The Flemish High Mass is almost here. Another week and a half and then the Tour of Flanders is on the agenda. First time for the mini edition: the E3 Saxo Bank Classic. Also a first clash between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Also known to cycling enthusiasts as the E3 Prize. In recent years we have always finished 9 days before the Tour, with 2 days after the E3 of course Ghent-Wevelgem and then on Wednesday Dwars door Vlaanderen as the ultimate preparation for the Tour.
The big record holder in Harelbeke is Tom Boonen. From 2004 to 2007, De Bom van Balen consistently won the last major event before the Tour and did so again in his top year of 2012. With Rik van Looy (4 times), Fabian Cancellara and Jan Raas (both 3 times) as other sloppers on the honors list, it is underlined how well occupied the E3 Prize always was and still is.
Course
As mentioned, the E3 is a ‘mini Tour of Flanders’. After about an hour of racing, the drivers start with the Katteberg and the Holleweg, quickly followed by the Paddestraat and then head towards the real hill zone. Via La Houppe, the Kanarieberg and the Oude Kruisberg we make the crossing to the Knokteberg and Kortekeer, before the first big shot normally has to follow on the Traaiberg – with 80 kilometers to go.
After briefly resting the legs, the main course follows. In 15 kilometers time the gentlemen have to digest Berg ten Stene, the Boigneberg, Eikenberg, Stationsberg and the Mariaborrestraat, to start a new tough trio 45 kilometers from the finish. You notice, it is the time of the Tour, but also the route of the Tour.
The two executioners from ‘Flanders Most Beautiful’ also return in this race, albeit in reverse order. First comes the Kapelleberg, then the Paterberg and finally the Oude Kwaremont. From the top of the Kwaremont it is still 37 kilometers to the finish in Harelbeke, but the Karnemelkbeekstraat, Varentstraat and Tiegemberg must first be conquered before a winner can be crowned.
Favorites
The chance that this is Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel will be seems large in advance. The two best classic riders of the moment – if we ignore Tadej Pogacar for a moment – meet each other for the first time in the E3 and are of course considered the top favorites to win the race.
For Van Aert, this would mean a third victory in Harelbeke, after his impressive duo time trial with Christophe Laporte in 2022 and the satisfying victory against MVDP and Pogi a year later. Van der Poel is still dry in E3 for the time being, although he has not participated too much yet. This means that Friday will only be his third time on the starting row there.
A titanic battle between the two eternal rivals? If it’s from Mads Pedersen depends, he will want to put a stop to that. The Dane showed himself strongly in Milan-San Remo, but unfortunately he still had too little left to win his first monument in the sprint. But there is no doubt that Pedersen will have to be taken into account in Flemish work.
We have already mentioned the top favorite at Visma-Lease a Bike with Van Aert, but with… Matteo Jorgenson and Dylan van Baarle Do they still have some cards to play? In addition, there are also Tiesj Benoot, Jan Tratnik and Edouardo Affini at the start on behalf of the Dutch formation, of which only the latter can actually be regarded as a pure servant. Christophe Laporte has to drop out due to ‘not fit’.
Lots of luxury as usual at Visma-Lease a Bike, unlike Lotto Dstny. There is Arnaud De Lie the outspoken leader, and showed in the Bredene Koksijde Classic that the form is back in good shape. This is mainly the case with Soudal Quick-Step Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen are viewed with more doubt.
Furthermore, it certainly should Tim Wellens be mentioned, although he will have to be able to beat everyone, given his almost non-existent sprint. The same story goes for men like Matej Mohoric, Stefan Küng and Oizer Lazkano which can therefore hardly be described as multiple winners. Biniyam Girmay does have those fast legs at the finish, but the Eritrean could not convince this spring either. Michael Matthews did that in Sanremo, but will it also work in Flanders?
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