Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck racing on a cobbled road during the E3 Saxo Classic in 2026

Mathieu van der Poel’s cobbles streak ends as Alpecin strategy reshapes cobbled Classics favourites picture

A 35th-place finish at In Flanders Fields snaps a run stretching back to the 2021 Tour of Flanders, and extends Van der Poel's curious record in the one Flemish Cycling Week race he has never won.

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) had finished in the top 10 of 18 consecutive cobbled classics, a run stretching from the 2021 Tour of Flanders through the E3 Saxo Classic on 27 March 2026. That streak, which included 17 podiums and wins at the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and E3, ended on Sunday at In Flanders Fields with a 35th-place finish.

The race that broke it was the same one that has never quite fit him. Van der Poel's record at the former Gent-Wevelgem now reads: fourth in 2019, ninth in 2020, second in 2024, skipped 2025, 35th in 2026. It is the only race of Flemish Cycling Week – and major WorldTour cobbled classic – he has never won.

What happened on the road looked like it could have been different. Van der Poel and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) broke clear together on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg with around 36km remaining, built a lead approaching a minute, and were caught just before the flamme rouge. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) won the bunch sprint for his 60th career victory.

Van der Poel's explanation was direct. "If we had gone all out, not thinking about it, we could have made it to the finish," he said following the race finish. "Without Jasper in the back, it would have been a different story." With Philipsen as a fallback sprint option, Van der Poel did not need to empty himself completely, leaving Van Aert at a tactical disadvantage that cost Visma the possibility of a win.

MvdP's cobbled classic streak

Velora
Date
Race
Result
04 Apr 2021Ronde van Vlaanderen2nd
03 Oct 2021Paris-Roubaix3rd
30 Mar 2022Dwars door Vlaanderen1st
03 Apr 2022Ronde van Vlaanderen1st
17 Apr 2022Paris-Roubaix9th
18 Mar 2023Milan-San Remo1st
24 Mar 2023E3 Saxo Classic2nd
02 Apr 2023Ronde van Vlaanderen2nd
09 Apr 2023Paris-Roubaix1st
22 Mar 2024E3 Saxo Classic1st
24 Mar 2024Gent-Wevelgem2nd
31 Mar 2024Ronde van Vlaanderen1st
07 Apr 2024Paris-Roubaix1st
22 Mar 2025Milan-San Remo1st
28 Mar 2025E3 Saxo Classic1st
06 Apr 2025Ronde van Vlaanderen3rd
13 Apr 2025Paris-Roubaix1st
28 Feb 2026Omloop Het Nieuwsblad1st
27 Mar 2026E3 Saxo Classic1st
29 Mar 2026In Flanders Fields35th

E3 fatigue, Flanders calculations

The defensive approach was announced in advance. Just 48 hours earlier, Van der Poel had won E3 for a third consecutive year after a 63km solo effort that nearly collapsed in the final kilometre. Before Sunday's race, he told Sporza he would ride defensively and that he and Philipsen shared the leadership.

Results

Middelkerke - Wevelgem • Mar 29

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
BE flagJasper Philipsen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH5:08:03
🥈
DK flagTobias Lund Andresen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+00
🥉
FR flagChristophe Laporte
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+00
4
BE flagArnaud de Lie
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+00
5
GB flagRobert Donaldson
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+00
6
IT flagMatteo Trentin
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+00
7
IT flagLuca Mozzato
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+00
8
BE flagAime de Gendt
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+00
9
NO flagJonas Abrahamsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+00
10
BE flagJasper Stuyven
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+00
11
BE flagJenno Berckmoes
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+00
12
FR flagAxel Huens
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+00
13
FR flagAnthony Turgis
TOTALENERGIES+00
14
DE flagJohn Degenkolb
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+00
15
IT flagDavide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+00
16
ES flagCarlos Canal Blanco
MOVISTAR TEAM+00
17
GB flagSamuel Watson
INEOS GRENADIERS+00
18
DE flagNils Politt
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+00
19
CZ flagMatyáš Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+00
20
KZ flagYevgeniy Fedorov
XDS ASTANA TEAM+00
21
ER flagBiniam Girmay
NSN CYCLING TEAM+00
22
NL flagCees Bol
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+00
23
DK flagKasper Asgreen
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+00
24
NL flagMike Teunissen
XDS ASTANA TEAM+00
25
NL flagHartthijs de Vries
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+00
26
NL flagWessel Mouris
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+00
27
FR flagThomas Gachignard
TOTALENERGIES+00
28
BE flagDries de Bondt
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+00
29
FR flagThibaud Gruel
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+00
30
BE flagWout van Aert
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+00
31
BE flagFlorian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+00
32
SI flagMatej Mohoric
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+00
33
FR flagFlorian Senechal
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+04
34
IT flagFilippo Ganna
INEOS GRENADIERS+04
35
NL flagMathieu van der Poel
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+04
36
BE flagJordi Meeus
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+07
37
BE flagAlec Segaert
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+07
38
BE flagJonas Geens
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+07
39
NZ flagLaurence Pithie
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+22
40
GB flagLewis Askey
NSN CYCLING TEAM+22
41
BE flagOliver Naesen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+42
42
NL flagTim van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+42
43
BE flagGianni Vermeersch
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+50
44
NL flagHuub Artz
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:38
45
NO flagSøren Wærenskjold
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:57
46
DK flagSøren Kragh Andersen
LIDL-TREK+1:59
47
BE flagArjen Livyns
XDS ASTANA TEAM+1:59
48
DK flagJulius Johansen
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+2:04
49
BE flagFrederik Frison
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+2:06
50
NL flagDaan Hoole
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+2:08
51
NL flagFrits Biesterbos
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:08
52
US flagLuke Lamperti
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+2:09
53
SE flagJakob Söderqvist
LIDL-TREK+2:41
54
FR flagHugo Hofstetter
NSN CYCLING TEAM+2:41
55
BE flagBrent van Moer
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+2:41
56
FR flagAlexis Renard
COFIDIS+2:41
57
CZ flagMathias Vacek
LIDL-TREK+3:28
58
FR flagPaul Magnier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+5:31
59
CA flagGuillaume Boivin
NSN CYCLING TEAM+5:31
60
IT flagLuca Giaimi
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+5:31
61
CZ flagPavel Bittner
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+5:31
62
FR flagSandy Dujardin
TOTALENERGIES+5:31
63
BE flagMilan Fretin
COFIDIS+5:31
64
IT flagLorenzo Milesi
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:31
65
LV flagEmils Liepins
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:31
66
FR flagPaul Penhoet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+5:31
67
BE flagTom van Asbroeck
NSN CYCLING TEAM+5:31
68
CZ flagPetr Kelemen
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:31
69
PT flagRui Filipe Alves Oliveira
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+5:31
70
BE flagCedric Beullens
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+5:31
71
ES flagPau Miquel Delgado
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+5:31
72
SK flagLukáš Kubiš
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+5:31
73
DE flagTim Torn Teutenberg
LIDL-TREK+5:31
74
LU flagArthur Kluckers
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:31
75
FR flagClément Russo
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+5:31
76
NL flagJulius van den Berg
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+5:31
77
FR flagHugo Page
COFIDIS+5:31
78
BE flagSander de Pestel
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+5:31
79
NZ flagAaron Murray Gate
XDS ASTANA TEAM+5:31
80
BE flagEdward Theuns
LIDL-TREK+5:31
81
ES flagJon Barrenetxea Golzarri
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:31
82
SI flagLuka Mezgec
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+5:31
83
DE flagJonas Rutsch
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+5:31
84
DE flagNiklas Märkl
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+5:31
85
IT flagAlessandro Borgo
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+5:31
86
FR flagSamuel Leroux
TOTALENERGIES+5:31
87
FR flagFlorian Dauphin
TOTALENERGIES+5:31
88
BE flagSteffen de Schuyteneer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+5:31
89
BE flagBrem Deman
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+5:31
90
DK flagWilliam Levy
UNO-X MOBILITY+5:31
91
NO flagErik Nordsaeter Resell
UNO-X MOBILITY+5:31
92
BE flagVictor Vercouillie
TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE+5:31
93
VE flagOrluis Alberto Aular Sanabria
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:31
94
IT flagJonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+5:31
95
CH flagJohan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+5:31
96
NO flagRasmus Tiller
UNO-X MOBILITY+5:31
97
BE flagDylan Teuns
COFIDIS+5:31
98
NL flagMick van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:31
99
GB flagMatthew James Brennan
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:31
100
BE flagSébastien Grignard
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+5:31
101
NL flagTim Marsman
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+5:31
102
SI flagJan Tratnik
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:31
103
AT flagMarco Haller
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:31
104
FR flagMatis Louvel
NSN CYCLING TEAM+5:31
105
GB flagOwain Doull
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:31
106
GB flagJoshua Michael Tarling
INEOS GRENADIERS+5:31
107
DE flagKim Alexander Heiduk
INEOS GRENADIERS+5:31
108
FR flagBastien Tronchon
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+5:31
109
BE flagTim Rex
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:39
110
IT flagEdoardo Affini
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:39
111
CH flagStefan Bissegger
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+5:39
112
DK flagMichael Valgren
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+5:39
113
CH flagSilvan Dillier
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+5:39
114
DK flagMikkel Norsgaard Bjerg
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+5:39
115
BE flagJonathan Vervenne
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+5:39
116
CZ flagTomas Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+5:39
117
BE flagFabio van den Bossche
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+5:39
118
BE flagYves Lampaert
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+7:16
119
DK flagMathias Norsgaard
LIDL-TREK+9:25
120
FR flagCyril Barthe
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+11:16

The course also works against his preferred style. Unlike E3 or the Tour of Flanders, the flat run-in after the Kemmelberg gives organised chase groups a realistic chance to close gaps.

The 18-race run included five wins at major monuments, three consecutive Paris-Roubaix victories from 2023 to 2025.. A 35th place at In Flanders Fields ended the statistical run, though Van der Poel's tactical choices suggest it was not a loss of form.

Despite some discussion around his near catch in E3, Van der Poel's form is not in question. As we reported yesterday, Jonas Abrahamsen's effort to nearly catch required dizzying wattage within a cohesive chase.

For Van der Poel, though, it shows that given the double-headed strength of Alpecin–Premier Tech on both solo and sprinter fronts, the main barrier to his clear favourite status in any remaining Classic is whether he aims for a team win over a personal one.

Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.