Australia & the Ronde: Chasing the One That Got Away

The Tour of Flanders — Ronde van Vlaanderen to anyone who’s ever stood on a Belgian roadside with a beer at 9am, is arguably the most prestigious of cycling’s five monuments. It’s the beating heart of Flemish culture, a national holiday disguised as a bike race, and a battlefield where legends are forged on cobbles older than most countries.

And for all our success across Europe, for all the jerseys, monuments, and Grand Tour stages Australians have claimed… no Aussie has ever won the Ronde.

It remains one of the last great unconquered peaks in Australian cycling. The only other monument we haven’t cracked is Il Lombardia.

Why the Ronde Is Different

Flanders isn’t just a race, it’s a test of identity.

The locals don’t watch it; they inhabit it. They camp on the Kwaremont days in advance. They name their dogs after Museeuw. They treat the cobbles like sacred relics. And when the peloton hits the Koppenberg, the roar is so loud it feels like the ground is shaking.

The course is a labyrinth of narrow farm roads, violent cobbled ramps, and climbs that appear out of nowhere. The weather is usually miserable. The tactics are chaotic. The strongest rider doesn’t always win, the smartest, toughest, and most resilient does.

It’s a race that rewards suffering. And Australians have always been good at suffering.

The Nearly Men: Australia’s Best Shots at the Ronde

Phil Anderson — Twice on the Brink

Second in 1985 and 1988, Anderson was the first Aussie to truly belong on the cobbles. Both times he had the legs to win. Both times the Ronde reminded him it gives nothing for free.

Heinrich Haussler — The 2009 Heartbreaker

Haussler’s second place in 2009 remains one of the most complete rides an Australian has ever produced in a monument. He did everything right except win.

Stuart O’Grady — The Diesel Engine

Third in 2003, O’Grady muscled his way onto the podium in an era dominated by Belgian hard‑men. It was a ride built on grit, guile, and a refusal to crack.

The Women Who Broke New Ground

Gracie Elvin — A Historic First

Second in 2017, Elvin became the first Australian female, to stand on a Flanders podium.

Grace Brown — The Modern Hammer

Third in 2022, Brown attacked with the kind of intent that makes Flemish crowds fall in love with you.

The U23 Clues: The Future Is Coming

• James Whelan (1st, 2018) — soloed to victory with 19 km to go.

• Alexander Edmondson (1st, 2015) — the first Aussie U23 winner.

• Robert Stannard (3rd, 2018) — part of the strongest Australian U23 showing ever.

These results matter. The U23 Ronde is often a preview of future winners.

2026: The Most Stacked Ronde in Years

This year’s edition has more storylines than a Netflix drama — and none bigger than this:

Remco Evenepoel is riding Flanders for the first time.

Belgium has waited years for this moment. Their prodigy, their world champion, their national obsession finally taking on the race that defines the country.

Remco has said publicly he wants to win all five monuments in his career. Flanders is the one the Belgian public cares about most. His debut will be the most scrutinised performance of the spring.

But he’s not the only headline act.

The 2026 Favourites

Mathieu van der Poel

The reigning king of the cobbles. When he’s on, the race bends to his will. Every team will mark him; few can stop him.

Wout van Aert

Still chasing his first Ronde. Still carrying the weight of a nation. If he’s healthy and firing, he’s always in the final.

Remco Evenepoel

The wildcard. The disruptor. The rider who could blow the race apart 60 km out… or detonate spectacularly. Either way, he changes everything.

Tadej Pogačar

If he starts, he’s a threat to win. His 2023 victory was one of the most dominant in modern history. He climbs the cobbled bergs like they’re paved.

Mads Pedersen

The diesel engine built for bad weather and brutality. If it’s cold, wet, and miserable — he becomes twice as dangerous.

Alberto Bettiol

A former winner who knows exactly how to play the chaos.

Matej Mohorič

If the race becomes tactical, he’s the most creative rider in the peloton.

Arnaud De Lie

The Belgian bull. If he survives the climbs, he’s the fastest finisher in the group.

If You’re Looking to Have a $10 Flutter on the Race, Here’s My Takeaways

• Safe-ish money: Mathieu van der Poel — the benchmark.

• Value bet: Mads Pedersen — thrives in Ronde conditions.

• Wildcard: Remco Evenepoel — could win by a minute or blow up spectacularly.

• Smoky: Matej Mohorič — if the favourites hesitate, he’s gone.

• Sentimental Aussie pick: Luke Durbridge or Jensen Plowright to make the early moves and animate the race.