Tadej Pogačar roars to record-equalling third Ronde van Vlaanderen title

Becoming the first rider in cycling history to win four Monuments in succession, Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG won the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday afternoon. The world champion produced another exceptional performance in Belgium to defend his Tour of Flanders title and win De Ronde for the third time.

In doing so, Pogačar becomes a joint-record holder with three editions of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. This exclusive club also includes the runner-up on Sunday, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech). The two riders went toe-to-toe for the second Monument in a row, and just as at Milano-Sanremo in March, it was Pogačar that came out on top.

The Slovenian has now won four Monuments in a row, dating back to last year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and this latest triumph takes him to 12 Monument Classics in total. Moving past Roger De Vlaeminck, who ended his illustrious career with 11 Monument wins, Pogačar now sits second in the all-time list, trailing just the great Eddy Merckx (19).

Sunday’s Ronde van Vlaanderen success was achieved in a similar manner to his two previous victories, with Pogačar making his race-winning attack on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. Going solo with 18km to ride, Pogačar held his advantage over Van der Poel to the finish in Oudenaarde, where he could celebrate another legendary victory for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

It was another win that saw the whole Emirati squad deliver faultless displays in service of their leader, Pogačar.

First up for UAE Team Emirates-XRG was Mikkel Bjerg, who almost single-handedly controlled a 13-man breakaway for much of the day. With their advantage pegged, teammate Nils Politt came to the fore to reduce the time gap, before António Morgado dropped the hammer in favour of Pogačar. All the while, the defending champion had been ushered into position by the expert, Rui Oliveira.

Benoît Cosnefroy was unfortunate to be taken out by a crash at the foot of the Eikenberg, but even down a man, his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates pressed on. It was soon to be Florian Vermeersch who made a race-defining acceleration on behalf of Pogačar.

Delivered to the foot of the cobbled climb by the selfless Politt, Vermeersch delivered a devastating acceleration from the very foot of the Molenberg climb. It was a repeat display from Omloop Nieuwsblad earlier in the spring, with the Belgian bending this unforgiving climb to his will.

Vermeersch’s turn of pace was enough to shred the peloton apart, with an elite selection of riders forming a breakaway group that would never again be caught by the peloton. Inside this group were both Vermeersch and Pogačar from UAE Team Emirates-XRG – a perfect situation for the Emirati squad.

From here to the finish, it was always going to be the strongest legs that made the difference, and so it proved.

On the penultimate ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, Pogačar unleashed his first vicious acceleration, and it was enough to see off all but two of his competitors, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Van der Poel. The dogged Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) fought and fought to maintain contact, but the six-second gap over the top of the climb proved too much for the Belgian to close.

With 52km to go, the leading trio hit the Paterberg climb with fury, and this time it was Evenepoel who could not handle the pace of Pogačar. The Olympic champion was distanced heading over the crest of the climb, and would spend the rest of the race in no man’s land between the group of Pogačar/Van der Poel, and those chasing from behind.

As for the race-winning attack, this would come from Pogačar on the third and final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. There, the Slovenian made his move from the very start of the cobbles, to which Van der Poel could not respond. A gap of six seconds over the top of the climb was extended to 18 seconds over the top of the Paterberg, and from here to Oudenaarde, it only extended.

It was Pogačar’s third outing of the 2026 campaign, and his third victory taken with a solo attack. After Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo earlier in the spring, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider mastered the cobbled climbs of the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Now, a date with Paris-Roubaix awaits in a week’s time.

Pogačar: “It was a really crazy race today, I think. It was super hard from I don’t know which kilometre, and then it was a little bit of a waiting game before it was putting power through the pedals when the group formed. I was happy that we kind of cooperated and then it was in good favour for me.

“For sure, I didn’t want Remco back into the group [with me and Van der Poel], because I know how well his endurance is as a rider. He can always overcome in the end, and beat you, so I really tried to make a gap and it was good.

“I don’t race too much, so when I race, there is pressure to win. So far, everything went perfect for me, so I can be more than happy and then coming next week to Roubaix, I can go motivated and try to enjoy the cobbles.”

Ronde van Vlaanderen/Tour of Flanders results:

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 6:20:07

2. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) +34″

3. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +1:11

7. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +4:28″