The Tour of Flanders is over for another year, with the cobbled Classics set to conclude at Paris-Roubaix this weekend, so while we wallow in our grief for the one-day races that we won’t see again until 2025, it’s the perfect time to relive the 2024 Ronde van Vlaanderen through the medium of photography.
We sent Xavier Pereyron into the thick of the action to capture the men’s race and the end of the women’s race (because it would’ve been impossible to shoot both at once), here are his highlights from a monumental Easter Sunday.
This year’s race began in Antwerp.
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And even featured a special edition EF kit, which some people liked.
Soudal-QuickStep boss Patrick Lefevere was more focussed on psyching out rival teams’ riders at the presentation.
Visma-Lease a Bike didn’t have Wout van Aert but did have some very cool jackets.
You don't need a jacket to look cool when you're Mathieu van der Poel, rainbows aplenty but no white shorts – probably for the best given the dirt.
The fans were of course out in force right from the start and several layers deep on the Oude Kwaremont.
Van der Poel's Alpecin-Deceuninck team were understandably present at the front.
As were new cobbled Classics powerhouse Movistar.
Without Wout, Visma were a bit more open with their strategy.
Mads Pedersen was nursing some cuts and bruises from the crash that took out Van Aert as well as teammate Jasper Stuyven, but had to try to take this chance on a very lovely bike.
But there was only one clear favourite at the start of the day.
And who would've doubted him?
Here's a brief interlude from the Van der Poel show to get a nice picture of Decathlon-AG2R's very nice new kit.
The big talking point of the day was the Koppenberg, the hardest of Flanders' cobbled climbs. It saw a decimation of the peloton, which was almost entirely reduced to walking.
At this point even trying to follow Van der Poel was a mistake.
Matteo Jorgenson gave it the best shot and stayed on the bike, but ended up 31st.
Ben Turner (left) quickly fell victim to the surface and gradient. He came 38th.
While those behind went sideways, was Van der Poel even out of zone two?
It certainly didn't look like it.
Dismounting was a wise decision with the cobbles so slippy.
Oliver Naesen stretched his running legs and ended seventh.
Matej Mohorič didn't finish the race and Tiesj Benoot came home 15th. Not the best day out.
Mads Pedersen was one of the favourites before his crash the other day, looking in fine form beating Van der Poel at Gent-Wevelgem, but he came in 22nd.
This looks like a glitch in the matrix but it's actually Matteo Trentin and a man who had one of the days of his life – Arkéa-B&B's Luca Mozzato came in second, winning the sprint from the group of ten.
Owain Doull should be pleased with 29th too.
All eyes for the future will be on this man though. UAE Team Emirates' neo-pro António Morgado ended up fifth on his debut.
UAE had a good day all round, two of Morgado's teammates finished ahead of him for a 3-4-5, including a podium for the man you see going sideways here.
Outside of Naesen there weren't any high placed finishes for Decathlon, but any excuse for another shot of this kit.
Movistar's cult hero Oier Lazkano has been looking strong but somehow finished down in 73rd.
Laurens De Plus ended up 71st and was probably wondering why he wasn't in Sierra Nevada with Geraint Thomas and co at altitude training.
No shame in walking.
Big points to Tim Merlier for representing cyclocross properly on the day.
And of course with a proper dismount, your champ.
With plenty of time to haul his bike in the air.
The lack of Van Aert and Pogačar doesn't make the images and the feat any less special.
Some bloke.
Caption competition in the comments please…
Flanders is never an easy day out, but big John Degenkolb is better suited to Paris-Roubaix and will be looking to upset the Van der Poel party this weekend.
In the women's race, the rain came crashing down but many fans stayed out to watch a thriller. With more cyclocross legends front and centre including Lidl-Trek's Shirin van Anrooij.
And of course CX racer and MTB World Champ Puck Pieterse who closed out an impressive first Classics season with a strong sixth.
It came down to a three-up sprint between Van Anrooij, her teammate Elisa Longo Borghini and Kasia Niewiadoma, and it was the Italian who came out on top.
Ciclismo.
Not an SD Worx in sight, just people living in the moment.
After being all but invincible last year, SD Worx are certainly in a down patch.
But even the world's best struggle in conditions like that. Hats off all round.
Who would've predicted that podium at the start of the day?
This guy would've guessed top spot anyway.
Now that is a stacked podium.
With a very worthy champion.
