"I saw him shivering from cold at the podium" - Mathieu van der Poel lost Flanders because of his solo at the rainy E3 Saxo Classic
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel was the only challenger of Tadej Pogacar at Tour of Flanders, but even he had to surrender when Slovenian accelerated on the last time Oude Kwaremont. It's the Dutchman's first defeat in a one-day race this season and compatriot Sep Vanmarcke thinks Van der Poel's hunger for victories caught up to him.
Vanmarcke saw the first signs of Van der Poel's illness coming at last week's E3 Saxo Classic. The former pro saw the winner shivering from the cold during the ceremonies after the race. Vanmarcke in the podcast Café Koers: "Everyone saw that formidable solo in Harelbeke, but everyone also saw that it was raining. I then saw him really suffering from the cold at the podium."
It didn't stop there. "Then he had to go to the analysts' booth and he had a coat on, but he was still cold. Then he had another coat on during the press conference, but I saw that he was still cold... Then one plus one plus one is three. After the Tour I saw him after the podium and then I spoke to him. He said that I had already found out, but no, I saw that he was cold and said that could be dangerous."
That turned out to be the case. "He said he had already felt something in the race, but that he had completely come through it during the E3 Saxo Classic. And then he got cold and couldn't shower for a long time. I'm not saying I have the whole truth, but of course it all played a part."
Add the crash and the times he was positioned too far and you simply come up short against Pogacar. "He wasn't that far, but when Pogacar goes you have to get to him as quickly as possible. He did indeed pass an INEOS rider on the Oude Kwaremont as if he were a cycling tourist. A strange phase that we didn't see."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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