‘The legs have spoken’ – Tour of Flanders stays out of reach for Van Aert

OUDENAARDE BELGIUM APRIL 02 Wout Van Aert of Belgium and Team JumboVisma competes during the 107th Ronde van Vlaanderen Tour des Flandres 2023 Mens Elite a 2734km one day race from Brugge to Oudenaarde UCIWT on April 02 2023 in Brugge Belgium Photo by Jan de Meuleneir PoolGetty Images
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) rode with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) until the Kruisberg (Image credit: Jan de Meuleneir / Pool Getty Images)

It’s lonely on the road, with only thousands upon thousands of adoring fans for company. After cresting the top of the Kruisberg, Wout van Aert still had 26km to race, but he must have sensed the Tour of Flanders was already lost. 

The roar of the home crowd can only inspire a man so far at a time like this. All the good wishes in Belgium weren’t going to bridge the gap being opened by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.