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 advantage that cost Visma the possibility of a win.
MvdP's cobbled classic streak
Date | Race | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 04 Apr 2021 | ||
| 03 Oct 2021 | ||
| 30 Mar 2022 | ||
| 03 Apr 2022 | ||
| 17 Apr 2022 | ||
| 18 Mar 2023 | ||
| 24 Mar 2023 | ||
| 02 Apr 2023 | ||
| 09 Apr 2023 | ||
| 22 Mar 2024 | ||
| 24 Mar 2024 | ||
| 31 Mar 2024 | ||
| 07 Apr 2024 | ||
| 22 Mar 2025 | ||
| 28 Mar 2025 | ||
| 06 Apr 2025 | ||
| 13 Apr 2025 | ||
| 28 Feb 2026 | ||
| 27 Mar 2026 | ||
| 29 Mar 2026 |
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.
In Flanders Fields Elite Men Results
Middelkerke - Wevelgem • Mar 29
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Jasper PHILIPSEN | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | 5:08:03 |
| 🥈 | Tobias LUND ANDRESEN | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +00 |
| 🥉 | Christophe LAPORTE | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 4 | Arnaud DE LIE | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +00 |
| 5 | Robert DONALDSON | TEAM JAYCO ALULATEAM JAYCO ALULA | +00 |
| 6 | Matteo TRENTIN | TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAMTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM | +00 |
| 7 | Luca MOZZATO | TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAMTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM | +00 |
| 8 | Aime DE GENDT | PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAMPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM | +00 |
| 9 | Jonas ABRAHAMSEN | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 10 | Jasper STUYVEN | SOUDAL QUICK-STEPSOUDAL QUICK-STEP | +00 |
| 11 | Jenno BERCKMOES | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +00 |
| 12 | Axel HUENS | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +00 |
| 13 | Anthony TURGIS | TOTALENERGIESTOTALENERGIES | +00 |
| 14 | John DEGENKOLB | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +00 |
| 15 | Davide BALLERINI | XDS ASTANA TEAMXDS ASTANA TEAM | +00 |
| 16 | Carlos CANAL BLANCO | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 17 | Samuel WATSON | INEOS GRENADIERSINEOS GRENADIERS | +00 |
| 18 | Nils POLITT | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +00 |
| 19 | Matyáš KOPECKÝ | UNIBET ROSE ROCKETSUNIBET ROSE ROCKETS | +00 |
| 20 | Yevgeniy FEDOROV | XDS ASTANA TEAMXDS ASTANA TEAM | +00 |
| 21 | Biniam GIRMAY | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +00 |
| 22 | Cees BOL | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +00 |
| 23 | Kasper ASGREEN | EF EDUCATION - EASYPOSTEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST | +00 |
| 24 | Mike TEUNISSEN | XDS ASTANA TEAMXDS ASTANA TEAM | +00 |
| 25 | Hartthijs DE VRIES | UNIBET ROSE ROCKETSUNIBET ROSE ROCKETS | +00 |
| 26 | Wessel MOURIS | UNIBET ROSE ROCKETSUNIBET ROSE ROCKETS | +00 |
| 27 | Thomas GACHIGNARD | TOTALENERGIESTOTALENERGIES | +00 |
| 28 | Dries DE BONDT | TEAM JAYCO ALULATEAM JAYCO ALULA | +00 |
| 29 | Thibaud GRUEL | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +00 |
| 30 | Wout VAN AERT | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 31 | Florian VERMEERSCH | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +00 |
| 32 | Matej MOHORIC | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUSBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS | +00 |
| 33 | Florian SENECHAL | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | +04 |
| 34 | Filippo GANNA | INEOS GRENADIERSINEOS GRENADIERS | +04 |
| 35 | Mathieu VAN DER POEL | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | +04 |
| 36 | Jordi MEEUS | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +07 |
| 37 | Alec SEGAERT | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUSBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS | +07 |
| 38 | Jonas GEENS | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | +07 |
| 39 | Laurence PITHIE | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +22 |
| 40 | Lewis ASKEY | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +22 |
| 41 | Oliver NAESEN | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +42 |
| 42 | Tim VAN DIJKE | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +42 |
| 43 | Gianni VERMEERSCH | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +50 |
| 44 | Huub ARTZ | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +1:38 |
| 45 | Søren WÆRENSKJOLD | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +1:57 |
| 46 | Søren KRAGH ANDERSEN | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +1:59 |
| 47 | Arjen LIVYNS | XDS ASTANA TEAMXDS ASTANA TEAM | +1:59 |
| 48 | Julius JOHANSEN | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +2:04 |
| 49 | Frederik FRISON | PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAMPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM | +2:06 |
| 50 | Daan HOOLE | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +2:08 |
| 51 | Frits BIESTERBOS | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +2:08 |
| 52 | Luke LAMPERTI | EF EDUCATION - EASYPOSTEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST | +2:09 |
| 53 | Jakob SÖDERQVIST | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +2:41 |
| 54 | Hugo HOFSTETTER | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +2:41 |
| 55 | Brent VAN MOER | PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAMPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM | +2:41 |
| 56 | Alexis RENARD | COFIDISCOFIDIS | +2:41 |
| 57 | Mathias VACEK | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +3:28 |
| 58 | Paul MAGNIER | SOUDAL QUICK-STEPSOUDAL QUICK-STEP | +5:31 |
| 59 | Guillaume BOIVIN | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 60 | Luca GIAIMI | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +5:31 |
| 61 | Pavel BITTNER | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +5:31 |
| 62 | Sandy DUJARDIN | TOTALENERGIESTOTALENERGIES | +5:31 |
| 63 | Milan FRETIN | COFIDISCOFIDIS | +5:31 |
| 64 | Lorenzo MILESI | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +5:31 |
| 65 | Emils LIEPINS | PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAMPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 66 | Paul PENHOET | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +5:31 |
| 67 | Tom VAN ASBROECK | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 68 | Petr KELEMEN | TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAMTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 69 | Rui Filipe ALVES OLIVEIRA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +5:31 |
| 70 | Cedric BEULLENS | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +5:31 |
| 71 | Pau MIQUEL DELGADO | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUSBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS | +5:31 |
| 72 | Lukáš KUBIŠ | UNIBET ROSE ROCKETSUNIBET ROSE ROCKETS | +5:31 |
| 73 | Tim Torn TEUTENBERG | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +5:31 |
| 74 | Arthur KLUCKERS | TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAMTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 75 | Clément RUSSO | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +5:31 |
| 76 | Julius VAN DEN BERG | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +5:31 |
| 77 | Hugo PAGE | COFIDISCOFIDIS | +5:31 |
| 78 | Sander DE PESTEL | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +5:31 |
| 79 | Aaron Murray GATE | XDS ASTANA TEAMXDS ASTANA TEAM | +5:31 |
| 80 | Edward THEUNS | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +5:31 |
| 81 | Jon BARRENETXEA GOLZARRI | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +5:31 |
| 82 | Luka MEZGEC | TEAM JAYCO ALULATEAM JAYCO ALULA | +5:31 |
| 83 | Jonas RUTSCH | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +5:31 |
| 84 | Niklas MÄRKL | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +5:31 |
| 85 | Alessandro BORGO | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUSBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS | +5:31 |
| 86 | Samuel LEROUX | TOTALENERGIESTOTALENERGIES | +5:31 |
| 87 | Florian DAUPHIN | TOTALENERGIESTOTALENERGIES | +5:31 |
| 88 | Steffen DE SCHUYTENEER | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +5:31 |
| 89 | Brem DEMAN | TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISETEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE | +5:31 |
| 90 | William LEVY | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +5:31 |
| 91 | Erik Nordsaeter RESELL | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +5:31 |
| 92 | Victor VERCOUILLIE | TEAM FLANDERS - BALOISETEAM FLANDERS - BALOISE | +5:31 |
| 93 | Orluis Alberto AULAR SANABRIA | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +5:31 |
| 94 | Jonathan MILAN | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +5:31 |
| 95 | Johan JACOBS | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +5:31 |
| 96 | Rasmus TILLER | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +5:31 |
| 97 | Dylan TEUNS | COFIDISCOFIDIS | +5:31 |
| 98 | Mick VAN DIJKE | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +5:31 |
| 99 | Matthew James BRENNAN | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +5:31 |
| 100 | Sébastien GRIGNARD | LOTTO INTERMARCHÉLOTTO INTERMARCHÉ | +5:31 |
| 101 | Tim MARSMAN | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | +5:31 |
| 102 | Jan TRATNIK | RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHERED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE | +5:31 |
| 103 | Marco HALLER | TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAMTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 104 | Matis LOUVEL | NSN CYCLING TEAMNSN CYCLING TEAM | +5:31 |
| 105 | Owain DOULL | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +5:31 |
| 106 | Joshua Michael TARLING | INEOS GRENADIERSINEOS GRENADIERS | +5:31 |
| 107 | Kim Alexander HEIDUK | INEOS GRENADIERSINEOS GRENADIERS | +5:31 |
| 108 | Bastien TRONCHON | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED | +5:31 |
| 109 | Tim REX | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +5:39 |
| 110 | Edoardo AFFINI | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +5:39 |
| 111 | Stefan BISSEGGER | DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAMDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM | +5:39 |
| 112 | Michael VALGREN | EF EDUCATION - EASYPOSTEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST | +5:39 |
| 113 | Silvan DILLIER | ALPECIN-PREMIER TECHALPECIN-PREMIER TECH | +5:39 |
| 114 | Mikkel Norsgaard BJERG | UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRGUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG | +5:39 |
| 115 | Jonathan VERVENNE | SOUDAL QUICK-STEPSOUDAL QUICK-STEP | +5:39 |
| 116 | Tomas KOPECKÝ | UNIBET ROSE ROCKETSUNIBET ROSE ROCKETS | +5:39 |
| 117 | Fabio VAN DEN BOSSCHE | SOUDAL QUICK-STEPSOUDAL QUICK-STEP | +5:39 |
| 118 | Yves LAMPAERT | SOUDAL QUICK-STEPSOUDAL QUICK-STEP | +7:16 |
| 119 | Mathias NORSGAARD | LIDL-TREKLIDL-TREK | +9:25 |
| 120 | Cyril BARTHE | GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITEDGROUPAMA-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.
