The Dwars door Vlaanderen is tinged yellow: historic double for the hornets
A Memorable Day: Dwars door Vlaanderen 2024 The Dwars door Vlaanderen 2024 is now part of history and finds its place in the annals of classic cobblestone races. This edition won’t be easily forgotten, especially for the Visma | Lease a Bike team. They achieved an unexpected double victory that defied predictions.
The afternoon, however, began on a grim note. Wout van Aert, the prototypical rider for the monument classics, saw his race come to an abrupt end 70 kilometers from the finish line. Involved in a terrible crash at the head of the peloton, the Belgian suffered fractures to his collarbone and ribs. His northern classics season concludes here, with hopes of seeing him back in the saddle at least for the Giro d’Italia. But adversity often reveals unexpected heroes. Enter Matteo Jorgenson, the 1999-born Californian, tasked with carrying a weighty torch. When the legs turn, burdens become lighter. His decisive attack came 7 kilometers from the finish: a swift farewell to his breakaway companions, and there he was, crossing the line solo under the banner in Waregem. A victory of absolute prestige for the American, seemingly compensating for van Aert’s absence.
Yet the surprises had just begun. The sun returned to shine definitively in the Visma sky, thanks to Marianne Vos’s powerful sprint. She secured her 250th career victory, narrowly beating her rival Shirin Van Anrooij of Lidl Trek. Perfect in every race situation, the Dutchwoman now adds the Dwars door Vlaanderen to her illustrious palmares, etching her name into the contemporary women’s cycling hall of fame.
The “Calabroni” (hornets) are buzzing again: anyone aiming for supremacy this season will have to contend with them.
