the 2 avril 2023, Tadej Pogačar won the Tour of Flanders, at the end of a memorable race. This breathtaking performance from the Slovenian runner ranked 4th in our ranking of the most notable moments of the season 2023, with a total of 75 points.
Prologue : 2022, a disappointment but high hopes
Before achieving one of the greatest feats of his career, Tadej Pogačar had discovered the Flandrian monument the previous year, in 2022. During his first participation in the Tour of Flanders, the double winner of the Tour de France showed his best on the cobbled mountains known to be so difficult, and only Mathieu van der Poel was able to follow him.
A remarkable performance marred by a catastrophic finale. While he was preparing his sprint against van der Poel for victory, the Slovenian, trapped by the Dutchman's strategy which keeps him waiting, at the same time sees the return of Valentin Madouas and Dylan van Baarle as he launches his sprint. The latter involuntarily blocks the Slovenian who unexpectedly finishes at the foot of the podium, even though he was probably the strongest runner that day.
Tadej Pogačar leaves this first experience with disappointment, but has high hopes, because the Slovenian is now sure of one thing : He can win the Tour of Flanders.
A mind-blowing performance that will go down in history
In 2023, Tadej Pogačar has made the Tour of Flanders one of his main goals this year, in the same way as the Tour de France and the Ardennes classics. the Slovenian only wants one thing : earn. But to fulfill one of his most beautiful dreams, he must overcome increasingly strong opposition : Mathieu van der Poel has changed dimensions this year, with an extraordinary victory in San Remo, and Wout van Aert is still tough, the proof is with his victory at the E3 Saxo Bank Classic nine days earlier ahead of van der Poel and Pogačar.
During the 107th edition of this legendary race, the phenomenon of the UAE Team Emirates will perform an extraordinary race which once again shows the disproportionate talent of the man.
“Old Kwaremont is the climb that suits me best and where I was able to develop my power“
Tadej Pogacar, during the post-race interview.
It is at 56 kilometers from the finish that Tadej Pogačar turns the Tour of Flanders into madness. At this point in the race, the leading group, où figure de fort outsiders dont Mads Pedersen, or the winner 2021 Kasper Asgreen has a lead of 2 minutes and 10 seconds on the peloton.
At the foot of Old Kwaremont, the UAE Team Emirates formation sets a monstrous tempo, before seeing its leader launch himself. the Slovenian swallows the wet cobblestones of Old Kwaremont at stratospheric speed, and explodes the peloton where no one can follow him.
After having completed the second passage of the Paterberg alone, Pogačar gets caught by Christophe Laporte, then by the cyclo-cross terrors of Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and the Briton Tom Pidcock. This does not prevent him from continuing his demolition business..
Dans le Koppenberg, he attacks again and only van Aert and van der Poel manage to follow him. Mountain after mountain, kilometer after kilometer, the Slovenian tries to close the gap with the leading group by setting a big pace. In the Kruisberg, the Slovenian resists the monstrous attack of Mathieu van der Poel who gets rid of his cyclo-cross sworn enemy. Ensuite, the two runners finally manage to get back to the leading group, before the difficult finale of the Tour of Flanders.
It is in the third and final passage of Old Kwaremont that the race swings in favor of Pogi, at 18 kilometers from the finish. In these cobblestones of Old Kwaremont, the native of Komenda flies towards a victory which is promised to him. Mathieu van der Poel, overtaken by the speed of his opponent in Old Kwaremont, resists while maintaining the same delay of 15 seconds to the top of Paterberg.
That day, the one who became road world champion four months later in Glasgow was, by his own admission, very strong. But his Slovenian rival, his, was even more so :
Mathieu van der Poel, after his second place at the Tour of Flanders.
Finally, Tadej Pogačar wins the Tour of Flanders, in front MVDP and Mads Pedersen, who managed to steal 3rd place from Wout van Aert in the sprint. The Slovenian wins a third different monument after Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2021, and the Tour of Lombardy (2021, 2022). A 24 years, the Slovenian runner enters a little further into the history of his sport.
