Top 10 for Dylan at Flanders

04 Apr 2021

Top 10 for Dylan at Flanders

Related riders

Ronde van Vlaanderen, 254.3km

Dylan van Baarle followed up his midweek victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen with 10th place at the Tour of Flanders.

The Dutchman fought hard to be part of a chase group heading into the closing stages, eventually contesting the sprint for fifth place in Oudenaarde, and capping off a consistent run of results.

Tom Pidcock was also present at the head of the race following the first pass of the Paterberg, pushing onwards over the Koppenberg in impressive fashion. However the young Brit would fade in the final portion of his Flanders debut, but gained invaluable experience in his first pro Classics campaign.

The victory came down to a two-up sprint, with Kasper Asgreen (Elegant-Quick-Step) holding off defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) at the line.

Earlier Luke Rowe followed some accelerations on Berendries as the race began to spark into life. Owain Doull was unfortunate to be held up in a crash prior to the first passage of the Oude Kwaremont, but the Welshman was able to remount and continue.
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Reaction

- Dylan van Baarle

"I didn’t have the best day. I could feel it a little in the beginning, fighting for position was a bit hard, and I was too far back the second time up the Kwaremont. Then a crash happened in front of me and from then on I was chasing all the time. I came back a few times but never really recovered from it and if you don’t have the best legs then you try to follow and wait for your moment. It didn’t happen today.

"Van Avermaet and Stuyven went and nobody reacted, Van Aert went, everyone went with him and I thought OK, this is my moment. I went but Van Aert closed it straight away again. That would have been the moment to try and catch Van Avermaet and Stuyven.

"It’s another chance gone. I know I can be better and that’s a bit frustrating but for the feeling I had today I gave 100%. 

"But in the next few weeks I can look back and know I got a win on Wednesday, I got four top 10s - it wasn’t so bad. But as an athlete you always want to have more, want to have better. There are a few things I can now look back on and say that went right, that went wrong, and I can take those with me through to next year."

- Tom Pidcock

"I had fun. It was a good race and it wasn’t perfect, of course. I forgot the basics of eating well and fuelling well but I enjoyed racing and I’m excited to come back next year.

"I’ve got to take the positives and today, that was just who I am - I’m a racer, I like racing. Going on the move probably wasn’t the best thing to do if I wanted to get a result today but I’d rather do that and try then get dropped at the end, rather than roll round and finish in the top 20."
Final result:

1. Kasper Asgreen (Elegant-Quick-Step) 6:02:12
2. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) s.t.
3. Greg Van Avermaet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) +32"
4. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) +33"
5. Sep Vanmarcke (Israel Start-Up Nation) +47"
10. Dylan van Baarle (INEOS Grenadiers)