{"id":47972,"title":"Tour of Flanders Guide 2026","description":"The route, race times, favourites and TV coverage for the Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen) 2026.","content":"<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/use-of-cookies-and-disclaimer\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How we use cookies on the Rijden website<\/strong><\/a><br \/><strong>Published in<\/strong><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">: <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/cobbles-and-classics-stories\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>COBBLES &amp; CLASSICS<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><em>Last updated: 2 April 2026<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, 5 April 2026<\/strong><\/p><p>The Tour de France may be the world\u2019s best-known bike race, but as an event, it doesn\u2019t unite France in the same way as the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) brings together the people of Flanders.<\/p><p>To understand the passion the Flemish people have for cycle racing is to stand beside the road of a cobbled climb in the Flemish Ardennes on the first Sunday in April.<\/p><p>Since Belgian Paul Deman crossed the finish line in 1913 after twelve hours and 324 kilometres of racing to claim victory, the event has grown to become one of the great contests in professional cycling.<\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/ts7jzyuhxmyosasck1nmoussei2eynkcdwbl3jnseymbqvw7.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Image of professional cyclists riding a Spring Classic in Flanders\" title=\"Image of professional cyclists riding a Spring Classic in Flanders\" \/>An incredible number of Flandrians will watch the race from the roadside. Sometimes, it seems the whole of Flanders has come to spectate. Their numbers will be swelled by tourists from all corners of the globe.<\/p><p>This year, sixteen hellingen (hills) will decide the winner of the men\u2019s race. and twelve for the women. It\u2019s the steep but short climbs and sections of cobbles that give the race its character. Bernard Hinault, the French Tour de France winner, hated them, but for most Flandrians, it\u2019s a love affair.<\/p><p><strong>Did you know? <\/strong>The Ronde van Vlaanderen is often referred to as <em>Vlaanderens Mooiste<\/em> - Flanders\u2019s finest (or most beautiful). We wouldn\u2019t argue with that.<\/p><p><strong>Start<\/strong>: Antwerpen, Antwerpen province, Belgium<\/p><p><strong>Travel time from Calais by car<\/strong>: 2:45<\/p><p><strong>Status<\/strong>: UCI WorldTour Men's one-day &amp; UCI Women\u2019s WorldTour one-day<\/p><p><strong>Men\u2019s race<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>Start: 10:00 CET Sunday, 5 April 2026.<\/p><\/li><li><p>278.2 km<\/p><\/li><li><p>Finish: around 16:30 CET<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Women\u2019s race<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>Start: 13:25 CET Sunday, 5 April 2026.<\/p><\/li><li><p>164.1 km (Based on the 2025 route)<\/p><\/li><li><p>Finish: around 17:40 CET<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.rondevanvlaanderen.be\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>www.rondevanvlaanderen.be<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>Related sportive: <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/werideflanders.com\/en\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/werideflanders.com\/en\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/gift-ideas-for-cyclists\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/2tn32lwvs44wz95anigabwtymdmre6hwv10tfwbwvfqzhnvm.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Exclusive cycling gifts by Rijden\" title=\"Exclusive cycling gifts by Rijden\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders on TV<\/h2><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>To be updated when the TV schedules and broadcasters are known.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Paywall (geo-restricted)<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Men 08:30 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Women 14:00 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p>TNT Sports 3 \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Men 08:30 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p>TNT Sports 4 \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Women 14:15 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Men 09:45 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Women 15:15 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p>FloBikes \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Men 08:55 GMT<\/p><\/li><li><p>FloBikes \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Women 16:15 GMT<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>\u2764 Free TV coverage (geo-restricted):<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/ondemand\/collection\/live-and-upcoming-cycling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SBS<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Men 08:55 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/ondemand\/collection\/live-and-upcoming-cycling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SBS<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Women 14:15 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nos.nl\/live\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NOS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Men 10:00 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nos.nl\/live\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NOS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Women 15:00 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sporza.be\/nl\/programmagids\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sporza &amp; VRT 1\/Canvas<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Men 09:15 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sporza.be\/nl\/programmagids\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sporza &amp; VRT Canvas<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Women 15:00 CET<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">: <\/span><em>Read our <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/cyclings-monuments\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>guide to cycling\u2019s Monuments<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em> to find out what they are, when they take place this year, how you can watch them and more.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/cyclings-monuments\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ocz7ru3mid7n7o23d2iikvohslro6y97vxfiy6pkaqful349.jpg.jpg?w=1140&amp;project=rijden-2-61247&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Guide to cycling's Monuments\" title=\"Guide to cycling's Monuments\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders route: Men<\/h2><p><strong>Start<\/strong>: Antwerpen, Antwerpen province, Belgium<\/p><p><strong>Travel time from Calais by car<\/strong>: 2:45<\/p><p>This year, the Ronde van Vlaanderen starts in beautiful <strong>Antwerpen <\/strong>in the north of Belgium in the province of Antwerp.<\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5as83w1vyvlxpn8233o1uoiqqdk6gcyd4oiglr9dtpzplfcq.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter.\" title=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter.\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>The climbs<\/strong>: The first climb is the Oude Kwaremont at 142 kilometres, but this will do little more than whittle out the weaker riders. The real action will start much later, possibly on the second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont with fifty-five kilometres left to the finish. This is followed by the Paterberg and Koppenberg in rapid succession. After more climbs and cobbled sections, it\u2019s round to the Oude Kwaremont for the third and final time, followed by the Paterberg.<\/p><p>Apart from the start in Antwerpen, instead of Brugge, the route is very similar to last year\u2019s. There are minor changes to the hills and cobbles, for example, the climb of the Steenbeekdries and the cobbles of Stationsberg are excluded this year. Instead of climbing the Oude Kruisberg\/Hotond twice, it\u2019s only climbed once, but the Nieuwe Kruisberg\/Hotond is included.<\/p><p><strong>Finish<\/strong>: It\u2019s only thirteen kilometres from the Paterberg to the finish in Oudenaarde.<\/p><p>Note that all times below are in CET (Belgian local time) and represent the earliest expected arrival time.<\/p><p><strong>The climbs and cobbled <\/strong>\u2756 <strong>sections<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>-9.7 km 10:00 Antwerpen neutralised start \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea<\/p><\/li><li><p>278.2 km 10:00 Official start<\/p><\/li><li><p>168.6 km 12:46 Lippenhovestraat <span style=\"font-family:courier;\">\u2756<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p>167.1 km 12:48 Paddestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>136.0 km 13:30 Hill 1 Oude Kwaremont \u2780<\/p><\/li><li><p>121.1 km 13:51 Hill 2 Eikenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>118.6 km 13:53 Holleweg \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>116.0 km 13:56 Hill 3 Wolvenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>112.4 km 14:01 Kerkgate \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>109.4 km 14.05 Jagerij \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>103.5 km 14:13 Hill 4 Molenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>99.5 km 14:18 Hill 5 Marlboroughstraat<\/p><\/li><li><p>95.5 km 14:24 Hill 6 Berendries<\/p><\/li><li><p>86.9 km 14:35 Hill 7 Valkenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>74.4 km 14:52 Hill 8 Berg Ten Houte<\/p><\/li><li><p>64.9 km 15:04 Hill 9 Nieuwe Kruisberg\/Hotond<\/p><\/li><li><p>55.1 km 15:17 Hill 10 Oude Kwaremont \u2781<\/p><\/li><li><p>51.6km 15:22 Hill 11 Paterberg \u2780<\/p><\/li><li><p>45.3 km 15:30 Hill 12 Koppenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>41.2 km 15:36 Mariaborrestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>36.8 km 15:42 Hill 13 Taaienberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>26.5 km 15:56 Hill 14 Oude Kruisberg\/Hotond<\/p><\/li><li><p>16.7 km 16:09 Hill 15 Oude Kwaremont \u2782<\/p><\/li><li><p>13.2 km 16:13 Hill 16 Paterberg \u2781<\/p><\/li><li><p>0 km 16:31 Oudenaarde finish \ud83c\udfc1<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><p><strong>Did you know?<\/strong> Belgium hasn\u2019t won the men\u2019s race since 2017, when Walloon Philippe Gilbert crossed the line first from fellow Belgian Greg Van Avermaet. This is the longest non-winning Belgian streak ever. It doesn\u2019t look like this trend will change this year. The last Flemish winner was Tom Boonen thirteen years ago.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <em>Forty years ago, the TI-Raleigh cycling team dominated the Tour of Flanders. <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/retro-ronde-van-vlaanderen\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Relive the action of the 1983 Ronde van Vlaanderen<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em>, meet the key players and find out how you too can ride the Retro Ronde.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/retro-ronde-van-vlaanderen\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/pr2dohsshoqbcjl4jz57rdffthofbtzrgewowd2oirdudru5.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Retro Ronde: When TI-Raleigh dominated the Spring Classics, including the 1983 Ronde van Vlaanderen\" title=\"Retro Ronde: When TI-Raleigh dominated the Spring Classics, including the 1983 Ronde van Vlaanderen\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders route: Women<\/h2><p><strong>Start<\/strong>: Oudenaarde, Oost Vlaanderen province, Belgium<\/p><p><strong>Travel time from Calais by car<\/strong>: 2:10<\/p><p>The women\u2019s race starts in Oudenaarde, so there are eighty kilometres of relatively flat roads before the first of the classified climbs start.<\/p><p><strong>The climbs<\/strong>: The first climb, the Wolvenburg, for the women, comes at exactly half distance. It\u2019s probably the Koppenberg with forty-five kilometres to race that will ignite the race. Like the men\u2019s race, the final climbs are the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg.<\/p><p>The women face fewer climbs than the previous year, with the Berendries, Valkenberg, Steenbeekdries and Edelareberg all missing. From the Koppenberg, the race is identical to the men\u2019s route.<\/p><p><strong>Finish<\/strong>: It\u2019s only thirteen kilometres from the Paterberg to the finish in Oudenaarde.<\/p><p>Note that all times below are in CET (Belgian local time) and represent the earliest expected arrival time.<\/p><p><strong>The climbs and cobbled <\/strong>\u2756 <strong>sections<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>-2.9 km 13:25 Oudenaarde neutralised start \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea<\/p><\/li><li><p>164.1 km 13:31 official start<\/p><\/li><li><p>134.8 km 14:15 Lange Munte <span style=\"font-family:courier;\">\u2756<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p>104.4 km 15:01 Lippenhovestraat <span style=\"font-family:courier;\">\u2756<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p>102.9 km 15:03 Paddestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>82.1 km 15:34 Hill 1 Wolvenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>78.5 km 15:39 Kerkgate \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>75.5 km 15:44 Jagerij \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>69.6 km 15:53 Hill 2 Molenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>65.6 km 15:59 Hill 3 Marlboroughstraat<\/p><\/li><li><p>52.5 km 16:18 Hill 4 Eikenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>45.3 km 16:29 Hill 5 Koppenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>41.2 km 16:35 Mariaborrestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>36.8 km 16:42 Hill 6 Taaienberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>26.5 km 16:57 Hill 7 Oude Kruisberg\/Hotond<\/p><\/li><li><p>16.7 km 17:12 Hill 8 Oude Kwaremont<\/p><\/li><li><p>13.3 km 17:17 Hill 9 Paterberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>0 km 17:37 Oudenaarde finish \ud83c\udfc1<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Did you know?<\/strong> The last forty-five kilometres of the men\u2019s and women\u2019s races are the same. The organisers expect the women to complete it seven minutes slower than the men.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/blog\/flandrien-challenge\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">What is the Flandrien Challenge<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\"> for cyclists? How do you take part and earn your own personal Flemish cobble?<\/span><\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/blog\/flandrien-challenge\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/bfqrer5kvjf1fv1mh6apdxglqhssrnz8qpzprk3fwusk3qvh.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"What is the Flandrien Challenge for cyclists? How do you take part and earn your own personal Flemish cobble?\" title=\"What is the Flandrien Challenge for cyclists? How do you take part and earn your own personal Flemish cobble?\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Where\u2019s the best place to watch the Tour of Flanders?<\/h2><p>If you want to see as much of the race as possible, then stay at home or find a bar with a TV. If, however, you want to enjoy the atmosphere,e there\u2019s nothing like being at the side of the road. At best, you\u2019ll see it pass by four times, depending upon where you position yourself.<\/p><p>Given the narrowness of the lanes, the difficulty in parking and the small time gaps between places on the course, it\u2019s hard to see the race many more times by driving about. It\u2019s actually easier to get around by bike.<\/p><p>But why not find a great spot, soak up the atmosphere and chat with your fellow spectators? There\u2019s bound to be a Belgian with their phone streaming the action from Sporza. You can always watch the full race later.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">How can I travel to the race?<\/h3><p>The organisers provide very good information about <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rondevanvlaanderen.be\/en\/race\/men-elite\/mobilite\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>how to travel to watch the Tour of Flanders<\/strong><\/a>, including bike parking (take your own lock!), free shuttle services, extra trains and which roads will be closed.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Where does the race pass more than once?<\/h3><p>Here are all the places where the race passes by more than once. For example, the Oude Kwaremont is climbed three times by the <strong>M<\/strong>ales (13:30, 15:17, 16:09) and once by the <strong>F<\/strong>emales (17:12).<\/p><p>Note that all times below are in CET (Belgian local time) and represent the earliest expected arrival time.<\/p><ul><li><p>12:46 <strong>M <\/strong>15:01 <strong>F <\/strong>Lippenhovestraat <span style=\"font-family:courier;\">\u2756<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p>12:48 <strong>M <\/strong>15:03 <strong>F <\/strong>Paddestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:31 <strong>M <\/strong>13:25 17:37 <strong>F <\/strong>Oudenaarde<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:30 15:17 16:09 <strong>M <\/strong>17:12 <strong>F <\/strong>Oude Kwaremont<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:51 <strong>M <\/strong>16:18<strong> F<\/strong> Eikenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:56 <strong>M <\/strong>15:34 <strong>F <\/strong>Wolvenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:01 <strong>M <\/strong>15:39 <strong>F <\/strong>Kerkgate \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14.05 <strong>M <\/strong>15:44 <strong>F <\/strong>Jagerij \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:13 <strong>M <\/strong>15:53 <strong>F <\/strong>Molenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:18 <strong>M <\/strong>15:59 <strong>F<\/strong> Marlboroughstraat<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:22 16:13 <strong>M <\/strong>17:17<strong> F<\/strong> Paterberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:30 <strong>M <\/strong>16:29<strong> F<\/strong> Koppenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:36 <strong>M <\/strong>16:35 <strong>F<\/strong> Mariaborrestraat \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:42 <strong>M <\/strong>16:42 <strong>F <\/strong>Taaienberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:56 <strong>M <\/strong>16:57 <strong>F<\/strong> Oude Kruisberg\/Hotond<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders fan zones<\/h3><p>This year, there will be four Fan Zones, which are free to enter. Each should provide good viewing spots for the action and a large screen to watch the live action. However, expect them to be extremely busy, and the police close them when they get full. You will need to arrive early at a fan zone to get a good spot.<\/p><p>The Tour of Flanders Fan Zones 2026 are:<\/p><ul><li><p>Oude Kwaremont<\/p><\/li><li><p>Paterberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>Kruisberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>Koppenberg<\/p><\/li><li><p>Oudenaarde<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p>Full details are available on the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rondevanvlaanderen.be\/en\/race\/men-elite\/race-info?tab=fan-zones-184\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Tour of Flanders Fan Zones on the Ronde van Vlaanderen website<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/gift-ideas-for-cyclists\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bu9jugqxwvhusdepwaqtrztwjuc9eddf0zzzoikil2zsyadi.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Exclusive cycling gifts by Rijden\" title=\"Exclusive cycling gifts by Rijden\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders favourites: Men<\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Last year<\/h3><p>Tadej Poga\u010dar used the cobbled climb of the Oude Kwaremont to wear down the opposition before riding clear on the final ascent. His victory margin was just over a minute.<\/p><p>Behind, a chasing group coalesced around the 2024 winner, Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen. The pursuers included Belgian pair Jasper Stuyven and Wout van Aert.<\/p><p>One minute and one second after Poga\u010dar had triumphantly crossed the line, Pedersen out-sprinted Van der Poel. The two Belgians finished last in the group.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Top favourites<\/strong><\/h3><p>Five out of the previous six editions of the Ronde van Vlaanderen have been won by either <strong>Mathieu van der Poel<\/strong> or <strong>Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/strong>. Only Kasper Asgreen in 2021 prevented a clean sweep by the pair when he outsprinted Van der Poel.<\/p><p>Once again, these two are the clear favourites. They are just at a higher level than the opposition. But which of these two is the more likely winner? On the three occasions that they've come up against one another in De Ronde, it's been 2-1 in Tadej\u2019s favour.<\/p><p>Neither rider has finished worse than fourth. Mathieu has competed seven times, winning three times, and between 2020 and 2025 has been on the podium every year. Tadej has only taken the start line three times, with two wins and a fourth to his credit.<\/p><p>We think that once again, based upon past and current form, Poga\u010dar will start as the favourite. It's unlikely Van der Poel will drop his nemesis. Mathieu, like all their rivals, must prevent him from riding away the final time up the Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg or even earlier. If it comes down to a sprint between the two finest one-day riders of their generation, then Mathieu should win.<\/p><p><strong>Prediction<\/strong>: 1. Tadej Poga\u010dar 2. Mathieu van der Poel 3. Wout van Aert<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Who else to look out for<\/h3><p>What of their competitors? <strong>Wout van Aert <\/strong>has shown glimpses of his glorious past. His previous best was second in 2020 when Van der Poel outgalloped him. He was fourth last year. We think he will be the best of the rest.<\/p><p>A surprise last-minute entry is former World, Olympic and National Champion <strong>Remco Evenepoel<\/strong>. We\u2019ve always believed he was better suited to one-day races than the grand tours. He\u2019s in scintillating form. Whether he can defeat Poga\u010dar is another matter. The prospect of Remco going head-to-head with Tadej, Mathieu and Wout is one we relish.<\/p><p>Some have suggested he lacks the experience of riding the route and having that intimate knowledge which bestows an advantage. We think this is nonsensical. He lives and trains in Flanders and will have doubtless been repeatedly riding the course.<\/p><p>The one area where he might lack experience is the constant fight to stay at the front. It's not, however, as if he hasn't won Flemish races already, and he has a strong and experienced team to keep him out of trouble.<\/p><p>Anyone else who fancies their chances at winning knows that they have to be ahead before the final loop of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, otherwise they've almost no chance of staying with a flying Poga\u010dar. Unfortunately, Tadej has a strong team that will be ready to prevent that from happening.<\/p><p>Poga\u010dar\u2019s teammate <strong>Florian Veermersch<\/strong> has impressed, and should his illustrious leader falter, he will provide a serious challenge og his own. It will require cooperation between rivals to wear down his UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammates for this scenario to evolve.<\/p><p>Of the rest, who is likely to figure?<\/p><p>After his earlier injuries, <strong>Mads Pedersen<\/strong> has performed much better than most had expected. He has a dangerous sprint and could easily figure on the podium.<\/p><p><strong>Arnaud de Lie<\/strong> was fourth at In Flanders Fields and, like Pedersen, was better than his recent form suggested. A top ten would be a respectable result. Update - De Lie has been withdrawn from the race.<\/p><p><strong>Alec Segaert<\/strong> has entertained with his solo efforts, which netted a win at GP de Denain and close calls at Norkere Koerse and In Flanders Fields.<\/p><p><strong>Stan Dewulf<\/strong> put up an incredible display at E3 Saxo Classic by finishing fourth after a 156km break.<\/p><p>Team Visma | Lease a Bike has a strong team, which, aside from Wout van Aert, includes <strong>Christophe Laporte<\/strong>, third at In Flanders Fields and seventh at E3 Saxo Classic, plus <strong>Per Strand Hagenes<\/strong>, who was second at E3 Saxo Classic.<\/p><p><strong>Jonas Abrahamsen<\/strong>,<strong> Matteo Trentin<\/strong> and <strong>Luca Mozzato<\/strong> are all in good form and could spring a surprise.<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Watch out for<\/h3><p>One rider who is in excellent form, having just won the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, is <strong>Mauro Schmid<\/strong>. The twenty-six-year-old reigning Swiss road race and time trial champion is making his debut at De Ronde.<\/p><p><strong>British fans<\/strong> will be on the lookout for:<\/p><ul><li><p>47 Max Walker EF Education-EasyPost<\/p><\/li><li><p>61 Josh Tarling INEOS-Grenadiers<\/p><\/li><li><p>64 Connor Swift INEOS-Grenadiers<\/p><\/li><li><p>66 Sam Watson INEOS-Grenadiers<\/p><\/li><li><p>102 Lewis Askey NSN Cycling Team<\/p><\/li><li><p>133 Rob Donaldson Team Jayco AlUla<\/p><\/li><li><p>143 Sean Flynn Team Picnic PostNL<\/p><\/li><li><p>147 Oliver Peace Team Picnic PostNL<\/p><\/li><li><p>153 Matthew Brennan Team Visma | Lease a Bike<\/p><\/li><li><p>154 Owain Doull Team Visma | Lease a Bike<\/p><\/li><li><p>196 Fred Wright Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders odds<\/h3><p style=\"text-align:center;\">From bwin on 30 March 2026<\/p><p>1 Tadej Poga\u010dar 1\/3<\/p><p>2 Mathieu van der Poel 11\/4<\/p><p>3 Wout van Aert 10\/1<\/p><p>4 Mads Pedersen 20\/1<\/p><p>5 Florian Vermeersch 33\/1<\/p><p>Rijden has no connection with any bookmakers mentioned, and this information should not be considered as a recommendation to bet.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/belgian-cyclosportives\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">Rijden\u2019s guide to the best Belgian cyclosportives to ride in 2026<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">. From well-known events such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclo (<\/span>We Ride Flanders<span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">) to smaller, yet equally enjoyable events in the beautiful cycling countryside.<\/span><\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/belgian-cyclosportives\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/xnwpfpfhdwl2xnwfjzhabxeiznjehfow1xippvqzqhxcym7c.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Guide to the best Belgian cyclosportives\" title=\"Guide to the best Belgian cyclosportives\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders favourites: Women<\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Last year<\/strong><\/h3><p>Given their lack of success, Belgium should be grateful to Lotte Kopecky, who claimed her third victory. Accelerating on the Oude Kwaremont, she created a select quartet who fought out the finish in Oudenaarde. In the sprint, she beat Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, Liane Lippert, and Katarzyna Niewiadoma.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Top favourites<\/strong><\/h3><p>Lotte Kopecky has won three out of the last four editions and has already triumphed at Milano-Sanremo and Norkere Koerse this year. Not only is she a formidable athlete, but she's a great tactical rider too.<\/p><p>Kopecky\u2019s big threat comes from her former teammate and arch rival Demi Vollering. There's no love lost between them and that's probably Vollering\u2019s weakness. She doesn't seem to make friends in the bunch and can be tactically poor. Vollering is too reliant on her power to drop her rivals, unlike Kopecky who is more calculating.<\/p><p><strong>Prediction<\/strong>: 1. Kopecky 2. Reusser 3. Vollering<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Who else to look out for<\/h3><p>The women's race is much more open than the men's. Any number of riders could spring a surprise such as Marlene Reusser who outsprinted Demi Vollering at Dwars door Vlaanderen.<\/p><p>Young Fleur Moors is flourishing, and nearly beat Lorena Wiebes in a sprint. She's got a strong Lidl-Trek team behind her.<\/p><p>Lorena Wiebes would be the favourite if it came down to a sprint, but we don't think she'll be there by the end as the climbs will take their toil.<\/p><p>Elisa Longo Borghini is another rider with a strong team behind her. She's always dangerous and alarm bells always ring when she goes up the road.<\/p><p>Team Visma| Lease a Bike has Marianne Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot. Neither have demonstrated good enough form this year, but they can never be counted out. Update: Due to the death of her father, Marianne Vos has withdrawn from the race.<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Watch out for<\/h3><p>We\u2019re tipping Britain\u2019s Millie Couzens to shine in Flanders. Her results have not been that great this season, but that\u2019s due to bad luck rather than a lack of form. Doubtless, she\u2019ll be working for Puck Pieterse, so we may not see the hard work and effort that she\u2019s renowned for. Look out for her white, red and blue British National Champion\u2019s jersey (number 72).<\/p><p><strong>British fans<\/strong> will be on the lookout for:<\/p><ul><li><p>16 Imogen Wolff Team Visma | Lease a Bike<\/p><\/li><li><p>23 Cat Ferguson Movistar Team<\/p><\/li><li><p>24 Carys Lloyd Movistar Team<\/p><\/li><li><p>41 Zoe Backstedt CANYON\/\/SRAM zondacrypto<\/p><\/li><li><p>72 Millie Couzens Fenix-Premier Tech<\/p><\/li><li><p>75 Flora Perkins Fenix-Premier Tech<\/p><\/li><li><p>111 Pfeiffer Georgi Team Picnic PostNL<\/p><\/li><li><p>112 Robyn Clay Team Picnic PostNL<\/p><\/li><li><p>115 Josie Nelson Team Picnic PostNL<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Women\u2019s Tour of Flanders odds<\/h3><p style=\"text-align:center;\">From Boyle Sports on 1 April 2026<\/p><p>1 Lotte Kopecky 7\/4<\/p><p>2 Demi Vollering 11\/4<\/p><p>3 Elisa Longo Borghini 7\/1<\/p><p>4 Lorena Wiebes 8\/1<\/p><p>5 Marianne Vos 11\/1<\/p><p>Rijden has no connection with any bookmakers mentioned, and this information should not be considered as a recommendation to bet.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <em>Read all Rijden\u2019s articles and stories about cobbled and one-day classic races, including retro stories and how to watch and race in Belgium.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/cobbles-and-classics-stories\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cqnm7advrqmgilvamqatb5jivsnim5glmrdbwuki7zaejepq.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Read all of Rijden's cobbles and classics articles\" title=\"Read all of Rijden's cobbles and classics articles\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Tour of Flanders weather forecast<\/h2><p>There's a chance of early morning rain on Sunday. By the time the men start it should have started to dry out. The sun will peak his head out in the afternoon and a 25 km\/h wind will blow in from the West to dry the roads out.<\/p><p>The temperature will reach a peak of 13C, which will feel like 10C in the wind. A pleasant enough day for riders and spectators alike, but you'll need to wrap up warm in the shade.<\/p><p style=\"text-align:center;\">W<em>eather forecast @ 2 April 2026<\/em><\/p><hr \/><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>22 January 2026, Tim Costello<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>All images and text are the copyright of Rijden unless stated otherwise.<\/em><\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SUBSCRIBE<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<em>to get all our latest stories and news. We won't bombard you with special offers. We don't want to send you junk any more than you want to receive it.<\/em><\/p><p><em>We run occasional free competitions for newsletter subscribers.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ca5tftznokkixmvll06uoinllrghtn8oqmflxgnromowwbco.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter.\" title=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter.\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"tour-of-flanders-guide","url":"\/blog\/tour-of-flanders-guide\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/tour-of-flanders-guide\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/blog\/tour-of-flanders-guide\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1743500643,"updatedAt":1775333364,"publishedAt":1775333363,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":61205,"name":"Rijden_2"},"tags":[{"id":1216,"code":"road-racing","name":"RoadRacing","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/road-racing\/"},{"id":1874,"code":"guides","name":"Guides","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/guides\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/aooguwzmrqjqnwaqi6qmbiy96v2xwcfr3q1ipn31wc4gwqb0.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/aooguwzmrqjqnwaqi6qmbiy96v2xwcfr3q1ipn31wc4gwqb0.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/aooguwzmrqjqnwaqi6qmbiy96v2xwcfr3q1ipn31wc4gwqb0.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Tour of Flanders Guide 2026 | Rijden","metaDescription":"Everything you need to know to enjoy the Tour of Flanders from the roadside in Belgium or from the comfort of your armchair.","keyPhraseCampaignId":106799,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":9561,"title":"Guide to Belgian beer","url":"\/blog\/beer-guide-part-2\/","urlTitle":"beer-guide-part-2","division":61205,"description":"Here at Rijden, we love Belgian beer. There's not much better than settling down to watch one of cycling's Spring classics or a top cyclocross race with a Belgian beer in hand. In this article, we describe the different types of Belgian beer.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/utk2mdpa3ebapxomtdmcqm9xze7zpfjpxgzd2ysbsverygri.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/utk2mdpa3ebapxomtdmcqm9xze7zpfjpxgzd2ysbsverygri.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10141,"title":"Soviet Invasion","url":"\/blog\/goodwood-1982\/","urlTitle":"goodwood-1982","division":61205,"description":"The first of three stories about the 1982 World Cycling Championships which was held at Goodwood. Sleepy Sussex was the stage for a minor invasion of Soviet cyclists and their KGB minders.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ysyhin4y6wh2tspjf8niotiyhghaolmac7ucoddcx2tlpzmt.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ysyhin4y6wh2tspjf8niotiyhghaolmac7ucoddcx2tlpzmt.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10158,"title":"Goodwood 1982 - Amateur titles","url":"\/blog\/goodwood-1982-part-two\/","urlTitle":"goodwood-1982-part-two","division":61205,"description":"The UCI Cycling World Championships were held in England in 1982, with the road races at Goodwood in West Sussex. In the second part, we report on a rare British victory and socialist love.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/skobdoxdohlydrehwbak2vqm7psto0d1hfgryg4dee8axtqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/skobdoxdohlydrehwbak2vqm7psto0d1hfgryg4dee8axtqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}