“I had one problem: there’s a phenomenon riding around" - Mathieu van der Poel praises Tadej Pogacar as storied rivalry writes another epic chapter at Tour of Flanders 2026

Mathieu van der Poel could do little more than acknowledge what had just unfolded in Oudenaarde. After another fierce duel with Tadej Pogacar at the 2026 Tour of Flanders, the Dutchman was forced to settle for second place, beaten not by tactics or hesitation, but by a rival he described in striking terms.

“I had one problem: there’s a phenomenon riding around,” Van der Poel said after the finish. “There was simply someone stronger, nothing you can do about it.”

The defining moment came on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, where Pogacar delivered the decisive attack that split the race for good.

Van der Poel had followed every move up to that point, matching the Slovenian across the climbs and responding when the race exploded among the leading contenders. But when the winning acceleration came, even he had no answer. “I was pushing 650 watts and still couldn’t hold the wheel,” he explained. “I just had to accept the law of the strongest.”

That effort marked the end of the contest for victory, even if Van der Poel continued to chase all the way to the finish. The gap never truly stabilised, and Pogacar steadily extended his advantage on the run into Oudenaarde.

Despite the defeat, Van der Poel struck a composed and realistic tone when reflecting on the outcome. “It would have been even better if I were on the top step,” he said. “But I was realistic enough to know that Tadej was the man to beat.”

It was another chapter in what is rapidly becoming one of the defining rivalries of this era, with both riders once again shaping the race from distance and forcing it into a direct confrontation on the decisive climbs. On this occasion, Pogacar held the upper hand.

The contrast between Flanders and what comes next was not lost on Van der Poel. “He was better than me on the climbs, but Roubaix doesn’t have climbs,” he said, already looking ahead to the next Monument.

Even so, he was quick to underline that Paris-Roubaix presents its own uncertainties. “Still, luck plays a role there as well. First, I’ll recover a bit. This is definitely one to frame.”

For Van der Poel, defeat in Flanders does little to diminish his standing, but it does underline the level required to win in the current era. On this day, against a rival operating at his very best, even that was not enough.