Alongside the aforementioned Museeuw and Van der Poel, the all-star quintet of Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen, Eric Leman, Achiel Buysse and Fiorenzo Magni sit at three Tour of Flanders victories. With Van der Poel the only one of that elite group still active in the peloton though, the Dutchman is perfectly poised to write a piece of unique cycling history with a fourth victory. Given he’s only 30 years old, time isn’t exactly running out for Van der Poel either, although if his winter is anything to go by, he may never be in such good form.
“Mathieu is absolutely the top favourite. It is of course not a certainty but the chance is very big that he will break my shared record,” previews the now-59-year-old Museeuw, in conversation with Wieler Revue, referencing Van der Poel’s dominant performances over the recent winter. “Of course, the World Cyclocross Championship is not a road race but it is certainly a reference for his great form.”
Second on three occasions alongside his three victories, Museeuw came close to a fourth Tour of Flanders victory during his career. Although Van der Poel himself has finished runner-up twice in the last four years, Museeuw is backing the Dutch star to be the man to get that illusive fourth win. “I would have liked to have won the Tour of Flanders four times, but that failed. I have also been second three times and I will be the first to congratulate Mathieu if he actually breaks the record,” he explains.
This year, Van der Poel’s most notable competition comes in the form of Tadej Pogacar, the winner of the 2023 Tour of Flanders. As mentioned though, Museeuw remains confident in Van der Poel. “Mathieu van der Poel is the perfect classics rider,” he concludes his assessment. “If he breaks my record in Flanders, I’ll be fine with that. I’m happy with what I’ve won. Of course, if he rides to the finish with Wout van Aert, I hope Van Aert wins. Not only because he’s Flemish, but also because Mathieu will then be stuck at third. I have to be that honest.”