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“Mathieu van der Poel is the perfect classics rider” – Fans, Johan Museeuw Expects Tour of Flanders record to be broken in 2025
In the long and illustrious history of professional cycling, no rider has won more than three Tours of Flanders. Mathieu van der Poel will seek a record-breaking fourth victory in 2025, and fellow three-time champion Johan Museeuw believes the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader is the pre-race favourite.
Along with Museeuw and Van der Poel, the all-star quintet of Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen, Eric Leman, Achiel Buysse, and Fiorenzo Magni has won three Tour of Flanders races. With Van der Poel the only member of that elite group still participating in the peloton, the Dutchman is in prime position to record a unique piece of cycling history with a fourth victory. Given that he is only 30 years old, time is not running out for Van der Poel, either, though if his winter is any indication, he may never be in such good shape again.
“Mathieu is absolutely the top favourite. It is of course not a certainty but the chance is very big that he will break my shared record,” previews the now-59-year-old Museeuw, in conversation with Wieler Revue, referencing Van der Poel’s dominant performances over the recent winter. “Of course, the World Cyclocross Championship is not a road race but it is certainly a reference for his great form.”
Second on three occasions alongside his three victories, Museeuw came close to a fourth Tour of Flanders victory during his career. Although Van der Poel himself has finished runner-up twice in the last four years, Museeuw is backing the Dutch star to be the man to get that illusive fourth win. “I would have liked to have won the Tour of Flanders four times, but that failed. I have also been second three times and I will be the first to congratulate Mathieu if he actually breaks the record,” he explains.
Van der Poel faces challenge from Tadej Pogacar, who won the 2023 Tour of Flanders. As previously said, Museeuw remains confident in Van der Poel.
“Mathieu van der Poel is the perfect classics rider,” he concludes his assessment. “If he breaks my record in Flanders, I’ll be fine with that. I’m happy with what I’ve won. Of course, if he rides to the finish with Wout van Aert, I hope Van Aert wins. Not only because he’s Flemish, but also because Mathieu will then be stuck at third. I have to be that honest.”
