There haven't been many races this year that Tadej Pogacar will have been disappointed with the result, but his near miss at the the E3 Saxo Classic could be one of them. Flanders Classic CEO, Tomas Van Den Spiegel believes Pogacar's will to win will ensure the Slovenian's return next year.
Click here to create your own team for the Fantasy Tour of Flanders. At least $6,500/€6,000/£5,720 in prizes!
Van Den Spiegel confidently reveals to HLN his belief "that Pogacar likes to drive the Ronde. If he doesn't win on Sunday (at the Tour of Flanders), he will keep coming back until he wins."
Of course the aforementioned E3 Saxo Classic is something of a rival race to those held by Van Den Spiegel and his Flanders Classic group, but he denies that he feels any jealousy towards the race, after such a thrilling battle. "Not at all. Harelbeke had a dream podium with Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogacar. I'm happy for them," he says. "The E3 is only sixty kilometers shorter and no Monument. The Round is unique. Since the new course, the best rider has always won. Whether it's one of those three or someone else, I don't care."
"Of course we would like Wout or another Belgian as winner, but the time when we had the feeling that a foreigner was going to walk away with our victory is fortunately behind us," he continues. "Cycling has never been more international than it is now. The Tour does not stand or fall with a Belgian win."