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When the peloton rolls out to the start of the Tour of Flanders in Brugge on Sunday, three riders will stand above the rest as the top favourites for glory six hours later in Oudenaarde.
Two-time champion Mathieu van der Poel heads up Alpecin-Deceuninck, while Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) represent his greatest threats to making it victory number three in Oudenaarde.
The trio, who were the class of the field at the ‘mini-Flanders’ E3 Saxo Classic last week, are each backed up with a strong squad of lieutenants, among them Van der Poel’s new teammate Søren Kragh Andersen.
The Dane had spent his pro career with Team DSM before making the switch to the Belgian squad over the winter, and despite only logging two race days at Van der Poel’s side so far, he’s already proving an invaluable ally for the star.
This week, Van der Poel has eschewed the usual course recons to instead decamp to Spain for some warm weather training. Kragh Andersen, however, was on hand in Flanders to discuss his new partnership.
“So far, we only did two races [Milan-San Remo and the E3 Saxo Classic] together,” the Dane said during a press conference from his car on Thursday. “I have to say that I also really enjoyed it. I was quite excited about it to see what will happen.
“So far, it’s been two super cool races with him. If he says he’s more relaxed, I guess he likes that I’m around quite far into the races. I don’t know him too well yet, but I have the feeling that we understand each other’s way of racing.”
Kragh Andersen had enjoyed numerous big wins – including two breakaway stage wins at the 2020 Tour de France – with his former squad DSM. Though results have been harder to come by since then, hence the new surroundings for 2023.
The early results look promising, with a fifth place at San Remo as Van der Poel escaped to victory and ninth at E3 as the Dutchman took second. Kragh Andersen said that his spring is going better than expected.
“After the races, I’ve had a good feeling, but not before the races,” he said. “In the winter I was in a good place and happy with my team. Of course, I hoped to be good, but at E3 I think I surprised myself a bit because normally, with my former team, this race was hard for me.
“I haven’t won a big cobbled Classic yet, but this year – as we just spoke about – it’s promising so far. I’m just behind a few guys who are on a really high level. But so far, I’m among the best of the rest.
“Maybe it can turn to my…
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