News

Mads Pedersen (400) took Gent-Wevelgem being clearly the fastest of the small sprint in which the race was decided, ahead of Florian Sénéchal (400), Matteo Trentin (1000) and Alberto Bettiol (400). However, this autumn Sunday will surely be remembered for having written a new page in the history of rivalry between Mathieu Van der Poel (400) and Wout Van Aert (1000). Throughout the day the marking between the two stars, who grown up competing against each other in cyclocross, was very strong, getting to the point where both lost their options due to looking too much at each other. After the race, Van Aert exploded against Van der Poel:

“There was really only one who looked at me all the time (…) Van Der Poel, yes. Apparently he preferred that I lose than win himself. I may have forgotten that I already won a lot and that I could also take risks at some point. Now neither of us have anything."

To which Van der Poel replied:

"It's a strange reaction from Wout. He's one of the best riders in the leading group, and if he goes, then I have to react, of course. If I didn't do that, my team would ask me why I didn't. (…) I always ride to win”.

The good thing about sport is that it offers new opportunities, which in this case come in the form of a Ronde Van Vlaanderen that smells like the end of the season. Due to the cancellation of Paris-Roubaix, the Ronde will be the last race of the combined Pavés and Monuments rankings in Cycling Fantasy, and it will be the last race of the year for many in the peloton.

For the men's event, apart from Van der Poel and Van Aert, the main favorites are the riders of the Deceuninck-Quick Step, which presents a stellar classics team, with Julian Alaphilippe (1200), Kasper Asgreen (800), Zdenek Stybar (600), Florian Sénéchal (400), Bob Jungels (400) and Yves Lampaert (400). Other favorites are defending champion Alberto Bettiol (400), Matteo Trentin (1000), Mads Pedersen (400), Oliver Naesen (800), Sep Vanmarcke (400), Stefan Küng (600), Nils Politt (400), John Degenkolb (600), Tiesj Benoot (800) and Jasper Stuyven (600), to name the main names.

For the women's event, the participation of Anna Van Der Breggen (1200), Annemiek Van Vleuten (1200) and Marianne Vos (1200) is expected, who will undoubtedly start as the main favorites. Other contenders with winning options are Elizabeth Deignan (1000), Demi Vollering (800), Marta Cavalli (800), Lotte Kopecky (800), Liane Lippert (600), Marta Bastianelli (1000), or the winner on Sunday in Gent-Wevelgem, Jolien d'Hoore (800), among others.