Cyclist
Rainbow Ronde: The best photos from the Tour of Flanders 2025
This weekend saw the second Monument is the year at the Tour of Flanders – or Ronde van Vlaanderen if you’re feeling continental. As always, the Belgian race delivered, serving up steep climbs, raucous beer tents and passionate fans.
The men’s race was as fiercely fought as expected between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar. Mads Pedersen and a revitalised Wout van Aert would follow, but Pogačar ultimately emerged the victor after making his move on the Oude Kwaremont. As for the women, the race was a far cagier affair. A reduced peloton broke apart on the final ascents of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, as Lotte Kopecky, Kasia Niewiadoma, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Liane Lippert collaborated towards the finish. The quartet would battle it out in Oudenaarde, with world champion Lotte Kopecky prevailing for a record third time in Flanders.
We had photographer Xavier Pereyron on the ground in Belgium, in farmers’ fields, cobblestone gutters and beer tents to capture the action. Here are some of his best photos from the sunniest Tour of Flanders in years.
No chocolate shops allowed for Pogačar in Brugge, he has a job to do.
If the five colours of the rainbow jersey weren’t enough, Pogačar added a flash of pink with his sunglasses.
Van der Poel started the race as the bookies’ favourite.
Best of buddies.
No translation required.
A full Flemish breakfast.
Certainly beats the rush hour traffic.
Rolling out in colour order.
Flanders was sunny for once.
The tussle for positioning can be crucial in the Tour of Flanders. Unlucky for some, crashes split the group throughout the race’s early phase.
The Molenberg is usually where the race starts to turn serious.
You can spot the top four of the race in this shot, taken with over 75km remaining.
Tiesj Benoot rode an impressive Ronde, ultimately finishing in sixth place.
Van der Poel rolled the dice on the Paterberg…
…only for Pogačar to be right on his wheel.
Visma-Lease a Bike tried to put behind the disappointment of Dwaars door Vlaanderen earlier in the week.
Mads Pedersen was able to stay in contention for the podium, having enjoyed his best Classics campaign to date.
Van der Poel was gasping for air, while Pogačar was barely mouth breathing.
Pogačar draws out a gap to the chasing group of favourites.
‘The Big Three’ assemble.
Matteo Jorgenson was on for a top ten until he cramped up in the final kilometres.
And just like that, Pogačar takes his second Tour of Flanders title.
This feels like that scene from The Lion King.
Look closely, and you will see a halo.
Filippo Ganna made his Tour of Flanders return after a six-year hiatus. He just about made it inside the top ten, finishing in eighth.
‘At least we survived, unlike Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard.’
On top.
15 Monuments between these two.
You’d have thought Tadej would know how to pop open a bottle of bubbly by now.
Not long after the conclusion of the men’s event, the key selection was made in the women’s race.
Ferrand-Prévot, holder of 15 world titles throughout her career, is followed by the reigning road world champ Lotte Kopecky.
Kopecky is the first woman to three Flanders wins.
The Belgians finally had something to celebrate.
SD Worx definitely worked this weekend.
Ferrand-Prévot is well and truly back. She finished in second place.
Lidl champagne, anyone?
The post Rainbow Ronde: The best photos from the Tour of Flanders 2025 appeared first on Cyclist.