Neilson Powless just pulled off the biggest win of his career at the Através da Flandres classic. He took down Wout van Aert in a stunning sprint finish.
The American cyclist from EF Education-EasyPost was the only one who could keep up with Van Aert, Tiesj Benoot, and Matteo Jorgenson from Visma-Lease during their intense attack 70 kilometers from the finish. Powless tucked in behind the powerful trio, waiting for his moment to strike.
What a final kilometer of #DDV25! 🤯 #FLCS pic.twitter.com/irSbHvoUvu
— Dwars door Vlaanderen (@DwarsdrVlaander) April 2, 2025
What’s just as shocking as Powless beating Van Aert in a flat sprint is that Visma didn’t even challenge him. They chose not to attack Powless, letting him stick with their trio all the way to the finish line.
#DDVmen – 🏁 72 KM @vismaleaseabike starts a team time trial just before Berg Ten Houte. 💥#DDV25 pic.twitter.com/gvaoXWOPaH
— Dwars door Vlaanderen (@DwarsdrVlaander) April 2, 2025
Until then, Visma had put on a show, accelerating with their support riders and then crushing the competition with a fierce pace. The trio of Benoot, Jorgenson, and Van Aert left everyone else behind, except for Powless, who managed to hang on.
Powless was stunned by his win. “It’s unbelievable! I felt strong the whole race, but I never thought I’d win against those guys. I was thinking I’d be fighting for second place. I’m proud of how I rode. This is the biggest win of my career,” he said, having now won two WorldTour classics, including the 2021 Clássica San Sebastian.
The American rider came into the Através da Flandres after a sixth-place finish in the Volta ao Algarve in February, a 37th place in the Milão Sanremo, and a 64th place in the recent E3 Saxo Classic.
In the final meters, Powless pulled off a perfect sprint. “I knew Wout was the strongest, and I had a one-in-a-million chance to beat him in a sprint like this,” he said with a grin, describing the moment. “I tried to position myself on his wheel when Benoot launched him, and when he started sprinting, I reacted quickly, gave it everything, and… prayed!”
Wout van Aert for Eurosport: “I’m fully responsible for this loss because it was me who made the call to go for a sprint. I was too selfish in the finale. In the sprint, I cramped completely.”
Kudos to Wout for taking responsability.👍#DDV25 pic.twitter.com/ByGIFluTWs
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) April 2, 2025
Meanwhile, Van Aert took full responsibility for the loss. “I’m totally responsible for this defeat because I made the call to go for a sprint. I was too selfish in the finale, and I cramped up completely.”