Tour of Flanders 2020

The road

At the start

A route kept secret to keep crowds away

Flanders Classics have refused to publish the full route — in the middle of Belgium's second wave, the surest way to keep people off the bergs is not to tell them where the race goes. It is 24 kilometres shorter than last year, the Muur and the Tenbosse are gone, the Valkenberg is in, and it still ends with the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg and thirteen flat kilometres to Oudenaarde.

How it was won

1. 155 km to go

   Oude Kwaremont, second time

   The second of three times up the cobbled ramp through the vineyards, and this is where the race ignites. The long breakaway, down to four, clings to a ten-second lead over the Paterberg before it is swallowed with 50km to go, and the favourites surge to the front.

2. 246 km to go

   Alaphilippe lights the Koppenberg

   On the brutal 20-percent pave of the Koppenberg the world champion accelerates across to the leaders. Seven riders chase, Van Aert and Van der Poel among them, before the peloton claws it all back on the Marieborrestraat.

3. 338 km to go

   The big three break clear

   Alaphilippe jumps on the Steenbeekdries and Van der Poel latches on across the treacherous descent. Approaching the Taaienberg, under 40km out, Van Aert bridges across too - the three strongest men in the race are away together.

4. 435 km to go

   Alaphilippe crashes out

   Disaster for the rainbow jersey: with 35km to go Alaphilippe drifts into a parked race motorbike and slams to the tarmac. Suddenly the Ronde is a two-man duel - Van der Poel against Van Aert, exactly the showdown everyone wanted.

5. 527 km to go

   Matching each other on the Kruisberg

   Over the long drag of the Kruisberg, 27km from home, the two rivals trade turns and glances, neither able to gain a metre. The chase group led by Kristoff hovers just out of reach behind.

6. 613 km to go

   Final Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg

   The last time up the Oude Kwaremont and the savage Paterberg, and still the pair are locked together. Neither will crack; 13km of flat road now separates them from the line, and the sprint they both fear.

7. 7At the line

   The bike throw in Oudenaarde

   Into the final kilometre Van Aert sits up and refuses to lead. They crawl, then explode: with 200 metres left Van Aert launches to the left, Van der Poel holds the right-hand barrier, and the two sprint shoulder to shoulder to the line. Van der Poel throws his bike and wins by the width of a tyre.

The result