"Winning is not as easy as everyone thinks," Mathieu van der Pol said about an hour after winning his second Tour de Flanders in three years. Throughout his career, the Dutch rider has made the business of winning look so easy. Only this time, I could clearly see the swans paddling hard under the water. On the final Paterberg, Van der Pol appeared to have temporarily lost contact with breakaway Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates). As the gradient tightened, Van der Pol appeared to be struggling to keep his gears turning, but he was able to get power out of the saddle and slowly close in on two-time winner Tadei Pogachal (UAE Team Emirates). The numbers Van der Pol posted on Strava while waiting for the podium proved that following Pogachal through the Ardennes region of Flanders was out of reach for most. The Alpecin Phoenix rider has a maximum output of 1400 watts.

"Power-wise, today was probably the best in the Tour of Flanders. Pogachar was very impressive on the climbs. I was really happy to keep his wheels on, especially on the last climb of Quaremont and Paterberg, because it was really marginal," van der Pol said. 'He rode one of the strongest and most aggressive runs of the race.'

Sunday marked the third time Van der Pol had a two-man team finish in the Ronde finish. After beating his nemesis Wout Van Aert in the 2020 event, which was delayed by a pandemic, a year ago he was unexpectedly upset by Kasper Asgreen. The crowd at the Markt in Oudenaarde could have talked all night about how Van der Pol and Pogachar nearly squandered their advantage in the final kilometer. Forced to lead the sprint, Van der Poel not only made Pogachar uncomfortable, he was also caught with 200 meters to go by the chasing pair of Dylan Van Baar (Ineos) and Valentin Maduas (Groupama-FDJ). Van der Pol still fought for speed to fend off his countryman Van Baar, but Pogachar seemed to be overgeared for the acceleration required here, and finished the day in fourth place. I was so focused on Pogachar that I only saw them coming for a second and then I started sprinting," he said. I didn't feel stressed or nervous. I just focused on my sprint. I was calm today, timing my sprints."

Van Baarle and Maduas's late-race counterattack was reminiscent of Van der Pol's dramatic comeback in the breathless finale of the Amstel Gold Race three years ago. Van der Pol was caught flat-footed early in the race when Julien Alaphilippe and Jakob Fuglsang launched a potentially decisive attack for the win. On Sunday, Van der Pol was more cautious. Aside from one disturbance near the top of the Koppenberg, the pre-race favorite preferred to follow the move rather than make it on the climb. He followed Pogachar's decisive acceleration in the final time on the Quaremont and held on in the Paterberg. His patience and resilience were rewarded in the form of the second monumental victory of his career.

"In Koppenberg I might have attacked a bit with Taddej. He praised Pogachar for filling in for his usual sparring partner, Wout Van Art, who tested positive for COVID-19 and had to sit out. 'Wout Van Art would have been in the group today. I like racing with him and Pogachar. I like racing with him and Pogachar. It might be wrong to say it's the easiest way, but it's the most honest way to stay in the final with the best riders. I hope he fits in with Roubaix." Van Aert was the favorite to win the race this spring after winning the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Harelbeke. Van der Pol, by contrast, was not at all sure if he would wear the Classics number due to a back injury that has sidelined his cyclocross season.

He only finished third in Milan-San Remo, but he won the Settimana Coppi e Bartali stage and competed in the Doir de Hländeren during midweek. The usual rules don't seem to apply to Van der Pol. 'When I came back, I knew I had a good level, even if the race was different,' van der Pol said. But a month before Milan-San Remo, I was worried. But a month before Milano-Sanremo I was worried. I was really happy that all the hard work paid off." Van der Pol, who will compete in the Amstel Gold Race and Paris-Roubaix before returning to the Hotel Sinclosfera in Denia, where he spent most of February and early March in preparation for his Giro d'Italia debut in May, promptly shut down questions about his future prospects over the next three weeks. After all, there are still miles to run and commitments to keep this month.

"If the winner of the Tour de France can go on to win in Flanders, then the double winner of Flanders is ......" The question began. No," Van der Pol interrupted, and laughter erupted from the press room. Are you sure? Yes, I'm sure," Van der Pol said, quietly adamant that it wasn't as easy as everyone thought.