Classics season is so, so on. It’s basically the Super Bowl every day for weeks for pros, and for us fans, it’s party time.
The Tour of Flanders is back, and all eyes are on the looming showdown between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar.
Both have traded victories in past editions, proving they can dominate cycling’s toughest one-day races. After Pogačar’s absolutely bonkers performance in 2025, the question is simple: can van der Poel respond?
The Dutch star struggled a bit on the Poggio during Milan-San Remo, partly due to a hand injury, but he’s expected to be a factor on the cobbles.
Men’s race
The 2026 edition sticks to its usual brutal day in the saddle. Sunday is a just brutal 270 km course starting in Antwerp. The second half packs 16 climbs and numerous cobbled sectors. The race often explodes on the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, where the strongest riders try to break clear. Annnnd that may be where we might see Pogi and van der Poel go head-to-head.
Positioning will be crucial long before that, as the relentless bergs and narrow roads sap energy from the peloton. Mads Pedersen may or may not be a factor. It’s still hard to gauge his fitness. He’s clearly in-form–he was fourth at Milan-San Remo. But, how do I say this, it’s an “easy” 300km fast group ride with a big sprint. It ain’t Flanders. Van Aert has been in strong form lately, though he and van der Poel were caught out at Gent-Wevelgem. And he just got popped by Fillipo Ganna at Dwaars door Vlaanderen. How lovely would a big dub be for fan fave Wout?
Two Canadians are on the men’s startlist: Pinarello 36.5’s Nick Zukowsky, who’s been active in breakaways this season, and NSN Cycling’s cobbles specialist Guillaume Boivin.
Women’s race
The women’s peloton features all the top names, including Demi Vollering, Lorena Wiebes, Marlen Reusser, Elisa Longo Borghini, and Lotte Kopecky. British talent Cat Ferguson is also racing. Their 164 km course mirrors the men’s finale, promising fireworks over the climbs and cobbles.
Several Canadians are racing as well. Maggie Coles-Lyster, who bounced back from minor crashes at Wevelgem, will line up alongside national champ Alison Jackson and Laval’s Emilie Fortin, who is enjoying a strong start after a tough few years with Epstein-Barr.
Both races are streaming live on FloBikes.com: men’s at 3:55 a.m. EDT and women’s at 9:15 a.m. EDT. Don’t worry if you’re out on a ride—we’ve got all the coverage for you here at Canadian Cycling Magazine.
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