Tour of Flanders Men – LIVE

210KM TO GO

Over three minutes for the 8 leaders. It’s unclear where Walker and Reynders are – we haven’t had a sight of them for a while. 

The peloton is reorganising itself, as those who stopped for comfort breaks gradually make their way back to the peloton. The two main protagonists have also taken control at the front – Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Those attacks came to nothing. 

Yet more attacks out of the peloton, again initiated by two Arkéa – B&B Hotels riders. They have a whole 2-30 to close – a tall order. 

Despite the comfort break, a couple of Arkéa – B&B Hotels attempted to attack. They’re clearly desperate having failed to make the break, but it’s an unpopular, etiquette-breaking move in the peloton.

The pace is off in the peloton, with Pogačar among many to take the opportunity for a comfort break.

220KM TO GO

The 8 leaders are 1-40 ahead of the peloton, but the chasing duo have only about 10 or 15 seconds. 

Correction – Reynders hasn’t been caught by the peloton, and is about to be joined by Walker. There’s still hope for Wagner Bazin WB, albeit it a slim one.

Some riders still haven’t given up, as EF’s Max Walker jumps out of the peloton. But with 1-20 between himself and the break, he’s appears to be on a hiding to nothing.

Reynders has now been caught. That’ll be a serious disappointment to the team, as ensuring they were represented in the break would have been their main goal of the day.

Jens Reynders is behind trying to join them. His Wagner Bazin WB have missed the move, despite being one of the most active teams at the start.

Here are the 8 riders in the break:

Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers)

Elmar Reinders (Jayco-AlUla)

Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana Team)

Sean Flynn (Picnic PostNL)

Timo Roosen (Picnic PostNL)

Rory Townsend (Q36.5)

Victor Vercouillie (Flanders – Baloise)

Marco Haller (Tudor)

Or will it? More attacks are coming out of the peloton. There are still riders not happy.

230KM TO GO

Almost 30 seconds now for the break. It appears this will indeed be the break.

Riders at the front of the peloton are spreading across the road, to try and discourage any more attacks. This might be our break of the day.

This move looks promising – it contains about 8 riders, and they’ve been allowed 10 seconds. 

He’s brought back, as is a group of about 10 that briefly had a few seconds. There are too many wanting to get into the break for anybody to be happy with whatever group threatens to form.

A Q36.5 rider is the latest to get a small gap, but, once again, has no company. 

240KM TO GO

Hesters has been caught. Still no break has formed, after nearly 40 minutes of racing. 

The Wagner Bazin WB has sat up, for unclear reasons. The Flanders – Baloise rider, Jules Hesters, is continuing on though. 

Jungels has eased up and been caught, and now two counter-attackers have passed him to lead the race – a Wagner Bazin WB rider and one from Flanders – Baloise.

Crash in the peloton, the first of the day – Carlos Canal and Lennert Van Eetvelt are invlolved.

This must be the biggest gap we’ve seen so far, approaching ten seconds. Jungels is all out on his own though.

Bob Jungels has a gap of a few seconds. 

A group of about 15 has just become the first for a while to get a small gap of a few seconds, but has been reabsorbed too.

250KM TO GO

Almost 20km into the race, and still no break. It’s strangely subdued – the pace is high, and lots of teams want to get into the break, but most are chasing rather than trying to take the initiative and form the move.

Tadej Pogačar is happy to hover around the back for now. The only riders massed at the front are those trying to make sure they’re part of the break.

The likes of EF Education-EasyPost, Picnic PostNL, Intermarché – Wanty and Wagner Bazin WB are particularly prominent at the front, wanting to be a part of the break that will eventually form.

No rider has managed to get a gap since Vermoote. There are lots of riders trying, but too many for an appropriate break to form.

260KM TO GO

Vermoote has been brought back, and the peloton is all together. 

Jelle Vermoote is that Wagner Bazin WB rider. 

A Wagner Bazin WB rider is the first of the day’s early attackers to get a gap of more than just a few bike-lengths.

Lots of movement at the front of the bunch, but no gaps yet. 

OFFICIAL START

And we’re off!

The riders at the start, greeted by blue skies. It does not appear rain will affect this year’s Tour of Flanders.

Though the pair of Van der Poel and Pogačar have attracted all the hype, this isn’t quite a two-man show, and many of the world’s best are here to play a starring role. Mads Pedersen has been brilliant all spring, and won Gent-Wevelgem with an attack even more far out than the other two; Filippo Ganna is in the classics form of his life and Wout van Aert has the class, if the form.

The riders are on the move in Bruges, making their way through the neutralised one. Excitement is building!

In cycling history, having two such decorated riders race against each of in as big a race as this at the very peak of their powers is a rarity. They both go into the race on seven career monuments, seeking an 8th to go joint-sith on the all-time list.

The Ronde is always a special race, but promises to be even more so this year thanks to the great rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar

Part one was won by Van der Poel at Milan-Sanremo, when Pogačar proved unable to drop him despite multiple blistering attacks, and today will be their meeting on the cobblestones. They’ve both been unstoppable when they’ve raced apart – but today, something will have to give, and only one can win.

It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. After a spring full of drama and excitement, the Tour of Flanders is the climax of the Belgian classics, and promises to be one of the events of the whole season.

Hello and welcome to the 2025 Tour of Flanders!