'Stop riding at the front when Van der Poel and Pogačar are there' – Tiesj Benoot calls for riders to rethink tactics at the Classics

Classics specialist Tiesj Benoot has called for riders to stop "racing for second" and pacing on the front while superstars Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) are there to benefit from it.

One of the most versatile one-day racers in the peloton, Benoot has started 31 Monuments in his career and seen the tactics up close, mostly at the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia, where the Slovenian and Dutch rider have been dominant in recent memory.

Between them, it's almost been a complete duopoly, winning 14 of the last 16 Monuments and all five last season between them, with only Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Van der Poel's teammate, Jasper Philipsen, also winning one in that time.

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As he embarks on a new chapter in 2026 with Decathlon CMA CGM, Benoot is realistic about his chances of winning one of cycling's five most illustrious one-day races, especially given the era he is racing in.

"I wouldn't call [winning a Monument] a dream. Of course, I still have ambitions, but I also know that it won't change my life drastically," Benoot told Indeleiderstrui in a recent interview.

"What I personally really enjoy is riding the finales in those races and being able to play your part on those biggest days. For me, everything has to come together to win.

"Now that Pogačar has started riding the Classics and Van der Poel has taken a big step, it's almost become a utopia for many riders. The Tour of Flanders is made so difficult that tactics no longer play a role. But something can happen to them, and of course, they don't ride everything."

But after making his move from Visma-Lease a Bike to the big-budget French team, just what can be done about Pogačar and Van der Poel? After all, Benoot is expected to be one of Decathlon's leaders in the effort against them this spring.

"We all have to stop riding at the front when Van der Poel and Pogačar are there," he said. "I don't understand that. In my opinion, that's racing for second place: if you even start helping them..."

Benoot highlighted Lidl-Trek duo Quinn Simmons and Mads Pedersen as possible examples to follow, after the US rider's all-out early bid for glory at Il Lombardia last year and the Dane's constant attempts to upset the big two in the spring.

He'll be hoping to put his own tactics into play between the E3 Saxo Classic and Liège this season, skipping the race where he scored the biggest win of his career, Strade Bianche, in favour of an altitude camp. Winless since Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2023 and after years riding as a superdomestique, Benoot has his eye on some glory for himself with his new team.

"Of course, there's the spring, which will be the same as in recent years. I might be pushed forward a bit more, but at Visma, I was always one of the three or four protected riders. I never had to sacrifice my chances there," said Benoot of his role.

"In the Tour, I didn't have any personal ambitions at Visma-Lease a Bike, because it was also a personal goal to win the race with Jonas Vingegaard. That will change here, because we'll be going with Olav Kooij as a sprinter and a few stage hunters. I think we can go far with Olav Kooij.

"I want to reach my level, but I'd also like to win a race. And if I do win a race, it'll be a great one – it has to click."