The race is always decided on the road, but this time, even casual viewers – those who usually just watch for the last climb – were captivated to the TV from beginning to end. What’s the reason? The fallout from the Amstel Gold Race, where Mattias Skjelmose defeated Tadej Pogacar for the first time this season.
Since Sunday, there had been speculation about Pogacar’s sprint position. Was Skjelmose only the strongest? Did Remco Evenepoel have a role in getting the Dane back in contention? Many had already given Pogacar the win at Amstel when he attacked, such is his aura of inevitability. However, cycling isn’t based on reputation. The race is held on a road.
Pogacar may not win every time, but he wins nearly every time. His defeat surprised fans and hardened his critics’ claws. Some suggested he was exhausted, that he was paying the price for being a different kind of racer – one who dares to excite races, to attack rather than wait for the perfect moment, and to ride without regard for strategy or numbers.
For Pogacar, every race is an opportunity to win. Even when he isn’t on the podium, you can be confident that he was fighting – something that very few riders in the sport’s lengthy history can claim.
Most people predicted that he would win La Flèche Wallonne. Despite this anticipation, many people privately hoped he wouldn’t. They hoped to see him falter. Could Evenepoel, Skjelmose, or Tom Pidcock defeat the World Champion? The road—and the severe slopes of the Mur de Huy—would decide.
Skjelmose had wrecked before. Evenepoel was present. So were Ben Healy, Pidcock, and Kevin Vauquelin. Within the last kilometre, UAE Team Emirates – XRG grabbed command. An attack happened. Pogacar replied. Then he accelerated. Nobody could match him.
At the peak, he crossed the finish line alone, with a margin of victory unprecedented on this historic climb.
The most powerful moment came not during the race, but in a photograph taken at the finish line. Pogacar’s arms were stretched wide, palms open, and mouth firmly shut. The image conveyed a clear message: silence for critics.
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