Tour of Flanders 2026: Favourites
fotobureau Cor VosOn paper, the Tour of Flanders promises another showdown between Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, with Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Filippo Ganna and Mads Pedersen also eager to fight for victory. Cyclingstage.com takes a closer look at the contenders to win “Flanders’ Finest”.
First published on 2 April 2026
Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but it is highly indicative. In two of the three editions in which Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel both lined up for the Tour of Flanders, the spoils went to the Slovenian. Only in 2022 did Van der Poel triumph in a head-to-head duel, partly thanks to a bizarre finale in which Pogacar found himself boxed in by two chasers, Van Baarle and Madouas, who appeared out of thin air in the last few hundred metres.
In 2023, after a fruitless chase from the Oude Kwaremont, Van der Poel had to concede to the four-time Tour winner, and last year the script was similar. Once again Pogacar rode away on the Oude Kwaremont, with Van der Poel this time chasing alongside Pedersen. Not that it bothered Pogacar — he won the race by more than a minute.
Given the balance of power at Milan–San Remo, where Van der Poel could not follow Pogacar’s brutal pace on the Poggio, a similar scenario is on the cards. For years on end now, the Slovenian has been very impressive, but he seems to have improved even further during the running season. He has ridden two races (Strade Bianche and Milan–San Remo) and won both.
That is not to say Van der Poel is having a poor season. Quite the opposite. He claimed two stages at Tirreno–Adriatico, won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and E3, and played a starring role last weekend in In Flanders Fields (won by his team-mate Philipsen). Moreover, his pedigree in the Tour of Flanders is phenomenal. He has started the race seven times and has failed to reach the podium only once — on his debut in 2019, when he finished fourth. He has been crowned winner three times, finished runner-up twice, and placed third last year.
We have been treated to thrilling editions in recent years, but the upcoming Tour of Flanders promises to be even better. All the specialists are on the start line and almost all have been able to prepare optimally. Van Aert and Ganna showed last Wednesday in Dwars door Vlaanderen that they are in absolute top form, while Evenepoel is set to make his debut. Van der Poel and Pogacar are both at the peak of their powers. Pedersen is returning from injury and may be a question mark, but the tough Dane never gives up and will certainly make his presence felt.
The Tour of Flanders never disappoints. With a finale that lasts at least 55 kilometres and so many fantastic riders on the start line — all of whom love to race aggressively — it could hardly be otherwise. Vlaanderens Mooiste - or Flanders' Finest - always lives up to its nickname. Seven of the last ten editions were won with a solo performance: Sagan (2016), Gilbert (2017), Terpstra (2018), Bettiol (2019), Pogačar (2023, 2025) and Van der Poel (2024). In the other years, a two-man sprint decided the outcome — if you count the 2022 finale as a sprint between two.
What will happen this time? If Pogacar wants to win, he has only one option: drop his rivals on the climbs and ride alone to Oudenaarde — the winning formula of 2023 and 2025. Can he shake off his rivals? And if so, how many riders will be able to join forces behind him in the chase? According to the forecasts, the wind will not be unfavourable for a lone breakaway rider, with a tail-crosswind in the final 10 kilometres.
As mentioned, this year’s Tour gets an extra injection of excitement with Evenepoel’s debut. He confirmed his participation on Wednesday, and that could well change the race dynamics. Let's say Pogacar drops Van der Poel, Van Aert, Evenepoel, Pedersen and Ganna on one of the final climbs, and the five of them stay together to launch a chase… What a thrilling spectacle that would be!
Weather forecast (Thursday 2 April):
Start: 11°C, cloudy, force 4 wind from the west-south-west
Finish: 13°C, sunny/partly cloudy, force 4 wind from the west
The Flemish classics of this season were won by Mathieu van der Poel (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Saxo Classic), Matthew Brennan (Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne), Jasper Philipsen (Nokere Koerse, Gent-Wevelgem) and Filippo Ganna (Dwars door Vlaanderen).
Favourites 2026 Tour of Flanders
***** Tadej Pogacar
**** Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert
*** Remco Evenepoel, Mads Pedersen, Florian Vermeersch, Filippo Ganna
** Romain Grégoire, Michael Valgren, Jasper Stuyven, Christophe Laporte
* Kasper Asgreen, Dylan van Baarle, Paul Magnier, Matthew Brennan, Tim van Dijke
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