Mathieu van der Poel won a scintillating edition of the men's 2022 Tour of Flanders, pipping Dylan van Baarle and Valentin Madouas to the line in Oudenaarde while defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar finished fourth.
Take a look at the best images from the second Monument of the season and the culmination of the Flemish cycling week in our gallery below.
The teams are presented amidst the classical splendour of central Antwerp
Greg Van Avermaet waves to the crowd
Where the local rider is a fan favourite
Welcome to Flanders
Gallery: Women's Tour of Flanders 2022
The Ronde was missing pre-race favourite Wout van Aert, out after a positive test for Covid-19 two days before the race
Flanders is no easy place to race. Marco Haller hits the deck on a typical narrow concrete road
Flanders is famous for its cobbles; here the peloton tackles the Holleweg
Puncture and a wheel change for Alexander Kristoff, who would finish 10th
Mathieu van der Poel tackles the Oude Kwaremont
Five riders enter the final ascents of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg in the lead
Mathieu van der Poel battles his bike to stay in contention with Tadej Pogačar on the final climb of the race, the Paterberg
The pair work towards the line in Oudenaarde
Despite a late charge from Dylan van Baarle and Valentin Madouas, Mathieu van der Poel wins the sprint to the line to claim his second Tour of Flanders title, with Tadej Pogačar fourth
Van der Poel: "Winning is just not as easy as everybody thinks"
Read more: Lotte Kopecky's Flandrian Fairytale
Credit: Kristof Ramon
