Top teams quickly bow to Mathieu van der Poel

It was a scenario that had been thoroughly discussed in every pre-race briefing. From the moment Mathieu van der Poel announced he would race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the Alpecin-Premier Tech leader was considered the clear favorite for the season opener classic. Every team director warned their riders: on the Molenberg, 'MVDP' might just unleash his devilish powers. And so it happened.

The unfortunate crash of Rick Pluimers on the Molenberg shaped the race decisively. The image of the day was how Van der Poel miraculously maneuvered past his falling compatriot. At the top of the climb, Van der Poel, Florian Vermeersch, and Tim van Dijke managed to get away on the Flemish key climb, then quickly connected with the four early breakaway riders.

Big teams like Visma | Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek, Soudal-Quick Step, Lotto-Intermarché, Decathlon CMA CMG, and Pinarello-Q36.5 missed the move. Everyone had their own explanation for this. Christophe Laporte (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarché) were delayed by the crash. Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) had already lost ground before the Molenberg. Other favorites were poorly positioned or simply didn’t have the legs at the critical moment.

Two kilometers after the top of the Molenberg, Van der Poel, Vermeersch, and Van Dijke held a lead of half a minute. Five kilometers further on, battling into the headwind towards Haaghoek, that gap had grown to over a minute.

It was striking how long it took before an organized chase got underway. There was no shortage of riders, but hesitation was palpable. To ride or not to ride? At Visma | Lease a Bike, they hoped that Vermeersch, riding in support of Tim Wellens for UAE Team Emirates XRG, would temper his efforts. Team director Maarten Wynants later admitted: “Then you hope others will do the work. You’re no longer a driving force yourself.”

Still, the Dutch team considered it too early at that moment to put Laporte and Matthew Brennan at the front of the chasing group. Up front though, the clear team leaders Van der Poel and Vermeersch kept pushing relentlessly. At that point, it’s not about calculations but action. And that goes for all the other top teams as well.

Since last year, many riders and teams seem worn down by the dominance of Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. Whenever one of these two super champions straightens their back, the race often seems decided in the blink of an eye. Whether that’s fifty kilometers from the finish or one hundred kilometers.

Their attacks have a paralyzing effect on the competition. In Ninove after the race, several teams questioned whether they had bowed their heads too quickly.

Had there been an immediate collective response after the Molenberg, they might still have been able to get back onto the leading group. There are no guarantees of course, but the chance was real. Naturally, Van der Poel once again put on a masterful display, emphasizing his supremacy in the Flemish races. In his first Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, he filled a gap in his palmarès immediately. Still, most rival teams felt after the race that the tension could have been greater.

The hangover from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad should, therefore, serve as a lesson for the rest of this spring. Anyone aiming to win must immediately pick up the gauntlet. Don’t wait for domestiques to do the work, but also send your team leaders full throttle in the chase when Van der Poel, and soon Pogačar, launch their attacks.

When it’s five to twelve, you shouldn’t wait for the clock to strike twelve.