The spotlight today will be on Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar, to see who will be the most cunning and strong in winning the Tour of Flanders. The Dutchman has already won the Ronde three times and his palmares also includes two Milan-San Remo victories and two Paris-Roubaix wins, so it will be truly difficult to obstruct his path to victory today. Everything will depend on the strategy Mathieu intends to implement and how Pogacar first, but also others, will try to anticipate him to take the win. In recent weeks, Van der Poel has shown extraordinary form, with victory at the E3 Saxo Classic and Milan-San Remo, after an exciting duel with Pogacar and Filippo Ganna.

"I pedaled gradually in the first days after E3 and Milan-San Remo, my intention was to recover correctly, and on Friday I did an intense training session on the Tour of Flanders route".

Van der Poel knows the Ronde route perfectly, but he decided to explore some areas that he believed could help him in his preparation. "The route holds no secrets for me, so from that perspective it wasn't really necessary. But since I decided to stay in Belgium between E3 and the Tour of Flanders, I thought a longer training session on the route would be a good idea. It was the perfect way to add a bit more intensity. We pedaled at a good pace, but without going all out. The training lasted 4 hours, from Ghent we arrived at the Molenberg".

Tackling the Tour of Flanders is never easy, and when you're the super favorite for victory, it could be even more complicated, because in the group the Dutch champion will be the most watched along with Tadej Pogacar.

"I don't think our approach will be a big surprise. Let's just say we're prepared for any situation, good or bad. The key is to maintain calm in all situations as always. My teammates will do everything to put me in the best possible position for the finale. Then it will be up to me to try to win the race, even if it's obviously much easier said than done".

Considering recent races, Van der Poel and Pogacar will be the favorites, but a rider who could have a good race is Mads Pedersen, who was incredible in Gent-Wevelgem.

"The Tour of Flanders is a completely different race compared to Gent-Wevelgem or Through Flanders. Based on recent results and how the races have unfolded, I still think it's fair to say that Tadej and I are a step above the others. But I always consider more riders and teams. Many things can happen, and race dynamics can always surprise you. Underestimating my rivals is never a choice I make".

The Ronde for Van der Poel is a unique and special race and is probably the Monument Classic he loves more than any other.

"I think the Tour of Flanders is the Classic I love the most. As a child, I watched it on television with admiration, and from my first participation, I felt a strong connection with this race. The Ronde, Paris-Roubaix, and Milan-San Remo are all magical races, but Flanders is special. The fact that my name is now on the list of winners three times makes me incredibly proud".

The former world champion could become the only one in history with four victories, but this doesn't add pressure to the champion. "I don't care about records, I had said the same thing about Cyclocross World Championships: I just want to win the race. If I can manage the race well, the record will come naturally. Don't misunderstand me, it's incredibly special and I would never have imagined I would be in this position. But it's not something I'll think about during the race".