LIVE: Tour of Flanders – Pogacar attacks his big rivals

The USA’s Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) finished fifth, in the same time of Pedersen. 

Compatriot Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) was also in the group and finished ninth.  

If you want to follow the ctrion from the finale of the women’s Tour of Flanders, click the link below. 

Tour of Flanders Women – Trio of Barker, Chabbey and Wollaston out in front

Behind, but at almost a minute, Mads Pedersen beat Wout van Aert to take third place. 

The Dutch rider just couldn’t close the gap but he held off the chasers. 

Tadej Pogačar won alone, 16 seconds ahead of van der Poel.

What a race! 

Tadej Pogačar wins the 2023 Tour of Flanders!

1.5km to go

Pogacar is ever nearer to victory.

3km to go

Pogacar’s body is rocking as he digs deep. He is perhaps fading but is close to victory.

5km to go

Pogacar is going deep to stay away but he has a 25 second lead on van der Poel.

7km to go

Pogacar is blasting to the finish. 

Van der Poel is at 25 seconds and the chasers at 1:00. 

Van der Poel can see Pogacar up the road but he’s slowly losing ground.

The chasers are at a further 30 seconds but have little left and are perhaps thinking of third place.  

10km to go

Van der Poel can’t close the gap to Pogacar.  

If the chasers work together they have a chance into the headwind back to Oudenaarde but it is a big, big ask.

Pogacar leads van der Poel by 15 seconds at the top of the Pogacar.

The others are only 15 or so second behind him.

Van der Poel can see Pogacar but can’t close the gap. 

Pogacar starts the cobbled Paterberg. He will surely extend his leads on the steep climb.

15km to go

Pogacar leads by 15 seconds as they near the Paterberg.

It will be the make or break point of van der Poel’s chase.

Van der Poel and Pedersen are chasing but Pogacar is on the rampage. 

The others are not far behind but Pogacar is riding alone to the Paterberg.

Pogacar has blasted past Pedersen! He is away alone. 

Pogacar distances van der Poel and everyone else.

He is about to catch Pedersen and hit the front!

18km to go

They’re on the Oude Kwaremont and Pogacar surges away! 

Pedersen leads by 30 seconds, Van Hooydonck and Van Aert are at 38 seconds.  

Van Hooydonck has sacrificed his chances to help Van Aert and is closing the gap.

Pedersen leads alone

Pogacar, Trentin, Van der Poel, Asgreen, Powless, Küng, Wright, Jorgenson and Vermeersch are at 30 seconds, with van Aert and Van Hooydonck at 40 seconds.

20km to go

Pogacar has Trentin to help him chase Pedersen and set-up an attack on the Oude Kwaremont. 

Van Hooydonck drops back to try to pace Van Aert back into action. 

This is a thriller! 

23km to go

Contact! 

Pogacar and van der Poel join the attackers. Only Pedersen is out front now.

The Oude Kwaremont ia just 4km away. 

Pogacar and van der Poel could catch the front of the race on the legendary climb. 

Van Aert is 10 seconds down on Pogacar and van der Poel. He’s timer trialing to catch them but he is suffering. 

Pogacar works with van der Poel and they can see the riders up front. 

Pogacar and van der Poel sweep up riders from the attack. Only 7 are left up front but the gap is only 20 seconds!

Pedersen is out front but others from the attack are chasing him.

28km to go

Pogacar works with van der Poel!

Van der Poel has attacked Pogacar and Van Aert! 

The Kruisberg/Hotond climb is coming up and Pedersen wants to open a gap. 

30km to go

Pedersen has jumped away from the attack, he is not waiting for Pogacar, Van Aert and van der Poel. 

Pogacar, Van Aert and Van der Poel have caught Cosnefroy and Narvaez. 

They remain at 40 seconds. 

This race could go anyway. The attackers could stay clear or the Big Three could catch them and fight for victory. 

This is a thrilling race.

Up front they are down to just 9 riders: 

Van Hooydonck, Trentin, F.Vermeersch, Pedersen, Narvaez, Powless, Wright, Küng and Jorgenson.

The Big Three are at 40 seconds. 

35km to go

Van Aert and Pogacar eat a gel. They will need the energy for the finale.

Pogacar is trying to hurt Van Aert and van der Poel on the rough cobbles but they stay with him yet again.  

The attackers hit the Taaienberg. 

Pogacar, Van Aert and van der Poel are at 40 seconds. 

Van der Poel has a problem but gets going again.

It’s time for the Mariaborrestraat cobbles again and then the Steenbeekdries climb, the Taaienberg and the Kruisberg. 

Then the Oude Kwaremont and the Payerberg come with 16km to race. 

40km to go

The 11 riders are: Van Hooydonck, Trentin, Cosnefroy, F.Vermeersch, Pedersen, Narvaez, Asgreen, Powless, Wright, Küng and Jorgenson.

Chasing at 1:00 are Pogacar, Van Aert and Van der Poel.

There are 11 riders left up front, including the USA’s Jorgenson and Powless. 

Pidcock and Laporte are distanced.

Van Aert and van der Poel go with him. The Big Three are together! 

They are 1:25 down on the attackers.

43km to go

Behind Pogacar attacks again! 

Fortunately the Koppenberg is dry and Trentin leads up the icon cobbled climb. 

Pogacar and Laporte ease up and so are caught by Van Aert, van der Poel and Pidcock. 

It’s time for the Koppenberg climb. 

The cobbles are said to be wet and slippery. It could be a decisive moment in the race.

48km to go

Laporte jumps across to Pogacar, that forces van der Poel and Pidcock to lead the chase and van Aert can sit on.

The attackers know that Pogacar is chasing them. They start to work together, although some are sitting on, waiting for their leaders to come across.

Asgreen leads the attackers over the Paterberg.

Pogacar is 1:35 behind them, with his chasers at 20 seconds.

The gap between Pogacar and the attackers is down to 1:40.

The peloton is in pieces. 

Laporte is with Van Aert, Pidcock is there too, creating a quality chase group. But can they chase Pogacar? 

55km to go

Yes! Pogacar surges away! 

Nobody can go with him but Van Aert and van der Poel are trying to chase him. 

Behind UAE are setting up Pogacar. For an attack? 

Trentin sets the pace on the Oude Kwaremont as the break splinters.  

57km to go

Here comes the Oude Kwaremont. It is soon followed  by the Paterberg to create a double-whammy of climbing.

We’re expecting attacks in the front group and in the chasing peloton.

The gap is up to 3:10 on the peloton. The race is going away from van Aert, Pogacar and van der Poel.

Can they really cross a 3:00 gap with an attack on the Oude Kwaremont and a 55km chase? 

67km to go

The bigger group up front means several big-names have teammates up front and they are doing the work to extend and defend their lead.

It remains at 2:00. The Oude Kwaremont is only 15km away. 

Aime De Gendt of Intermarche also went down hard but is okay. 

The peloton is riding steady in a sign of respect. 

Girmay seemed to touch wheels and go down at speed, other riders went over him and crashed.  

Mohoric too. 

Biniam Grimay crashed. 

The peloton was racing to the foot of the Kanarieberg and some riders went down hard. 

Crash again!

70km to go

The riders climb the Kanarieberg. Thei lead is still 2:00 as the Hellingen and kilometres tick down. 

The riders have already raced for 202km but there is still 71km to go. 

75km to go

The attackers come together on the Berg Ten Houte climb, number 10 of 19. It is 1.1km long at 6.2%. 

They lead the peloton by 1:45 as the Berg Ten Houte makes some riders suffer. 

Soudal are sitting on the front of the peloton, forcing Alpecin to do the chasing.

The gap is at 2:00. The alarm bells are ringing in the peloton.

Up front the break is about to be caught by the attack. That will make a group of 19 riders up front. 

Pogacar takes a musette and loads his bike and pockets with bars and bidons. 

He seems relaxed for now. But is the race going away from him?  Or will he launch an attack on the Oude Kwaremont with 55km to go?  

The attackers go through the feed zone, some grabbing food and bidons.

They lead the peloton by a significant 1:30 and are working well together.  

Wout van Aert is at the back of the peloton. He was involved in a crash earlier and has a cut on his left knee. 

The peloton does not seem concerned for now, riding steady and spread across the road.

Some riders in the group will work hard to extend their gap but others, like Trentin, Van Hooydonck and Wright will perhaps sit on, thinking of their team leaders behind.

Jorgenson and Cosnefroy have joined the attack, making it even stronger and even more of a threat. 

The Valkenberg is climb 8/19 and is 1km long. 

90km to go

In the attack group are Matteo Trentin, Stefan Küng, Kasper Asgreen, Jhonathan Narvaez, Neilson Powless, Fred Wright, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Mads Pedersen and Florian Vermeersch. 

They are 1:00 down on the early break and 1:00 ahead of the peloton as the race hits the Valkenberg climb. 

They need to cross a 30-second gap, which won’t be easy. 

The American is joined by Benoît Cosnefroy of AG2R. 

Movistar also missed the attack and so Jorgenson jumps to try to go across. 

The only big team not represented up front appears to be van der Poel’s Alpecin team. 

He used up several riders in the early splits and so faces a tactical dilemma. 

The exposed roads are sparking big splits in the peloton. Some riders are being spat out the back, reducing the peloton to only 50 riders or so.

For now Wout van Aert and van der Poel are waiting in the peloton. 

They know they have to mark Pogacar on the 2nd climb of the Oude Kwaremont that comes with 55km to race.

Pedersen also got across but he went deep to do it. 

Matteo Trentin, Stefan Küng, Kasper Asgreen, Fred Wright and Nathan Van Hooydonck are in the move.

Up very soon is the Marlboroughstraat and then the Berendries. 

Someb ig-name riders are on the move. 

102km to go

Asgreen is next to try to shake the peloton and test his rivals. 

He surges on the Molenberg.

UAE lead pogacar to the climb after the small group was pulled back.

Alpecin and Ineos are also up front. Where is Wout van Aert and Jumbo?  

Here comes the Molenberg – climb number 6. 

Sadly it has been confirmed that Peter Sagan has abandoned his last Tour of Flanders after he was involved in the big crash.   

EF leads the chase and drags the peloton up to the Pedersen and Pogacar group.

The peloton is on the Kerkgate cobbled sector. 

Wow! Tadej Pogacar is in the attack with Pedersen.  

110km to go

The gap to the break is down to 4:00 as the speed picks up in the peloton and the attacks come. 

Teams talked a lot of trying to anticipate the big three and that what Pedersen and others are trying to do. 

Other riders are trying to get across. 

Nathan Van Hooydonck (Jumbo) drags a group up to the Pedersen group. 

112km to go

Mads Pedersen launches an attack! Race on! 

Mathieu van der Poel was slowed by the crash and had to take his foot out. 

Magnus Sheffield of Ineos went down and Tim van Dijke of Jumbo was involved too. 

The crash happened on the Holleweg cobbled road.

Crash! 

115km to go

The peloton has reformed, with van der Poel again getting out of jail and avoiding a second chase.  

The peloton hits the 1.2km long Eikenberg climb.

A Bahrain rider sparks another crash.  

There is another split in the peloton,  with van der Poel in the chase group.

This is still a very nervous, tactical race.

120km to go

DSM went from walking pace to on the attack.

They have lined-out the peloton.

The peloton is riding very slowly on the Kortekeer. But suddenly  DSM up the pace.  

We are now into the series of climbs, from here onwards, there are 16 climbs to cover.

Another crash!  

Bonnet of TotalEnergies is in pain and Neilson Powless was also involved.

Some riders are still chasing after the crash. The tension is higher now, as the riders near the Kortekeer climb. 

Race officials have also announced that the Bahrain Victorious rider Filip Maciejuk has been disqualified for causing the crash in the peloton.  

135km to go

Race Radio confirms that Tim Wellens is out of the race and on the way to hospital. 

Tom Pidcock is up front, as Alaphilippe returns to the peloton after being involved in the crash.

Luke Rowe is on the front of the peloton, as those involved in the crash are allowed to chase and get back on.

This was the moment of the crash. 

There is a strong tailwind up the Oude Kwaremont. Remember that for later when the big attacks come. 

Meanwhile, the break starts the Oude Kwaremont climb. 

The crowds are huge and the cobbles are wet and slippy.  

Tim Wellens seems injured and his race is surely over. That’s a blow for Pogacar.

No! 

A replay showed how the crash happened. A Bahrain riders tried to move up along the roadside, went into some grass, lost control and swung across into the peloton, sparking a huge crash. 

Ben Turner of Ineos went down too. 

The crash came right at the front of the peloton and so sparked a huge pile-up.

Tim Wellens, Peter Sagan and many others went down.

Alaphilippe was involved. 

140km to go

Crash!!!

A big crash in the peloton! 

On Friday, Barry Ryan attended the Soudal-QuickStep press conference with Julian and Patrick Lefevere. 

It was a very different vibe this year.

‘I’m not feeling beaten before the start’ – Soudal-QuickStep cling to faith for Tour of Flanders

With the pace in the racing easing, we have a chance to catch-up with all the great stories we had on Cyclingnews in the build-up to the Tour of Flanders.

Patrick Fletcher and Barry Ryan have been in Flanders for ten days now and have been at the races and spoken to the big riders and teams. 

Click below to read what the riders said. 

Tour of Flanders pre-race quotes – Van Aert, Van der Poel, Pogacar, Kopecky, and more.

150km to go

Jumbo have put Edo Affini on the front, with UAE riders also up front but the gap is still rising.  

 We’re in a different phase of the race now. The first climb of the Oude Kwaremont comes with 136km to race, which is exactly have distance today.  

The riders in the peloton are enjoying the easier pace, taking on food and chatting as they pass through Oudenaarde.   

The eight up front are: Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB), Daan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Dstny), Filippo Colombo (Q36.5) Elmar Reinders (Jayco-AlUla), Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-EasyPost), Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) and Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech). 

155km to go

Hugo Houle is the eighth rider in the break after a long, hard solo chase.

A crash on a corner sees Tosh Van Der Sande of Jumbo go down. 

Wout van Aert saw him go down as he took a natural break. 

We now have seven riders in the break and the peloton has slowed. They are 1:40 behind as Wout van Aert rides on the front to show his desire for the break to go away. 

The seven attackers are: Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB),  Daan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Dstny), Filippo Colombo (Q36.5) Elmar Reinders (Jayco-AlUla), Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-EasyPost), Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep).

158km to go

The break hits the Korte Ast climb, the first climb of the race this year.

160km to go

Pogacar stops for a natural break, and so do other other riders. 

Others are trying to go across.

Tim Merlier of Suodal has joined Jonas Rusch of EF.  We’re starting to see some tactical plays as teams move their pawns in the chess match.

The five attackers are: 

Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB)

Daan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo)

Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Dstny)

Filippo Colombo (Q36.5)

Elmar Reinders (Jayco-AlUla)

We finally have a break, which has a gap of 5 riders. They lead by just 20 seconds.

164km to go

Here we go! It’s time for the first cobbled sector.  The Huisepontweg. 

170km to go

The riders are on an exposed crosswind sector now. The cobbled sector is just 5km away.

49.3 km/h. That’s the average speed after 2 hours. 

Could this be the fastest edition ever? 

It’s time for the feed zone. Watch out for attacks and crashes as riders grab musettes. 

Breakaway specialists are trying to get away but every time, someone chases them.

Taco van der Hoorn is involved. 

Crash in the peloton!

The Huisepontweg sector of cobbles kicks things off. It is 1.45km long and comes after 109km of racing.

185km to go

Edvald Boasson Hagen makes a surge to try to drag an attack away. Again he is kept in check. 

The riders face a loop around the lanes with changes in wind direction. Then they head towards Oudenaarde and the start of the cobbles and climbs.

190km to go

Still no break but the attacks and surges keep coming.

Tom Pidcock takes his gillet off, a sign the race is warming up.

The riders have covered 80km of the 273km race today. 

A break has still not got away but two splits have caused a nervous, fast race, with first van der Poel and then Pogacar caught behind.  

195km to go

The riders are near Harelbeke now and will soon turn left and into a headwind.

Will that help the break go? Maybe. Johan Jacobs (Movistar) has opened a gap off the front.

Pogacar can let out a sigh of relief too. His chase group is back with the peloton.  

Mads Pedersen was caught in the crash and hurt his hand. Stuyven is also in the chase group, forcing Trek onto the defensive. 

200km to go

The Pogacar group is now at 30 seconds. Mohoric is also in the group after being involved in the crash. 

UAE has 3 riders leading the chase but just like Alpecin earlier, it will surely cost them later in the race.

Pogacar has three UAE teammates helping him to chase back on.

205km to go

The peloton split due to the crash. Now Pogacar is in the second part.

Oier Lazkano was also caught in the crash.

210km to go

The crashed happened in the streets of Izegem. The road furniture and crowds perhaps squeezed the road width and so the peloton. 

Danny van Poppel of Bora is one of several riders to go down.

Crash! 

Gruppo compatto.

van der Poel can let out a sigh of relief. The chase group has caught the peloton after 20km of chasing. 

He moves in the peloton, to where he should have been to avoid the split. That will be a costly lesson learnt and it’ll be fascinating to see how much it costs him.

The chasers have formed an echelon as they close the gap. 

They can see the back of the peloton now but the split has been an moment of risk for van der Poel. 

Dilier is also working to close the gap and drag van der Poel back to the peloton. 

Van der Poel will surely lack several teammates later in the race after using them to close this gap.

Valentin Madouas is in the second group and appears about to climb off. He is sick and so his chances of another good ride at Flanders is over.

Bora have 2 riders in the chase group and they’re also taking turns on the front of the chase.

Sep Vanmarcke and Dylan Teuns are also in the chase group, forcing Israel to chase too. 

The riders have covered 50km in less than an hour. 

Trek have mischievously put two riders on the front to keep the speed high and turn the screw on van der Poel.   

225km to go

Van der Poel moves up to the front of the chase group to try to organise the chase. 

With no break up front, the speed is high in the peloton, making it hard for the chase to close the gap. 

This is a significant mistake by van der Poel. 

Valentin Madouas, Biniam Girmay, Peter Sagan and Caleb Ewan are also caught behind in the second group.

The gap is up to 40 seconds.

The split in the peloton was caused by a moment of cross winds. This is surely a tactical mistake from van der Poel and Alpecin.

Up front other teams continue to push the pace, to try to form the break but also to make Alpecin suffer.

Jayco and Israel also have riders stuck in the chase group and so having to work to close the gap.

Søren Kragh Andersen is also stuck behind at 30 seconds.

Interestingly van der Poel is in as second group that was gapped off the back. 

The gap is 25 seconds. No panic yet but 2 Alpecin riders are having to work to close the gap for van der Poel.

Oier Lazkano is active and trying to drag a break away. He rode well in Dwars on Wednesday and wants to be in the front today too.

Such is the speed that anyone who drops back to the team cars has to go deep to get back on. 

25 riders are fighting to get back to the peloton. That might cost them later in the race. 

235km to go

Bahrain appear to making a more organised attack, with 3 riders up front. 

The riders have turned right and are heading southwest now, with the wind firmly on their backs now. 

This could help the break form.

Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB) makes a dig but he’s pulled back. 

Every rise in the road, every corner, sparks a surge but someone else chases them. 

It’s still gruppo compatto but the peloton is in a long line.

Jumbo also have a rider up front, marking the moves.

As the route switches and turns through the Flemish villages and countryside, riders accelerate off the front but each time they are chased down.

250km to go

Movistar, Ineos, Lotto, TotalEnergies, Uno-X and others are all trying to get riders in the early attack.

Nothing has been let go for now.

The speed is up!

253km to go

Now the attacks have more speed and more determination.

In Knesselare, the village of the late Bjorg Lambrecht, the race remembers the talent rider who tragically died at the Tour de Pologne after a crash.

Our bike tech reporter Will Jones is also in Flanders and has been studying the bikes the favourites are using. Tyres and pressure will be important today.

Pogacar is riding 30mm tyres, with pressures of 3.5/3.4 bar. 

260km to go

Riders surge but others close them down. The tension is rising up front but a break is  unable to get a gap. Every team wants to be involved. 

Van Aert is at the back but the attacks are starting up front.

The speed is up, so it’s not the time to chat now.

267km to go

Riders keep accelerating off the front but there is no real attack for now.

At the back of the peloton, we can see Wout van Aert talking to Jasper Stuyven, will they form a tactical alliance? 

The race heads southeast towards Gent on wide roads. That should help the break to form.

Interesting Ineos have riders up front, trying to join the early break. Connor Swift is there. 

Even he big teams want riders in the early attack to play a role later, deeper into the race.

We can see some early surges but not out and out attacks.

Of course, we’ll also have full live coverage of the women’s Tour of Flanders. 

The race begins at 1:30 local time. 

Here we go!

The flag drops and the 2023 Tour of Flanders is underway.

This is the 107th edition of the Ronde. May the best rider win.

This was the ride out of Bruges.

Van Aert is at the back of the pack, getting an extra gillet from his team car to stay warm.

There will be a tailwind for the opening 75km and so we expect a fast start. 

The riders face 8.3km of neutralised riding before race director Scott Sunderland drops the flag.

We expect the attacks come straight away. 

Riders are wrapped up, some even with leg warmers, gloves and neck warmers.

The streets in Bruges are packed with spectators. The roads are dry but it’s cold, just 6C at the moment.

As the bells ring across the grote markt, the riders roll out of Bruges.

Here we go! 

Mathieu van der Poel, the 2022 winner, was the last to sign-on. 

He played down any talk of pre-race tactics. 

“Not really. There is not really a plan to make today. I always try to choose my moment in the game,” he said.

He has already won Milan-San Remo, so the pressure is off. 

“I already have something in my pocket and I can gamble more, but of course I would like to win,” he said.

Wout van Aert was on stage after Pogacar. 

“I feel relaxed and enjoy what’s going on here,” he said.

“That I ‘must’ win? I’ve heard it enough. We really want to win these races and our confidence is great.”

“Mathieu and Tadej are strong uphill, but we can counter this with a strong team in width.”

Tadej Pogacar enjoys the 10,000 crowd in Bruges. He is hoping for a special solo victory.

“That way you always have more certainty. A solo would be ideal, but that is always difficult,” he said. 

“The first passage over the Kwaremont will be important. From then on we have to be 110 percent concentrated. And I don’t think I have to walk on the Koppenberg today. Or I hope so.”

Thee clock is ticking down to the roll out from Bruges. 

Five minutes to go!

This is the special atmosphere at the Tour of Flanders as Jumbo-Visma head to the sign-on.

Matej Mohoric won Milan-San Remo last year but has peaked a little later this season and is on form. He hopes to land another surprise.

“I hope the favorites look at each other,” said the Slovenian. “I don’t necessarily have to anticipate them.” 

Bahrain teammate Fred Wright said he hoped to go in the pre-big attack move to ensure he and Mohoric are there.

Alexander Kristoff won the Tour of Flanders in 2015. He went on the attack on Wednesday. Will he go again?  

“Anticipate? If you want to beat those 3 guns, that’s the word, yes,” he said. 

“But you also have to have the legs for it,” says the “early escapee” from Dwars door Vlaanderen.

This is Peter Sagan’s last Tour of Flanders

Intermarché-Circus-Wanty’s Biniam Girmay can perhaps enjoy a glass of champagne whatever the result. He celebrates his 23rd birthday today with his debut in the Ronde.

What a birthday present for the Eritrean.

This is the race route, with the 19 Hellingen and six sectors of cobbles. At 273.4km, plus a neutralised sector, it will be a long hard day in the saddle.

After rain on Saturday, it is expected to cool but dry today, with some wind from the northeast a factor in the race.

Check out our Tour of Flanders weather watch. 

Cyclingnews Deputy Editor Patrick Fletcher and Features Editor Barry Ryan are in Bruges for the start. 

They’ve told us it is grey and cool in Bruges but the atmosphere is warming up as riders sign on and speak for a final time about their hopes and ambitions.

Cyclingnews will have full live coverage of both the men’s and women’s Tour of Flanders.

The riders roll out in less than 40 minutes and are currently signing on in the packed Bruges grote markt.

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of the 2023 Tour of Flanders!