“I’ve just seen the images. Typical Mathieu” – Florian Vermeersch hails Van der Poel brilliance after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad showdown

For a brief moment on the Molenberg, it looked like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2026 might belong to Florian Vermeersch.

The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider had forced the move, committed early, and found himself clear with Mathieu van der Poel at the front of the race. It was the defining split of the afternoon. Behind them, chaos reigned.

And yet, by the time the line in Ninove arrived, Vermeersch stood on the third step of the podium.

Not disappointed. Not resigned. But realistic. “I’ve just seen the images. Typical Mathieu,” Vermeersch said afterwards, reflecting on Van der Poel’s extraordinary save during the Molenberg crash, in comments reported by Sporza. “I wouldn’t have been able to do that myself.”

Vermeersch’s race had not unfolded smoothly. “I was in trouble in the first half after a crash and a bike change,” he explained. “I narrowly avoided going down a few more times, and I had the feeling I was on the wrong side of the peloton.”

The conditions were treacherous all afternoon. Crosswinds split the field repeatedly. The cobbles were slick. Positioning was everything.

Vermeersch made a conscious adjustment. “I said to myself that I didn’t want to drop out of the first twenty positions anymore, because you win the race at the front. On the Molenberg, I definitely wanted to hit it first, and then at the top, we would see what the damage was.”

He did more than measure the damage. He caused it.

When the peloton hit the Molenberg, Vermeersch drove the pace. A crash erupted behind him. Van der Poel somehow stayed upright, vaulted clear, and bridged across. Tim van Dijke soon joined them, forming the trio that would shape the finale.

“I was surprised for a moment when Mathieu and I were away together, but I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Vermeersch said. “You don’t get many chances like that, and you have to take them.”

At that point, the race was alive with possibility.

“Naturally, I was thinking about winning, but above all, I wanted to race without regrets. I did that. There’s no shame in Mathieu being the strongest.”

The decisive blow came on the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

Van der Poel attacked with force on the cobbled slopes. Vermeersch tried to respond but ran into trouble at precisely the wrong moment. “I wanted to shift onto the inner ring, but my chain got blocked for a moment. The cramps kicked in, and I couldn’t close the gap anymore.”

It was the crack in the door Van der Poel needed. Over the top, the Dutchman had daylight. The Bosberg only extended it. “That’s a bit of a shame, but Mathieu was the strongest anyway. The gap might have been a bit smaller, but it is what it is. It wouldn’t really have made the difference.”

Behind Van der Poel, the podium was still up for grabs. Vermeersch and Van Dijke committed fully in the final kilometres, riding clear of the fragmented chasers and securing second and third behind the solo winner.

For Vermeersch, third place carried clarity rather than frustration. “I can live with the result, but even more with the feeling. I came here to win, and I put all my cards on the table. I’m satisfied with my race.”

He had attacked early. He had taken risks. He had forced the race open. He had gone head-to-head with the strongest rider in the world on terrain that rewards conviction.

On this occasion, that rider was Van der Poel. And as Vermeersch acknowledged with a wry smile after watching the replay, sometimes you simply encounter something exceptional. Typical Mathieu.