Van der Poel follows father in Flanders

OUDENAARDE, Belgium: Mathieu van der Poel took the Tour of Flanders honours on Sunday for his first win in one of cycling’s so-called Monuments marked by world champion Julian Alaphilippe’s heavy fall after colliding with a motorbike.

Van der Poel had slipped away from the peloton with his great rival Wout van Aert and Alaphilippe forming a three-man breakaway.

After the French rider’s accident the duo were left to fight out the finish, with Dutch star van der Poel emerging the winner in Audenarde 34 years after his father Adrie’s name was added to the celebrated race’s roll of honour.

In the run up to the Antwerp start of the race moved from its traditional slot in the cycling calender due to the Covid-19 pandemic all the signs were that this duo held the key to the celebrated race.