After third place at Milan-Sanremo, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) got his revenge at the Tour of Flanders 2025. At the foot of the Oude Kwaremont, the Slovenian broke away from the competition with 18 kilometres to go. Although Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Deceuninck) was able to stay on the Slovenian's rear wheel at the start, he had to let him go after a short time. The UAE rider flew light-footedly up the Oude Kwaremont.
As a result, Pogačar was unstoppable. He maintained his lead against a strong chasing group around Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven (both Lidl - Trek) and crossed the finish line with a lead of over a minute. Mads Pedersen had the best sprinter's legs in the sprint of the chasing quartet. He secured second place. Mathieu van der Poel came third, while Wout van Aert was left with a thankless fourth place.
Pogačar dominates despite strong competition
When two dangerous breakaway groups formed around Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) and Stefan Küng (Groupama - FDJ) around 100 kilometres from the finish, it briefly seemed as if Tadej Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates - XRG might lose control of the race. Partly because several of the Slovenian's team-mates had crashed and could no longer help him. In the end, the Pogačar team managed to calm the situation and keep the breakaway under control, even with the help of other teams. When Pogačar then attacked several times on the Hellingen, he showed that he is also in a class of his own on short climbs. He rode the ramps with an ease that was otherwise not found in the entire peloton. The victory was a clear demonstration of the Slovenian's strength.
The goal was to win. I can hardly comprehend having achieved it. I'm very proud of the team. We were a bit unlucky, but everything turned out well in the end. We stuck to our plan. - Tadej Pogačar in the winner interview
The results of the Tour of Flanders 2025
Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres ME: Bruges - Oudenaarde
Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres ME 2025: Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres ME, Bruges - Oudenaarde
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | 05:58:41 |
| 2 | Lidl - Trek | +00:01:01 |
| 3 | Alpecin - Deceuninck | +00:01:01 |
| 4 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +00:01:01 |
| 5 | Lidl - Trek | +00:01:04 |
| 6 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +00:01:51 |
How the Tour of Flanders 2025 went
The starting signal for the Ronde van Vlaanderen in Bruges was given at 10am. In sunny but windy weather, 269 kilometres awaited the riders. As usual, the finish was in Oudenaarde. The first attacks came immediately after the start of the race. Jelle Vermoote (Wagner Bazin WB) was one of the riders to break away, but his attack was unsuccessful. Team Picnic PostNL also showed their commitment.
Breakaway group pulls away
The race remained turbulent for a long time. There were many attacks, with a breakaway group only forming late on. It took over 30 kilometres before a group finally got away. Eight riders made it: Elmar Reinders (Team Jayco AlUla), Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana Team), Connor Swift (INEOS Grenadiers), Sean Flynn (Team Picnic Post NL), Timo Roosen (Team Picnic Post NL), Rory Townsend (Q 36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Marco Haller (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) and Victor Vercouillie (Team Flanders - Baloise). A short time later, two riders tried to catch up to the front: Jens Reynders (Wagner Bazin WB) and Max Walker (EF Education - EasyPost) hung between the leading group and the peloton for a long time, but ultimately failed to make the jump to the front.
In the peloton, it was two riders in particular who set the pace and managed the gap to the leaders: Silvan Dillier (Alpecin - Deceuninck) and Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates - XRG). For a long time, the two teams had the race under their control with their two leading riders.
Van der Poel and Degenkolb involved in a crash
After crossing the Oude Kwaremont for the first time, there was a crash on the subsequent descent. Mathieu van der Poel and John Degenkolb (Team Picnic PostNL) were also involved in this crash. While van der Poel quickly got back on his bike and was able to catch up with the leaders, Degenkolb had to abandon the race due to the resulting injuries.
Dangerous group forms
Behind the Molenberg, four riders managed to break away from the peloton twice in a short time on a headwind section. First it was Tiesj Benoot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Vito Braet (Intermarche - Wanty), Stefan Küng (Groupama - FDJ) and Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team). A short time later, Daan Hoole (Lidl - Trek), Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers), Quinten Hermans (Alpecin - Deceuninck) and Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) followed in pursuit of the leaders.
The two quartets quickly came together and then quickly caught up with the leaders. From then on, there were 13 riders at the front of the race - several riders had already dropped out of the original leading group. The race situation was particularly tricky with top riders like Filippo Ganna and Stefan Küng at the front. Meanwhile, only UAE Team Emirates - XRG set the pace in the peloton. However, the team, which had been decimated by crashes, was initially unable to keep the gap to the leading group under control. It was only when other teams joined in the chase that the peloton regained full control and the lead group's advantage melted away again.
Pogačar's first attack
The second crossing of the Oude Kwaremont was 56 kilometres from the finish. There, Tadej Pogačar got out of the saddle for the first time in the peloton and tested the legs of the competition. Several riders were immediately on the Slovenian's rear wheel - Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen, Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Wout van Aert were able to follow. A little later, Jasper Stuyven, Arjen Livyns (Lotto), Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana Team) and Neilson Powless (EF Education - EasyPost) joined the group of top favourites. They now formed the chasing group behind the leading group.
Next attack Pogačars
While a few riders fell out of the leading and chasing groups on the subsequent Koppenberg, the two groups came together. From then on, 13 riders were at the front of the race. Pogačar, van der Poel and co had now caught up with the leaders. On the Taaienberg, it was once again Pogačar who stepped up the pace. Initially, only van der Poel was able to follow, but a little later a trio of Pedersen, Stuyven and van Aert caught up with the duo of favourites. There were now five riders at the front - it was the group of the previously established top favourites.
The decisive attack
18 kilometres before the finish at the foot of the Oude Kwaremont, Tadej Pogačar then launched a race-deciding attack. He broke away from his rivals and set off as a soloist towards the finish. The remaining four riders, however, stayed together and took up the chase - unsuccessfully. Pogačar's lead gradually grew, making it clear early on that the Slovenian would win the Tour of Flanders 2025.
Pogačar crossed the finish line with a lead of over a minute before the four chasers decided the podium places among themselves. Pedersen finished second and van der Poel third.
