Van der Poel, Pogacar, public feedback, French chances... five reasons to follow the Tour of Flanders

To follow Van der Poel on his favorite race

The royal road for Mathieu Van der Poel?

Rid of his best enemy Wout Van Aert, sick and probably forfeited, the Dutchman is the big favorite of the 106th edition of the "Ronde".

Mounted on the box for the last two editions, the 2020 winner remains on an authoritative victory over A Travers la Flandre, unofficial dress rehearsal, Wednesday.

Revanchard after his second place last year, where he dropped in the final against Kasper Asgreen, "MVDP" will be the runner to watch this Sunday.

Despite a late return to competition (in Milan-San Remo, 3rd), the Dutchman will have a sign at least as big as his ambition.

It remains to be seen whether he will be able to extricate himself from the peloton, which he has not managed to do in the last two years…

Read alsoCycling: “I am 100%”, announces Van der Poel before the Tour of Flanders

Pogacar for his discovery

And if there is a runner capable of flying solo to win, it is Tadej Pogacar.

A month after his impressive number at the Strade Bianche (50 km alone to win), the Slovenian prodigy is tackling the Flanders countryside for the first time.

Well not quite, he who was able to run the Tour of Flanders among the hopefuls.

Discovery of the Round or not, "Pogi" will also have the sign in the back when starting.

Even if he challenged it at the start of the year, when presenting his season's objectives: “

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assures the one who remembers a

Fifth in Milan-San Remo at the beginning of March, the double winner of the Tour hopes to open his counter on the Flandriennes this Sunday, before turning to Liège-Bastogne-Liège (of which he is title holder) and the Tour of Lombardy at the end of the year.

Read alsoCycling: four Monuments, two Grand Tours… Pogacar's program in 2022

For the succession of mountains

Paterberg, Molenberg, Old Kwaremont… Le Ronde is also the succession of mountains that make the salt and the legend of the race.

On the program, 273 kilometers between Antwerp and Oudenaarde.

If a hundred kilometers will be done on the flat at the start, the participants will have an appointment with a succession of steep climbs until the finish.

The race could be played out in the last passages of the very steep Paterberg (360m at 12.9%), where Peter Sagan had soared to victory in 2016, or the demanding Koppenberg (600m at 11.6% ).

But it is especially towards the third and last passage of Vieux Kwaremont (2.2 lm at 4.2% on average) at km 256 that you will have to look.

It was in this key and telegenic sector that the win was decided in 2019 and 2021.

The Jumbo-Visma in full recognition of Old Kwaremont.

Vincent Kalut / PANORAMIC

For the return of the Belgian public

The Old Kwaremont should also regain its former warmth with the return of the public around the circuit.

The cobbled climb nestled less than 20 km from the line should therefore regain the warmth of the Belgian public after two editions behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

A return that summons the memories of the public present en masse during the last Worlds, where the atmosphere had transported Julian Alaphilippe to his second planetary coronation.

Sick, the most French of Belgians will not be there to witness the festive atmosphere on arrival on the long straight in Oudenaarde.

Others, starting with his Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl partners, will know how to tell him.

For a fourth French winner?

Which Frenchman will succeed Jacky Durand on the list?

Surprise winner of the 1992 edition of the Tour of Flanders, the adventurer is the third and last Frenchman to have triumphed in the Tour of Flanders (Louis Bobet in 1955 and Jean Forestier in 1956 before him).

In 2020, the brand new world champion Alaphilippe left to go and play to win in a three-way finish with Van der Poel and Van Aert… before a serious fall.

Forfeit, here is the main French chance gone.

It is advisable to turn to other Tricolores to hope for a French victory on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the great number of Jacky Durand.

Read alsoTour of Flanders: Alaphilippe hits a motorcycle and gives up

In great shape with the Jumbo-Visma, Christophe Laporte seems the most complete at the moment.

Teammate of Alaphilippe at Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl, Florian Sénéchal has the qualities to shine in the final packaging, just like Hugo Hofstetter (Arkéa-Samsic), often placed.

Fourth last year and recent second at Milan-San Remo, Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), can also influence the race.