“Tadej Pogacar is a little bit better on the Kwaremont” - Mathieu van der Poel's father highlights key disadvantage in son’s Tour of Flanders history bid

The margins at the very top of the Tour of Flanders are often defined by a single climb, and according to Adrie van der Poel, that is exactly where the balance may tilt again in 2026.

Speaking to Road.cc ahead of this year’s edition, the 1986 winner pointed directly to the Oude Kwaremont as the terrain where Tadej Pogacar holds a subtle but decisive edge over his son Mathieu, who is chasing a record-breaking fourth victory.

“The last few years, Tadej has shown he’s a little bit better on the Kwaremont,” he said, offering a measured but telling assessment of the dynamic that has shaped recent editions of the race.

That observation cuts to the core of the current rivalry. While Van der Poel has repeatedly proven himself across the cobbled Monuments, the longer, more sustained effort of the Kwaremont has increasingly become the launchpad for Pogacar’s most damaging moves.

The Kwaremont will again feature twice in the decisive phase, with the second ascent, coming inside the final 55 kilometres, traditionally acting as the first true moment of separation among the favourites.

It is also the point where the race shifts from positioning to pure strength, and where Pogacar’s ability to sustain a long, high-intensity effort has previously forced others onto the defensive.

For Van der Poel, whose strengths often lie in repeated accelerations and race instinct, that presents a different kind of challenge. Not one that removes him from contention, but one that forces a response rather than allowing him to dictate.

Despite the focus on what would be a historic fourth Tour of Flanders title, Adrie van der Poel made clear that such milestones are not shaping his son’s approach.

“Mathieu is going for the victory, but he’s never thinking about the record,” he explained. “If and when he wins, then you have the record. But it’s not a healthy way to race, to race for a record. You race to win. And if you win enough, then the records follow.”

That mindset aligns with the way the race itself is expected to unfold. While the narrative has often centred on the battle between Pogacar and Van der Poel, the presence of Wout van Aert and debutant Remco Evenepoel adds further complexity to an already tight equation.

“I think it’s wrong if you change tactics just because a certain rider is there,” Adrie van der Poel said, reinforcing the idea that the race will not be dictated by one rival alone. “It’s good he’s there… but it’s much better when you have ten riders who can win the race.”

Adrie van der Poel’s comments also reflect a broader acceptance within the peloton of Pogacar’s current status. “You have to accept that in each generation there’s a rider who’s a little bit above the others. Now it’s Tadej,” he said.

That does not make the outcome inevitable, but it does shape how the race is approached. As seen in recent races, Pogacar’s combination of individual strength and the backing of UAE Team Emirates has allowed him to dictate from distance, forcing rivals to make decisions earlier than they might prefer.

Even with that hierarchy, the expectation is not for a straightforward duel. “Sunday could be a race of surprises,” Adrie van der Poel added, before tempering that thought. “But I think in the end we’re going to see the same riders.”

That balance between unpredictability and inevitability has been a recurring theme in the build-up to this year’s Tour of Flanders. The strongest riders tend to emerge, but rarely without the race first being stretched and reshaped by conditions, positioning and tactical choices.

On a course that repeatedly funnels everything through the Kwaremont and Paterberg, those differences are often exposed quickly and decisively. If Pogacar once again proves strongest on that key climb, it could force Van der Poel into chasing rather than attacking. If not, the race opens up into a far less controlled contest.

Either way, as Adrie van der Poel’s assessment suggests, the decisive moment may not come from a surprise move, but from a familiar place where the smallest difference becomes the biggest one.