Another race around Flanders, another three Visma-Lease a Bike riders at the front. And yes another race they didn’t win – the Dutch team’s wait for a victory in a big Classic this season goes on. But the Tour of Flanders was a whole lot different to Dwars door Vlaanderen. Instead of losing a three vs one sprint, they lost to Tadej Pogačar; rather than succumbing to the pressure and criticism that has been bestowed on them after their midweek embarrassment, they acted decisively by animating the race; and most importantly, while doubts previously persisted over Wout van Aert’s form, the Belgian demonstrated once again that he’s still right in the mix, attacking late on and finishing fourth in Oudenaarde.
The win eluded them yet again but there’s still time – and hope – for Visma to salvage their Classics season. Apart from securing the Flanders win, Visma did just about everything right at De Ronde; team sports director Grischa Niermann said as much: “I don’t think we made many mistakes today,” he said. In all honesty, they didn’t. When Pogačar set the race alight with 55km to go on the Kwaremont, three Visma riders were within sight: Van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson and up ahead courtesy of infiltrating an earlier break, Tiesj Benoot. Wednesday’s Humiliated Three back in action.
Over the next 40km and seven cobbled climbs, Pogačar kept trying, however each and every attack from him was reeled in by a small cohort of riders, the Visma trio among them. Van Aert himself valiantly tried at the foot of the Kwaremont, but he and his teammates were ultimately unable to deny Pogačar. But then who can? No one, apparently.
Visma, however, have every right to feel buoyant after Flanders. On another day, in a parallel universe where Tadej Pogačar didn’t exist, they might well have outnumbered and outplayed their competition. “It was a really hard day and we did the best we could – we used our team really well,” Jorgenson said. “We learned from last week, we tried to stay humble and understand what we did wrong. We went back to the basics of bike racing and the fundamentals and just [having] open discussion.”
Niermann expanded on his team’s strategy. “I think we had very good tactics with Tiesj ahead and Wout and Matteo just being able to follow and come back into the race. I don’t think a lot of people would have said that when you come to the Kwaremont [for the final time] we’d still be with three riders in the race playing for victory, but that was the case. I also think Wout got stronger in the final – he at least looked a little bit better on the Kwaremont compared to others – so it’s a pity we missed the podium but I think we should be proud. Bar Pogačar and [Mathieu] van der Poel, Wout, Matteo and Tiesj were clearly the strongest riders behind.”
Van Aert was certainly not disappointed. “From a personal point of view, I’m really happy,” he said. “It was a tough race of course and it was just really cool to battle for the podium. I was just stuck there and I have no regrets. I really tried it and Tadej was just stronger, and the other two in front of me in the sprint were also stronger too. A fourth place after these three riders is no disgrace. I’m especially happy that the hard work paid off and that I never lost courage.”
Not since the 2023 E3 Saxo Classic has Van Aert won one of the big Classics – a barren stretch for a rider of his ilk. His next chance is next Sunday, when he’s got a date with the Hell of the North: Paris-Roubaix. “He’s in form,” Niermann said of his star man. “You would have to name the same top two favourites in Van der Poel and Pogačar for next Sunday – I saw Pogačar going very hard over flat cobbles today – but in theory the race should suit Wout a lot more compared to Pogacar.”
It does, but then this is Pogačar, the man who “can just do everything,” Niermann acknowledged. Neither Van Aert nor his Visma teammates might be able to do anything about the Slovenian, but there can be no more question marks about the cohesion and collective strength of Visma-Lease a Bike. They’re trying, they’re getting closer, will the northern French cobbles be any kinder to the yellow bees?
