We readily admit: the uncertainty surrounding Wout van Aert has caused our jury members a lot of cutting and pasting. Van Aert would undoubtedly have received 3 stars, but has now been removed from the list. Since this Tour of Flanders could have a more open character, our jury members have therefore selected their joker – genre Alberto Bettiol – as a bonus.
***
Not Wout van Aert, but Mathieu van der Poel: the cycling maps are completely different in a few weeks.
Van der Poel only started his road season two weeks ago, but after his 3rd place on the Via Roma, a stage victory in the Coppi e Bartali and his victory in Dwars door Vlaanderen, he has become a top favourite, according to our jury.
The panel – a mix of commentators, presenters and analysts (m/f) – is also charmed by the sudden rise of Tom Pidcock.
Until last Wednesday he was a shadow of himself, but between Roeselare and Waregem, the cyclo-cross world champion was suddenly very much alive again. Just in time?
**
He was certainly not tubed on Wednesday, but a major award was not handed out either: Tadej Pogacar paid tuition during his first exam on Flemish roads, but will already have a re-examination on Sunday. Will he graduate cum laude?
The Slovenian might reflect on Kasper Asgreen† The Dane came in 2nd at his first participation in 2019 and won last year. Will he polish up Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl’s blazon?
And where is Jumbo-Visma, we hear you thinking? Is the extremely strong block so contaminated by the situation around Wout van Aert?
no, but Tiesj Benoot is in the second row. However, Karl Vannieuwkerke heard the clear message from the peloton: “Whoever beats Benoot wins the Tour of Flanders.” Who are we to contradict the riders?
*
Tiesj Benoot can in principle not speculate on his sprint, teammate Christopher Laporte is that possible. The Frenchman placed 2nd in Harelbeke and Wevelgem. Has his software package received an upgrade for the Tour of Flanders?
Mads Pedersen has a shared past with Kasper Asgreen: he also came in 2nd at his debut in this monument, in 2018 that was.
Pedersen was excellent in Sanremo, was unable to follow in Harelbeke, impressed again in Wevelgem and fell through the basket in Waregem. If that volatile line is continued, Sunday will be another great day.
Stefan Kung With a little imagination he takes the opposite route: in Harelbeke he finished 3rd, in Waregem 6th and in between he lost his way ahead of leader Démare in Wevelgem. A solo from the Paterberg to the Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde is just right for him.
Anthony Turgis became 2nd on the Via Roma, but did not achieve a top 10 place in Flanders in the past races. However, the Tour of Flanders suits him, as he proved with a 4th place in 2020.
At the start in Antwerp, one rider can already say that he has already won a monument this season: Matej Mohoric is not idle after his victory in La Primavera, as he proved in the E3 (4th) and Gent-Wevelgem (9th).
* the jokers for the Round *
If the cycling logic is respected, the winner will be drawn from the list above. But in 2022 there are no more cycling laws, or they are frequently rewritten.
There was also a big surprise in 2019: Alberto Bettiol surprised friend and foe with his victory in the Tour of Flanders.
Does this platoon house a Bettiol? Outsiders such as Victor Campenaerts, Jasper Stuyven, Dylan van Baarle, Greg Van Avermaet and Florian Sénéchal were just a bit too predictable.
Our jury chose these 5 “dark horses”:
- Valentin Madouas: You would expect the 25-year-old Frenchman from Groupama-FDJ earlier in the Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel, but in Harelbeke (7th) and Waregem (11th) he proved that he is more than his man in the Flemish Ardennes.
- Tobias Halland Johannessen: The 22-year-old winner of the Tour of the Future is labeled by his team Uno-X as “a type-Alaphilippe”. The winner of the Tour of the Future got to know Flanders in the Omloop (56th), but proved in the Tour of Catalonia (7th) that his engine has warmed up.
- Jan Tratnik: Not all Slovenians win as easily as Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and Matej Mohoric, but the experienced Tratnik can put everyone on the rack as a pacemaker. The 32-year-old foreman of Bahrain Victorious finished 9th in Sanremo and Waregem.
- Jonathan Narvaez: The 25-year-old Ineos block from Ecuador left Gent-Wevelgem after a painful fall on the Kemmelberg, but if he recovers, he should be able to confirm his 6th place from the Strade Bianche and the E3.
- Michael Valgren: In 2018 he won the Omloop and the Amstel, last year he finished 3rd at the World Championships in Leuven. The 30-year-old Dane from EF-EasyPost cycles everywhere in between and on a gifted day his competitors may only see him on stage again.
