Only thirteen times since 2000 a rider that started in the Tour of Flanders finished in the top-10 of a grand tour in the same season. From those 13 times, only 3 also finished top-10 at the Tour of Flanders. Both Tadej Pogačar and Valentin Madouas achieved this last year, Pogacar came in 2nd and Madous came in 10th at the final GC of the Tour de France. It simply illustrates how rare it is that a Tour the France contender like Pogacar is targeting the Tour of Flanders for the victory.
Another angle we could take is what rider had the lowest sum of results in the Tour of Flanders and the Tour de France in the same season. Tadej Pogačar finished 4th and 2nd in respectively the Ronde and the Tour with a combined score of 6. We have to go back to 1988 when Steven Rooks had a combined score below 10 when he came in 2nd at the Tour and 5th in Flanders. Only two riders did a perfect score, Louison Bobet in 1955 and off course Eddy Merckx in 1969.
For the last years Tadej Pogačar is leading the PCS ranking with a point total well above 3000. The following barchart shows the breakdown of PCS points by GC races, one day races and time trials. Since 2021 a big part of his points come from one day races.
In conclusion, competing the Tour of Flanders in itself is already unique for a Tour de France winner. If Pogacar manages to win, it will even be more unique.
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