DIRECT. Tour of Flanders 2024: Pedersen untenable, van der Poel in control, follow the race

Mads Pedersen decided to destabilize the Tour of Flanders and attack everything is fine. A tactic which does not panic van der Poel present within what remains of the peloton.

The essentials

• At the initiative in Molenberg, Pedersen insists on his work of harassment and isolates himself at home. the front. The Dane is only accompanied by Gianni Vermeersch, van der Poel's teammate.
• Double winner of the Ronde, Mathieu van der Poel figures à a second level of the race with Alaphilippe and around forty runners in a not completely organized chase.
• The 108th edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen was published in 2008. routed between Antwerp and Oudernarde, for a total of 270 km   through the cobbled mountains of Belgian Flanders. There will be 17 of them on the program, including three passages through Old Kwaremont and two through Paterberg.

Live

14:37 – Bjerg leads the chase (78 km)

Bjerg is put & agrave; at the front of the peloton to set the pace. The Dane works for his leader Wellens. The peloton points à 20 seconds of Pedersen and Vermeersch.

2:35 p.m. – Big fall in the peloton (82 km)

At the back of the peloton, eight riders hang on and fall . Involved are Küng, Bool, van Moer, Christen and Sénéchal. Covi is the only one that fails to do so. to share out. Not far away, Alaphilippe avoids going to the ground but is slightly slowed down and has to pass to the right.

14:28 – Pedersen insists (86 km)

At the moment when ù van der Poel sticks back to the leading group, Pedersen gets back on track and isolates himself with Vermeersch who doesn't let him get away. The Dane's tactics are puzzling when there are still 86 kilometers to go and he's already at the end of the race. &agrav; three straight attacks.

In the Valkenberg, van der Poel burst out of the peloton and closed the gap that separated him from the leading group. The world champion returns with ease.

14:25 – Pedersen turns around (87 km)

Pedersen gains wind at the front of the race and is already starting to advance. &agrav; turn around because behind, the peloton is being towed; by three Alpecin-Deceuninck. Van der Poel is warm in the peloton. There are only 15 seconds left.

14:21 – The peloton reforms (90 km)

At the exit of Berendries, the peloton reconstitutes itself around van der Poel. Around forty riders lead the pursuit behind the leading group where therefore figure Pedersen, Benoot, Naesen or Pollitt. The gap is 26 seconds.

14:20 – Van der Poel counters

Le Berendries clarifies the situation and behind the new lead group, van der Poel himself takes charge of leading part of the pursuit. There is about twenty seconds difference. Alaphilippe follows the world champion.

When reaching the Berendries, the escape is taken back by the group of mutineers composed of by Benoot, van Baarle, Pedersen, Naesen, Turner, Politt, Vermeersch and van Moer.

14:15 – Pedersen &agrave ; forward (95 km)

A small group escaped. of what remained of the peloton of favorites. It's a very strong group since we find there in particular Pedersen, Benoot, van Baarle, Turner, Politt, Naesen. Vermeersch is there; also but without its leader van der Poel, trapped; &agrav; the back.

14:14 – The doomed escape (96 km)

With his Dutch champion's jersey, van Baarle increases the pace while lying down. on his gallows. There are only around twenty riders left in this first peloton of favorites who are rushing towards the breakaway whose margin is only 25 seconds.< /p>

Not à ahead but in a second group after Molenberg, Alaphilippe places an attack as soon as he returns to the first group. The peloton is shaken; from all sides and van der Poel feels he must react.

14:10 – Van der Poel isolated ; (99 km)

Tim Van Dijke takes advantage of a moment of hesitation to attack à in turn, bringing Wellens, Küng and Benoot in his wake. Van der Poel no longer has a teammate and must let the blow begin. Riders come back from behind and the peloton reforms.

Already; &agrav; the offensive a little earlier, Pedersen places a strong acceleration in the Molenberg, sitting well in his saddle. Jorgensen himself gets down to business. his pursuit with van der Poel in the wheels. The Dane wants to seriously toughen up the Tour of Flanders. A group of 12 men broke away.

14:06 – Attacking Molenberg (100 km)

The eight escaped ;s virent à left and enter the Molenberg where the roadway narrows.

14:05 – Appearance of rain (101 km)

The first drops of rain appear on the Tour of Flanders. The wind is also rising in the plains of Flanders. The last 100 kilometers could take a completely different turn with these complicated weather conditions.

14:03 – The platoon recovers units (103 km)

After the successive accelerations of Jorgenson and Pedersen, the peloton had lost many riders. The pace has slowed down slightly and the peloton is regaining volume.

Just after Jorgenson, it&apos It is Mads Pedersen's turn to place a banner on the right of the road. The Dane, outsider à the final and third victory in 2023, shakes everyone and forces them to take part. answer. Hostilities have already started. started and the peloton was reduced to just a few. around fifty runners.

13:53 – The peloton comes back strong (110 km)

Under the impetus of Visma-Lease a bike, the gap with the escape falls back to the same level. 1'35''. The leading men are on reprieve.

Coup of force initiated by Jorgenson. The winner of the last Paris-Nice and leader of the Visma-Lease a bike accelerates very hard on an asphalt section. The Abrahamsen-Laurence counter is accepted and the peloton fractures.

13:49 – A counter launches (112 km)

In the Kappelberg, Abrahamsen accelerates at the head of the peloton and escapes. The Norwegian from Uno-X is accompanied by by the clever Axel Laurence, van der Poel's teammate. This disorganized the peloton since Alpecin-Deceuninck let go of the lead in the pursuit. The Visma-Lease a bike are moving to quell this opposition.

13:46 – Full throttle!

This 108th edition is being contested in a competitive manner. a very sustained pace since the first 3h25' of racing were é swallowed à the average speed of 46 km/h. From the start of Antwerp & 10 a.m., the runners have covered 155 km.

1:44 p.m. – In the Kappelberg (116 km)

The escapees attacked the Kappelberg passage whose road is narrow. Behind, the peloton screws and continues to get closer and closer. 2'40''.

13:43 – Madouas pied à land (117 km)

Thanks to a narrowing of the roadway, Madouas is caught in a fall à reduced speed. The French champion leaves very quickly and hangs on to the peloton.

13:40 – Madouas is ambitious< /h3>

Interrogatedé in L'Equipe, Valentin Madouas did not shy away from his ambitions for this 108th edition of the Tour of Flanders. "Physically, I've never beené as well as now. I am stronger than two years ago when I scored 3 (…) I am aiming to win. I think I'm capable of winning", explainedé the French champion.

13:38 – Change of pace (120 km)

The peloton clearly accelerated; in the wake of the fall which involved eight runners. The gap has in fact melted since in 5 kilometers, it passed. 4 minutes &agrav; 3.

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