Pogacar secures third Monument title with Flanders win

Tadej Pogacar claimed his third Monument classic after a brutal attack on the Old Quaremont hill helped him win the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Slovenian became the third Tour de France winner to prevail in the "Ronde" after France's Louison Bobet and Belgian great Eddy Merckx.

Pogacar, who won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, has won two other Monument classics, Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2021 and the Giro di Lombardia in 2021 and 2022.

Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel took second place, missing out on a third title after his 2020 and 2022 triumphs, two weeks after winning the first Monument of the season, Milan-Sanremo.

Dane Mads Pederson finished third.

What a solo victory from Tadej Pogacar! ???? #RVVmen #RVV23 pic.twitter.com/V0NXYRacKe— Ronde van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) April 2, 2023