Ronde van Vlaanderen 2026 favorites, route, and how the race could be won
The 110th Tour of Flanders begins from Antwerp for the first time, with 271 km of cobbles, bergs, and the decisive Oude Kwaremont to Paterberg finale awaiting the world best classics riders.
Tadej Pogacar returns as defending champion after a dominant solo victory in 2025 that silenced any remaining doubts about his classics credentials. The Slovenian has made the Flemish cobbles his territory, and the question is whether anyone can follow him on the Oude Kwaremont or the Paterberg.
Mathieu van der Poel, the 2022 and 2024 winner, brings unmatched Flemish racing instinct and the ability to close any gap. Van der Poel has shown throughout the spring that his form is building toward April.
Wout van Aert races in front of the Flemish crowd with a point to prove. His 2023 podium showed he can be there on the decisive climbs, but winning requires surviving Pogacar on the Kwaremont.
Mads Pedersen offers a different threat: if the race reaches the flat run-in to Oudenaarde without a decisive selection, his sprint from a reduced group is among the fastest in the peloton.
The Antwerp start adds roughly 20 km to the traditional route, which could change how teams manage the opening hours. The key question is whether the extra distance softens the finale or simply delays the inevitable selection on the Kwaremont and Paterberg.