Men's Race: Pogacar Cements Legacy in Cobbled Classic

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) delivered a masterclass in tactical racing to claim his second Tour of Flanders crown, outlasting rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in a thrilling 270km battle across Flanders' iconic hellingen. The Slovenian superstar clocked 5h58m41s despite fierce winds and technical challenges, finishing 1:12 ahead of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in a dramatic solo finale.

Key moments:

• Van der Poel's crash at 127km sparked chaos
• Decisive attack on Oude Kwaremont (17% gradient)
• 750,000 spectators witnessed record attendance

Women's Race: Kopecky Enters Cycling Folklore

Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) became the first rider to achieve a Flanders triple crown, outsprinting a star-studded breakaway featuring:

1. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA)
2. Liane Lippert (GER)
3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL)

The 29-year-old Belgian champion overcame early crashes and tactical mind games, later stating: "This victory tastes sweeter than ever - we controlled chaos to make history."

Monumental Context

As one of cycling's Five Monuments, the 112th edition featured:

• 19 cobbled sectors (total 45km)
• 12 bergs including Koppenberg and Kapelmuur
• 23% abandonment rate due to extreme conditions

Road to Roubaix

All eyes now turn to Paris-Roubaix (April 13), where:

• Pogacar debuts on the 'Hell of the North'
• Van der Poel seeks record 4th consecutive win
• Historic $1M prize purse for 2025 edition

"The cobbles never lie - this is where legends are made." - Former winner Fabian Cancellara via race broadcast