The China Mail - American Neilson Powless fools Visma to win Across Flanders

The Dutch outfit broke as a team with Van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson and Tiesj Benoot breaking away in the final hour.

But Powless grimly held on to the yellow-shirted trio and began his sprint early on the run into Waregem to outwit the three riders and win the 184.2km loop around Flanders with its 10 climbs and seven cobblestone sections.

The debacle represents a second disaster here in two seasons for the 30-year-old Van Aert, who suffered a fall on this race last season that scuppered much of his year.

American Jorgenson won in Van Aert's absence in 2024 and came home fourth Wednesday.

The ecstatic Powless told reporters it was "the win of my life" at the finish line as he celebrated with his teammates.

"I just can't believe it, I sprinted for second place never thinking I'd beat Wout," said the 28-year-old Powless.

Jorgenson said Visma followed team instructions to wait for the sprint rather than attack Powless over the final 50km.

But the dejected Van Aert admitted the decision had really been his.

"It was me who made the call for the sprint. I was confident I could win, but in the sprint I cramped completely," he said.

"I wanted the victory so bad, especially after all the criticism I've been through and all the bad luck I've been through."

Van Aert crossed the line with his head very low in a state of dejection before slumping to the ground.

Without a win since claiming the 10th stage in the Vuelta a Espana last August, he goes into the season's two hottest one day races -- the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix -- in the next 10 days nursing a bruising near miss.

Z.Ma--ThChM