The duel between the Slovenian, winner of the last Tour de France, and the grandson of Raymond Poulidor turned into a four-way match on arrival.

Temporizing to force van der Poel to start the sprint, Pogacar facilitated the return of the first two pursuers, the Dutchman Dylan van Baarle and the Frenchman Valentin Madouas in the last 300 meters.

Pogacar, unhappy, found himself locked up and kicked out of the podium occupied by van Baarle, the silver medalist of the last World Cup, and Madouas, the first Frenchman at this level at the finish since Sylvain Chavanel (2nd in 2011 ).

"It's a pity that Pogacar is not on the podium, he was the strongest today," recognized van der Poel sportingly.

"I was on the verge of letting go at the top of the Paterberg", the eighteenth and last climb used by the Slovenian to try to outrun his companion.

Return with a bang

"I have never drawn so far in fatigue as at the top of the Paterberg", added the winner of the day.

"But afterwards, I had time to recover for a few kilometres".

Van der Poel headed with Pogacar to Oudenaarde for another two-man sprint.

With, in mind, the memory of the two previous ones, won in 2020 against the Belgian Wout van Aert (the big absentee of the day) and lost last year against the Dane Kapser Asgreen.

In the last kilometer, "VDP" tried to force Pogacar to pass.

Even if it means slowing down excessively and facilitating the return of the pursuers who were pointed a few moments earlier at 25-30 seconds.

Tadej Pogacar behind his rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin) cannot challenge his victory in the Tour of Flanders in Oudenaarde, April 3, 2022 ERIC LALMAND BELGA / AFP

Master of his nerves, although he admitted having been disturbed by the whirlwind return of van Baarle and Madouas, van der Poel found the resources to sign his second success in the "Ronde van Vlaanderen", his 38th in a row. career embellished by his formidable debut in the Tour de France last summer.

He had won a stage and worn for six days the yellow jersey which his grandfather had always refused in the 1960s and 70s.

Bulldozer-style Pogacar

"I wasn't even sure I could run here a few weeks ago!" exclaimed the winner of the day, referring to his winter, which was thwarted by recurring back pain, a consequence of his fall at the Tokyo Olympics in the cross-country mountain biking event.

But his thunderous return to competition, his third place in Milan-Sanremo (March 19), had left little doubt about his level.

You had to be very strong to resist Pogacar who eliminated his opponents over the climbs of this exhausting race (273 km) which attracted the large crowd after two editions behind closed doors.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE) gauge each other in the climb of the cobblestones of Paterberg on the route of the Tour of Flanders, April 3, 2022 BENOIT DOPPAGNE BELGA / AFP

Like a bulldozer, the winner of the Tour began the selection 55 kilometers from the finish in Old Kwaremont and overwhelmed the opposition, with the exception of van der Poel and Madouas, on the steep slopes from Koppenberg.

In the last two climbs (Vieux-Quaremont again and Paterberg), he only kept the future winner with him, clinging to his wheel.

Quadruple cyclo-cross world champion, van der Poel (27) now has two victories in a "monument", the name of the biggest one-day races.

Current series?

A first answer will be provided in two weeks at the end of Paris-Roubaix, the "queen of the classics" which he finished last year in third place.

But, in the Tour of Flanders, his record is exceptional: fourth for his debut in 2019, he then sprinted each time for victory!

© 2022 AFP