One race at a time, one pedal stroke at a time, Tadej Pogačar continues his journey towards the firmament of cycling history.

The 24-year-old Slovenian added a third monument to his collection with a solo triumph in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

Pogačar (UAE) scampered off in the last Vieux Quaremont-Paterberg sequence to offer himself a cushion that the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), defending champion, was never able to close, crossing the line 16 seconds later late in Oudenaarde.

Caught on the wrong foot, Wout van Aert, the other member of the galactic trilogy, had to settle for fourth place after losing in the sprint to ex-world champion Mads Pedersen (Trek), a rare failure of the Jumbo-Visma formation inflated with bicarbonate since the beginning of the classics.

Fourth on his first try last year, Pogačar became the third Tour de France winner to win the Tour of Flanders after the great Eddy Merckx, in the mid-1970s, and Louison Bobet, who achieved the double in 1955.

“I can retire today and say I’m proud of my career,” agreed the latest winner of the Montreal Grand Prix Cycliste, who is rewriting the book on how to race from a Grand Prix champion. round.

Winner of the Tour de France in 2020 and in 2021, second last year, Pogačar has already registered his name among the winners of the Tour of Lombardy (2021, 2022) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2021), two other monuments of the cycling. Milan-San Remo, where he finished fourth two weeks ago, and Paris-Roubaix, which he has never played before, are the two missing from his crown.

“San Remo is the hardest to win,” he said before receiving a warm hug from teammate Mikkel Bjerg (15th), who launched him on a climb.

Pogačar will not line up in the Hell of the North next Sunday, instead focusing on preparing for the Ardennes classics from mid-April.

“I think I have to gain a few pounds for Roubaix,” said the Slovenian, who did not, however, get the tray of fries offered after the interview. “I also have to toughen up my hands for the cobblestones. Maybe in the future. »

A few minutes later, van der Poel simply raised his hat to Pogačar. “Maybe it was my best round so far, but there was a guy named Pogačar who was pretty unbeatable today,” said the 28-year-old Dutchman, winner in 2020 and 2022, runner-up in 2021 and fourth at his first attempt in 2019…

Stuck behind rungs twice, van der Poel overcame a chain jump at the foot of Taïenberg (37 km) before coming back to Pogačar and van Aert and forming a royal trio that everyone was waiting for for this 107th Tour of Flanders.

Further on, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor produced a dazzling start in the Kruisberg which condemned his best enemy van Aert.

The Jumbo-Visma leader was able to count on the help of his teammate Nathan van Hooydonck, who got up, to join the chasing group, but it was already too late.

Pogačar won the fastest edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, covering the 273.4 km at an average speed of 44.1 km/h.

“When he has an idea in his head, he doesn’t miss it too often,” praised Hugo Houle, who was on the massage table after spending 112 km in a breakaway.

“Besides being strong, he’s quite a driver. He put on quite a show today. It’s still impressive that he drops a guy like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert on such steep slopes in the cobblestones. He is certainly the strongest since the start of the season. It’s clear that his legs hurt less than me! »

After the first two hours at around 50 km/h, Houle joined the breakaway of the day, a group of eight including Belgian champion Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step).

“It wasn’t the original plan, but it battled so hard in the first 100 kilometers that I decided to give it a shot when the opportunity arose. It was a good way to be up front and make sure you had someone from the team to help out in the end. »

On his 10th start in the famous Belgian classic, Houle was still bowled over by the atmosphere that reigned on this cold day when the mercury was close to 5 degrees Celsius.

“I think this is my fourth breakaway at the Tour of Flanders and it’s still impressive. The first time I passed through Old Kwaremont, I was even a little shocked by the decibels coming out of the crowd. The atmosphere is incredible. In my eyes, there are not many races at this level. »

The Israel-Premier Tech cyclist was dropped on the second ascent of Old Kwaremont with 55 km to go. The Pogačar-van der Poel-van Aert triplets passed him before the vicious Koppenberg, the steepest “mount” in Flanders. Houle rode to 66th place.

“I’m not in my great shape, I got sick at the start of the classics and had to take antibiotics. It seems a bit right now. I’m a little disappointed because I was in a good shot, but I didn’t have the legs to respond. »

His teammate Guillaume Boivin would have liked to be able to test his own, but a spectacular fall at the worst moment ruined his chances.

With 71 km to go, the Quebecer made a desperate braking to avoid the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarché) who had just fallen in front of him. “I just tried not to stamp the face when I got into it,” he said.

He tipped over his bike and Girmay to end up in the sidewalk after hitting his head. He left a few seconds later.

“I came back to the main group, but after 30-40 minutes I was starting to slip away,” said the ninth-place finisher in Through Flanders on Wednesday.

Boivin went to the end (93rd), without really knowing what state he will be in on Monday. A knee and a shoulder were also affected. He underwent tests to assess whether he had suffered a concussion.

“We’ll see how I react in the next few days, but I think it’s going to be okay,” he said looking forward to Paris-Roubaix, where he finished ninth in 2021.

Shortly before hitting the tarmac, Boivin broke his derailleur while a chase group including ex-winner Kasper Asgreen formed, which forced him to change bikes.

The former Canadian champion was sorry for the number of major falls that punctuated the event, including one that indirectly condemned Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5), the third Canadian in the running, who did not finish the race.

“I don’t know what the guys were doing, but falls like that in a pro peloton are pretty impressive,” Boivin said. It was hell. »

But paradise for Pogačar.