Mathieu van der Poel emphatically lives up to expectations and takes fifth career monument with sublime Tour of Flanders victory

Mathieu van der Poel has made it a fabulous fifth monument victory with a stunning victory at the 2024 Tour of Flanders, set up perfectly by a brutal attack on the wet and slippery cobbles of the Koppenberg.

Eight men attacked early, forming the day's breakaway. Among the riders in the early lead group were the likes of Bert Van Lerberghe (Soudal - Quick-Step), David Dekker (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) plus Team Jayco AlUla duo, Luke Durbridge and Elmar Reinders.

With over 110km to go, some of the bigger names already started going on the attack, including Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen. Although they weren't able to fully snap the elastic, the high pace was making things incredibly strung out.

93km to go, and the breakaway was joined by a chase group including Dylan van Baarle, Pedersen, Ben Turner and Nils Politt among a few others, although notably, Mathieu van der Poel was nowhere to be seen.

As van der Poel attempted to bridge across solo on the next little rise, sensing his rival coming, Pedersen immediately attacked clear off the front, joined by van der Poel's Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate, Gianni Vermeersch.

As the peloton and the chase group merged, despite a spectator bringing down Cees Bol and causing a crash, Pedersen and Vermeersch continued to fight on up ahead.

With Vermeersch offering little support, almost all of the work was being done by Pedersen in the lead group. Their advantage never really stretched further than 30 seconds though.

As they reached the Kwaremont for the second time 56km out, an acceleration by Oier Lazkano brought a select group across to the leaders and once the catch was complete, van der Poel came straight over and onto the attack himself.

Once things had settled back down again with an ever-dwindling lead group, Ivan Garcia Cortina was the next to launch an attack. As he reached the Koppenberg however, an untimely mechanical brought the Spaniard to a complete standstill, forced to watch van der Poel fly past.

No one could live with that attack by van der Poel as the Rainbow Jersey launched what looked like a race-winning move. Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen were fighting but as van der Poel reached the top of the Taaienberg, his lead was already nearly up to a minute.

With van der Poel's lead only increasing, Jorgenson and Pedersen dropped back to a chase group where frustration was rife and the battle for the remainder of the podium was already starting.

In the battle behind van der Poel, Alberto Bettiol and Dylan Teuns were proving strongest with 20km to go.

Summiting the final climb 1:45 ahead of the chasers, van der Poel was allowed to cruise towards the finish line and soak up the adulation of the Belgian crowd.

Behind, things were getting incredibly exciting as the chase group began to close on Bettiol and Teuns with more and more riders getting hopeful of securing a spot on the podium.

In the end, around a minute after van der Poel had crossed the line in celebration, there was a photo finish for second and third between Michael Matthews and Luca Mozzato.

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