"E3 isn't going away in 48 hours" - Mathieu van der Poel's lack of explosivity at Gent - Wevelgem justified according to José de Cauwer

Mathieu van der Poel was defeated at Gent - Wevelgem directly against Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek, but the lack of a destructive performance is understandable for José de Cauwer. Although Mads Pedersen raced the same event, the Belgian analyst believes van der Poel lacked the explosivity following his efforts of two days prior.

De Cauwer comments however on how the American team could've done even more damage if not for untimely bad luck. "If Jasper Stuyven doesn't have a puncture, we could see him playing a role at the front and maybe the three of them will reach the finish line," José de Cauwer analyzed for Sporza. "And then Stuyven might get an excellent opportunity to win Gent-Wevelgem with an attack. But if, if, if..." Ultimately that was not necessary for Lidl-Trek, who saw Pedersen almost drop the World Champion the final time up the Kemmelberg, and then outsprint him in Wevelgem.

They and Wout van Aert will battle at the Tour of Flanders, de Cauwer argues that the battle could be more diverse if Tadej Pogacar was present: "Van Aert also wanted Pogacar to be there next Sunday. And I think they would also like to have a Pedersen there. Then it doesn't always have to be a conflict. Let's be honest: if it's like in Harelbeke, with one person on the other's wheel, and waiting, and watching..." The Belgian monument will be brutal, and so tactical racing is less likely to make the difference, and a battle between van der Poel, van Aert and Pedersen is unlikely to see other big figures disrupting it.

"That's not so nice, then I'd rather have a third man. Plus, damn E3 isn't going away in 48 hours. Today Van der Poel had to work hard again, first about twenty kilometers behind Jonathan Milan, with Pedersen and Stuyven on his wheel," he says as another reason for why van der Poel could not beat Pedersen. "He has had another hard day at work. He'll be glad he can rest for a few days."