Tour of Flanders disappointment "a firm blow for Jumbo-Visma" according to Jose De Cauwer

With the battle for Tour of Flanders victory coming down to Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert was a distant fourth over a minute behind the Slovenian. Something that will be "a firm blow for Jumbo-Visma" according to Jose De Cauwer.

Discussing the race with Sporza commentary partner Karl Vannieuwkerke, De Cauwer explained why he though Jumbo-Visma would be left reeling by the result. "This is what I call a firm tap, yes. Or we should hear that fall was worse," he explains. "The riders have all been through something. But now I say: this is a firm blow for Jumbo-Visma.

Whilst at one point it looked as if van Aert had completely cracked he was able to battle back into podium contention before being beaten for third by Mads Pedersen. "He almost came back and almost sprinted to the podium. Then it might have been better, but the race story now ends like this," De Cauwer analyses.

"We have already seen that Pogacar is the strongest on the Kwaremont. Others also get into trouble. After today we can simply say: Pogacar is the best, followed by Van der Poel," he continues. "'I just don't have to do anything,' he said, but at some point he has to win of course."