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For the first time this classics season, Visma-Lease a Bike had the race under control with 1km to go. Matteo Jorgenson led the breakaway with Tiesj Benoot on his wheel, and Wout Van Aert sat third wheel ahead of Neilson Powless. That was it: three Visma-LAB riders versus Neilson Powless.
As the Dutch team rounded the final corner, you could have seen the result as a formality. Van Aert launched off his teammates’ leadout with 200m to go, certain for victory. But then, Powless came around the Belgian to win.
Van Aert, Benoot, and Jorgenson hung their heads as Powless celebrated such an improbable victory. Memories of the 2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad rang through our heads. Three versus one – how could a team lose from such a favorable position?
It seems the call came from the road. We’re not entirely sure if the call came from the team car or from the riders themselves, but the decision was made that Visma-LAB would ride for a sprint with Van Aert. The team was confident in him, and so were Jorgenson and Benoot. Sure, Powless has a decent sprint, but few expected him to win the sprint against a former green jersey winner at the Tour de France.
This is the story of Neilson Powless and the Visma-LAB blunder at Dwars door Vlaanderen.
2025 Dwars door Vlaanderen
This year’s Dwars door Vlaanderen was one of the hardest classics ever ridden. Of the riders who posted their power files, most averaged over 320w for the duration of the race. You can see it in the average speed as well: 46.6 kph for nearly four hours. That would be a mean feat on a flat road, let alone a 184.2km route with multiple cobblestone sectors and 1,205 meters of climbing.
By the time live coverage began with 105 km to go, an eight-man breakaway was nearly a minute clear of the peloton. The pace was hot and the climbs were fast approaching.
Van Aert led the peloton onto the Knokteberg with 93 km to go and lit the race on fire. The Belgian pulled the entire climb, splitting the group into pieces and halving the gap to the breakaway. Despite being nearly 100 km from the finish, this was a key point in the race that ended many riders’ chances at victory. Powless did one of his highest two-minute power outputs of the race, averaging over 530w during the climb.
Powless – Knokteberg with 93 km to go
- Time: 2:10
- Average Power: 535w (8.1w/kg)
A few kilometers later, Powless attacked into a chase group with Joshua Tarling and Fabio Van den Bossche. With such a large peloton left chasing, it was easy to say this was a bad move from the trio with over 83 km to go. But it would actually prove to be one of the defining moments of the race, putting Powless up the road before the race-splitting climbs and crosswinds.
Powless – Anticipating move with ~86 km to go
- Time: 4:23
- Average Power: 377w (5.7w/kg)
- Average Speed: 52.8 kph
Visma-LAB Splits the Peloton in the Crosswinds
With 74 km to go, Per Strand Hagnes started riding full gas on the front of the peloton. While the cameras switched back to the breakaway, Visma-LAB created a split in the peloton that left three of their riders in the clear: Van Aert, Benoot, and Jorgenson.
Dylan van Baarle had purposely dropped off Jorgenson’s wheel to create the split, and that was the last the peloton would see of these three Visma-LAB riders. It only took them two kilometers to reach the breakaway, and then there were seven riders in total out front.
After more than 20km of chasing, the peloton was only 12 seconds behind the breakaway when they began the Knokteberg with 56 km to go. This was the make or break moment for the peloton. A rider like Mathieu van der Poel or Tadej Pogačar would have bridged across that gap. But instead, it was Visma LAB and Powless who led over the top of the climb. The rest of the breakaway had been dropped, and this was the foursome that would go on to fight it out at the finish.
It may not have looked like much on the television screen, but this passage of the Knokteberg was the decisive split in Dwars door Vlaanderen.
Powless – Knokteberg with 56 km to go
- Time: 1:57
- Average Power: 563w (8.5w/kg)
For the next 55 km, Powless worked with the Visma LAB trio to extend their gap. It was a mostly cooperative effort; though, there was a moment with 24 km to go where Powless found himself gapped off the wheel of Van Aert. This was the one and only time when Visma-LAB attempted to drop Powless from the breakaway. But the American fixed the problem immediately, sprinting back to the leaders with Benoot in tow.
By the time the breakaway reached 2 km to go, it was obvious that they were going for a sprint with Van Aert. Jorgenson led out the final few kilometers, while Benoot readied himself in the wheel. Powless was riding at the back of the group, saving the most energy and providing a perfect view of what was about to come. There was no surprise, no attack, and no attempt to drop Powless in the final 24 km of the race.
When Powless let a small gap open in the final corner, fans around the world held their breath. The American was already starting his sprint with 300 m to go, but he had a run on the Visma-LAB trio. When Benoot peeled off, Powless was already in full flight, moving 3-4 kph faster than Van Aert, the American said in his post-race interview. The Belgian was losing ground almost immediately, and Powless kept accelerating. As the American crossed the line, Van Aert hung his head and Benoot slapped his hand on the front of his helmet with an emblematic facepalm. It was the biggest win of Powless’ career, and simultaneously one of the biggest failings in the history of Visma-Lease a Bike.
EF Education-EasyPost shared a video of Powless’ data after the race, and here you can see his sprint power from the final few pedal strokes.
Powless – Final Sprint
- Max Power: 1100w (16.7w/kg)
- Peak 5 sec Power: 1072w (16.2w/kg)
- Peak 20 sec Power: 912w (13.8w/kg)
A scroll through Neilson’s @wahoofitness ELEMNT ROAM after today’s win at Dwars door Vlaanderen #Ddv #efprocycling pic.twitter.com/sjyC1wmjog
— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) April 2, 2025
Powless – 2025 Dwars Door Vlaanderen
- Time: 3:57:14
- Average Power: 271w (4.1w/kg)
- Normalized Power: 322w (4.9w/kg)
Power Analysis data courtesy of Strava
Strava sauce extension
Riders:
Neilson Powless
