3rd for Neilson on his cobbles debut💥 A strong ride at Dwars door Vlaanderen by the American who animated the race with teammate Mikkel Honoré. Looking forward to the big one on Sunday.
Neilson Powless "a dark horse" for Tour of Flanders after Dwars door Vlaanderen podium
CyclingWednesday, 29 March 2023 at 17:35
Neilson Powless started Dwars door Vlaanderen as an outsider. As Matteo Jorgenson had done at the E3 Saxo Classic, the American climber and classics rider has thrived in the cobbles, and rode to a surprising podium this afternoon.
His climbing abilities saw him well placed and responding to the decisive attack of the race alongside seven other riders from the peloton. “In such a small group you have to be very careful. Especially Tiesj Benoot and Laporte were strong, I saw that already thirty kilometers from the finish," Powless said in a post-race interview. "In the final it was also very tactical and there were many attacks. But Laporte was too strong. I take my hat off to him and Jumbo-Visma."
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The Jumbo-Visma rider set off for a solo victory, but right behind others also didn't want to take it to a sprint. Powless and Oier Lazkano attacked from the chasing group in the closing kilometers and worked together to finished second and third on the day. A positive outcome for both riders who managed to withstand the returns of the peloton by only a few meters.
"I'm happy, because Mikkel [Honoré] and I are debuting here on the cobblestones and that went pretty well for the first time," he added. The EF Education-EasyPost rider has been having a terrific season so far, winning the GP La Marseillaise and Etoile de Bessèges, finishing third at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var and sixth at Paris-Nice. Carrying form, he is making a bid towards the Tour des Flandres as are other climbers and puncheurs in recent years, and today at Dwars door Vlaanderen his form was proven.
“I am a dark horse there“, Powless says of Flanders where he should be a leader.. “Because the field of participants is stronger there. Hopefully I will have the same legs and I can compete in the final. I don't know if I will be the strongest, but I hope to play a role on Sunday."
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