Matxin hails Pogacar’s Flanders masterclass and praises Van der Poel’s ‘champion’s character’

For team sports manager Joxean 'Matxin' Fernandez, it was a performance that ranks among the finest he has seen.

“It was a great race, a great performance, and he had great teammates,” Matxin said afterwards to IndeLeiderstrui. “Tadej is abnormal, the most complete rider there is. And I think this Tour of Flanders is one of the most beautiful races of recent times.”

The strength of the field only added to the signigicance of the victory. With Van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen all present and in form, the race developed less as a tactical contest and more as a sustained test of power.

“Head to head with Mathieu, Remco, Wout and Mads, the best names at the moment, in one of the biggest races,” Matxin said. “Because it was not necessarily about tactics. It was about power and just doing your job.”

In the finale, Pogačar and Van der Poel rode clear together, sharing the workload in a move that sparked discussion afterwards. Some questioned whether Van der Poel had done too much, given his chances in a sprint.

Matxin saw it differently. “For me, that shows the character of a champion,” he said. “They always ride to win and do their turns.”

The Spaniard expects that same approach to define the next meeting between the two, which could come as soon as Paris–Roubaix.

“Tadej will also do that in Roubaix, even though Mathieu is faster,” Matxin said.

He also acknowledged that the nature of that race will present a different challenge altogether. “It is a complicated race, without the natural selection of a Tour of Flanders. It is about positioning and surviving the crucial moments. It will be difficult.”

UAE's approach in Flanders underlined that Pogačar's win was not built on the raw power of the Slovenian alone. The team had taken control early, dictating the race long before the decisive moves.

“We never think about scenarios where we drop our rivals, but rather about what those rivals can do,” Matxin explained. “That is why we took control of the race, with Mikkel Bjerg riding 150 kilometres on the front. Then the others made a selection and a natural selection emerged among the big names.”