Tadej Pogacar has never won a one-day race featuring Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. So, to say that he starts as a favorite for the Tour of Flanders is a lot to say.
The Slovenian has a huge power that makes him perform at top level in any type of terrain: mountain, flat, time trial, sterrato or pavé. Last year he already showed in the Ronde what he can do on cobblestones, although he couldn't leave van der Poel's wheel, which cost him not only the race but also the podium in the end.
The profile of the race is absolutely crazy: 260 kilometers with endless climbs and the Flemish pavé as the main protagonist. So, in terms of possible race strategy, we know that Pogacar is going to go on the attack and will try to blow his rivals away by exhaustion, as he's mentioned himself.
STRATEGY 1
Attack on the Oude Kwaremont and on the Paterberg at 60Km to the finish that will make him arrive alone on the Koppenberg and from there extend his distance and win alone as he has done in other less difficult races in terms of gradients.
STRATEGY 2
If he can't go solo and hits the final stretch of the race with van Aert and van der Poel welded to his wheel as happened in the E3 Saxo Classic, Tadej will have one last chance with another double climb on the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg with just a few kilometers to the finish. He would need just a few seconds to tackle the descent and then the short flat section into the win.
We know that if he doesn't go solo on this flat final stretch he's going to have a tough time against rivals who have proven time and again to be faster than him in similar races. We'll see what happens, we're in for an exciting Tour of Flanders.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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🏁 The finish line that awaits us. Sweet dreams! 😴 #RVV23
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