Mathieu van der Poel wins record-equalling third Tour of Flanders with 45km attack

Dutchman pulls off audacious long-range coup to claim Monument victory

Mathieu van der Poel at the Tour of Flanders
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took a record-equalling victory at the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, joining an exclusive club of riders who have won the race three times. 

The world champion launched his winning move on the Koppenberg, the twelfth of 17 rain-soaked hellingen climbs, with 45km to go. There, as his competitors unclipped and scaled the 20% slope by foot, the Dutchman sailed clear. 

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