

 

[fenns]

Ganna was like a missile

 

[search]

Ganna got a CHF 200 penalty for "sticky bottle for a short distance" in the end, so apparently it was half bad - or at least regarded as half bad.

https://api.cycling.matsport.com/images/stage-2026_DDV_STAGE_01/RptCommunique.pdf

 

[staubsauger]

Maybe Visma should've ridden for their strongest rider instead of letting Hagenes work, attack, disturb until he's tuckered out!?

 

[Didinho]

Maybe Visma should've ridden for their strongest rider instead of letting Hagenes work, attack, disturb until he's tuckered out!?

This is Wout’s revenge race to win. They wanted him solo and it almost worked out.

Hagenes will be insanely strong in Roubaix I think.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Another heartbreak for mighty Wout. Filippo the Tank engine ends his hopes again. Impressive how he overpowered the peleton in the last kilometer.

 

[Oldman]

Maybe Visma should've ridden for their strongest rider instead of letting Hagenes work, attack, disturb until he's tuckered out!?

To be fair, Wout pulled off the front and drifted back 20 riders. Unless you get an update from the team car, who are in no position to know what's up unless Wout tells them; you go to controlling the front. That Visma appeared to only have 2 other guys in the top 40 riders that far from the finish became a problem.

 

[staubsauger]

This is Wout’s revenge race to win. They wanted him solo and it almost worked out.

Hagenes will be insanely strong in Roubaix I think.

Exactly. If Hagenes preserves this shape for 1 1/2 weeks he's THE big joker for Paris-Roubaix indeed!

 

[Oldman]

Another heartbreak for mighty Wout. Filippo the Tank engine ends his hopes again. Impressive how he overpowered the peleton in the last kilometer.

Give me a power pursuiter anytime for closing a gap. 3 bike changes, clawing back after the final change occurred 40km from the finish when Wout decided to attack.....bridging that distance; all proved who was the strongest rider on the day. Bravo Ganna!
At least it wasn't Neilson Powless this time.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Tim Merlier photo bomb.

 

[staubsauger]

Sunday reminded me of 2013 Dwars door Vlaanderen when locomotive Stannard reeled-in Voeckler only for Boasson Hagen completely dying in the final sprint just like Sam Watson.

Luckily locomotive Ganna pulled it off himself this time!

 

[red_flanders]

Incredible race! Happy for Ganna, heartbreaking for Wout. What an effort.

 

[Pippo_San]

TOP GANNA

This was coming from hyperspace. Amazing win!

 

[Jagartrott]

Give me a power pursuiter anytime for closing a gap. 3 bike changes, clawing back after the final change occurred 40km from the finish when Wout decided to attack.....bridging that distance; all proved who was the strongest rider on the day. Bravo Ganna!

The strongest rider apparently needed a sticky bottle, had two and not three bike changes, and let's forget that Van Aert rode 15 km alone in the front and another 25 km as the leading force in the front group, but otherwise you're right, yes.

 

[KZD]

Great win for Ganna in pursuit mode against Van Aert who also deserved this win.

Strong third place for Waerenskjold.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Crazy finale.

 

[tobydawq]

This is quite literally the opposite of Pedersen in approximately 95% of classics.

?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

?

Pedersen usually works to distance his competition for a Top 5, instead of sitting in on the wheel of the likes of Van der Poel in hopes of getting a win in the big classics at some point. You could of course say that this puts him one or two crashes short of the win instead of having much more competition, but I‘d argue that Pedersen is definitely not out to maximise his winning chances sometimes, but to ride the way he likes to and get a good finish.


Side note: Would Pedersen ride much differently if his willing cooperation at the 2019 Worlds hadn‘t earned him the rainbow jersey? I‘d say no, but it would be funny if that‘s what made his mindset.

 

[Oldman]

The strongest rider apparently needed a sticky bottle, had two and not three bike changes, and let's forget that Van Aert rode 15 km alone in the front and another 25 km as the leading force in the front group, but otherwise you're right, yes.

I'm sure the time of using a sticky is going to be debated by the Flemish for awhile. However; the effort to regain contact and the fantastic effort not only catching Wout but holding off the entire field right behind him was the strongest finish I've seen in awhile.