Pogacar, Van der Poel, and Evenepoel elevate the 2026 Tour of Flanders to a generational duel: dates and how to watch

The 2026 Tour of Flanders returns this Sunday, April 5 with all the ingredients that define the cycling spring. The second Monument of the year once again pits the best specialists in the world against each other in a setting where history is written on cobblestones.

The first cobblestone challenge for this luxury trio

This year's edition was marked by a total showdown between Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, but at the last minute, double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel has also joined, catapulting the interest in the Tour of Flanders. The Slovenian will defend his 2025 victory, achieved with a decisive attack on the Oude Kwaremont, the Dutchman is chasing a victory that would elevate him even higher in the historical rankings, and the Belgian is making his debut in a race that suits him well and could help him bury the bittersweet taste left by his season start.

In the midst of this duel appears Wout van Aert, always competitive in Flanders and under pressure to shine in front of his home crowd after a couple of previous races where he came close to victory. They are joined by a list of contenders that broadens the tactical range of the race and complicates any closed predictions.

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Schedule and how to watch the 2026 Tour of Flanders

 The 2026 Tour of Flanders takes place on Sunday, April 5, with a scheduled start at 10:00 Spanish peninsular time and an estimated finish around 16:30. 

Eurosport and the Max platform will once again be the main television showcase for the Tour of Flanders, with comprehensive coverage starting at 9:45 in peninsular time, just minutes before the official start at 10:00. The resolution of the race is expected around 16:30, in a long day without interruptions for the viewer. Simultaneously, Max will offer a specific signal focused on the women's race starting at 15:00, coinciding with the decisive stretch of the men's race. Once the finish line is crossed, the programming will continue with post-race analysis on La Montonera, where everything that happened will be dissected and the first reactions from the protagonists will be collected.

A route designed to break the race

The course once again exceeds 260 kilometers and maintains the formula that has made the Ronde one of the most selective events on the calendar. After a relatively controlled first half, the race delves into the Flemish Ardennes, where the key sectors are linked.

That's how you open a final. #RVV25 #FLCS pic.twitter.com/crsEaYndpg

— Ronde van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) April 6, 2025

The Oude Kwaremont will be the strategic axis of the day. Its length and accumulated wear make it the ideal point to select the group of favorites. The last ascent, located about 16 kilometers from the finish, usually marks the beginning of the final moves.

Shortly after, the Paterberg appears, short but extremely explosive. Its slopes close to twenty percent represent the last real opportunity to open gaps before the final stretch towards Oudenaarde.

Further back on the course, the Koppenberg remains one of the most delicate points. Its toughness and narrowness require perfect positioning and often create splits that affect the entire race, although its location is too far from the finish to decide the outcome by itself.

Pogacar vs Van der Poel vs Evenepoel in the 2026 Tour of Flanders: favorites and tactical keys

The weight of the race will once again fall on the big names of the classics. Van der Poel and Pogacar start as clear references, but their strategies are different, and at the last minute, Remco Evenepoel has joined, which could change any previous strategy. Van der Poel tends to opt for early attacks and a constant pace, while the Slovenian has shown he can break the race on the key walls.

Van Aert presents himself as the great wildcard, capable of withstanding attacks and playing his options in a small group. Behind him, riders like Mads Pedersen or Filippo Ganna arrive with a level that allows them to aspire to more than just a secondary role.

The big unknown will be Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian has shown that he can replicate and withstand any type of expected attack and will debut in the Tour of Flanders in high form, but without previous references in this type of course, which adds an unpredictable element to the race.

He needs no introduction. The combination of distance, toughness, and technical terrain makes the Tour of Flanders one of the most demanding events on the calendar. Here, it's not enough to be the strongest; it's also essential to read the race, position oneself well, and choose the exact moment to attack.

Everything points to an open edition but with a recognizable script. The big favorites should fight for victory on the last walls, although in Flanders, any detail can change the outcome. And it is precisely that uncertainty that keeps the magic of the Ronde intact.