Pogacar wins Van der Poel duel at cycling's Tour of Flanders

The duel between the Slovenian and defending champion Van der Poel played out across the 17 hills in bright sunshine before Pogacar went solo. Principally a Grand Tour rider world champion Pogacar won both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in 2024 and here won his eighth Monument, moving ahead of one-day specialist Van der Poel on seven. "The goal was to win but at the end it's hard to realise. I cannot be more proud of the team," said a beaming Pogacar at the end of the 270km slog before 750,000 boisterous roadside fans.