Ronde van Vlaanderen 2025, one day monument, April 6 (men's)

[Scarponi]

Great race, and some hope for next week to be awesome on a flat parcours. Only Evenepoel i think has a chance on a climbers course against Pogacar in a 1 day race. (obviously Flanders isn't quite a climbers race, but it's more than just somewhat hilly, it's getting close to a climbers race imo). And Evenepoel needs to be riding at his very best, with Pogacar maybe not quite top. In PR i think WVA and MVDP have a chance with today legs. They need today's legs tho.

. Can’t believe how much hype this farmer gets because of his birth place.

 

[dazaau]

Good thing Mathieu didn't harm the watch. <Okay, I'll stop after that quip>

I do believe Pog was wearing something very similar today 👀⌚. Though I guess the Porsche is less flashy than the lambo

 

[Krzysztof_O]

What an epic finale! Congrats to Pogi on his 2nd Flandres victory in great style. The race was really interesting with big names fighting in the final 55 km so congrats to other heroes: MVP, WVA, Mads. MPV looked very strong on previous bergs (the way he caught Pog on the penultimate Kwaremont made me think he could be undroppable today) but at the end Pog cracked them all (his accelerations on previous bergs took their cumulative toll as well).

The Slovenian is the current holder of 3 monuments and WC: who was the last one with such accolades? The best one-day racer on top of being the best stage racer. Legend.

 

[jono]

Question about bike changes, thinking about Mathieu today. Is a rider's "spare bike" really that much worse than the one they started the race on that it is worth doing a second switch to get back on the original? And if so, isn't that a major indictment of a team's equipment/mechanics?

Or did he have a second mechanical?

 

[Leinster]

Did the race finish early this year? I got home after my rugby team played tonight in Australia and race is over before midnight? Turn it on for the woman’s slop? Wtf

I think it was, I had to get out of bed at 6am to watch the final 50km here in California. Delighted to have the women’s race as an actual competition after that men’s *** show.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Time for Woman's race. lets go Kopecky

 

[gregrowlerson]

Van der Poel vs. the April Fool vs. the Wingbeaters vs. the Vingbeater. The best movie since Alien vs. Predator vs. King Kong vs. Godzilla.

Quality reading from the forum autobus.

 

[dazaau]

Question about big changes, thinking about Mathieu today. Is a rider's "spare bike" really that much worse than the one they started the race on that it is worth doing a second switch to get back on the original?

Or did he have a second mechanical?

Didn't seem to have his bike computer either, which if he had maybe it would have shown him the stupid numbers he was throwing around and reminded him to spend them more wisely.

 

[Scarponi]

I think it was, I had to get out of bed at 6am to watch the final 50km here in California. Delighted to have the women’s race as an actual competition after that men’s *** show.

Woman’s should be first always. Disappointing, cycling is dead in Australia live and this happens ffs

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

Hindsight is 20/20, but mvdp must have bonked. If he was simply running out of gas, he shouldn’t have cooperated with pog after taaienberg. He seemed confident enough in a Mano to Mano but it turned out it would have been smarter to just race a bit more passive.

 

[Mayomaniac]

1. Which f***ing comedian has sent Aurélien Paret-Peintre here and apparently not to the Ardennes.

2. How's Aurélien Paret-Peintre fluking himself a sick 16th place finish here.

Apparently he wanted to ride those races...

 

[yaco]

Jorgenson could have finished top ten but just slow pedaled in. Like get the points my man.

Nah. I've previously posted that I have my doubts about Jorgensen over the monument distance. Today, reinforced my opinion.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I think it was, I had to get out of bed at 6am to watch the final 50km here in California. Delighted to have the women’s race as an actual competition after that men’s *** show.

I was up at 2am in California...you need to train more for races like this.

 

[Berniece]

Hindsight is 20/20, but mvdp must have bonked. If he was simply running out of gas, he shouldn’t have cooperated with pog after taaienberg. He seemed confident enough in a Mano to Mano but it turned out it would have been smarter to just race a bit more passive.

That should always be the tactic against Pogacar

 

[Tim Cahill]

Apparently he wanted to ride those races...

I too would like to put my name forward, AG2R might give me a crack, surprised Gall isn't doing Roubaix next week.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Was Ganna ahead already or did they legitimately just lose a sprint against someone who attacked 2 hours ago.

Nah, he actually was in that group and pulled a monster long sprint out of nowhere. Bodes well for next weekend.

 

[Miha81]

They started

And all the people who underestimated Pog are now reminded of his new level since last season.

I was one of them. He looked spent after all attacking but he has another gear when on his day.

 

[Didinho]

Any interview from Mathieu? Curious what happened.

 

[jono]

Any interview from Mathieu? Curious what happened.

Said the crash was a big issue, but that he was mostly ok afterwards (doesn't look it). Says he was on the limit from a long way out.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I mean, vdP crashed earlier in the race, so him being a bit less strong in the end makes sense. Did he train in Spain for this one?

 

[Netserk]

MvdP: "I was on the limit from quite afar" ~"(which is why I kept working and made the race more attritional)"

 

[limak_]

Of course there was. Race like Colbrelli and only focus on Pogi.

Was he doing that much of an excessive work today? I don't think so. You can't demand him not to do a single pull on the front and only hide behind Pogacar. If not Kwaremont, it just would've been Paterberg he'd be dropped by Pogacar.
The crash has a bigger impact imo.

 

[Salvarani]

MvdP: "I was on the limit from quite afar" ~"(which is why I kept working and made the race more attritional)"

Because he is not winning a sprint against Pedersen or Van Aert and hoped he would be able to follow Pog, which was his best chance to win.

 

[Unchained]

I think it was, I had to get out of bed at 6am to watch the final 50km here in California. Delighted to have the women’s race as an actual competition after that men’s *** show.

Beat you by 2 hours!! Don't have automatic coffee maker so my first cup was 430am!! Great race! Worth waking up early!
Some really impressive rides.. Another strange surprise, Visma w numbers, end up with nothing!! Kung rode great, Trentin, excellent!! Pogacar really sticks to the script, avoid a sprint, give monster pulses that create gap which nobody can exploit as effectively as he can currently!! For me some worse weather was my hope!!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Luca Mozzato has graduated from one 2 in front of his name on the result sheet to three 1s.