Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert set for head-to-head battle at E3 Saxo Classic: Everything you need to know

E3 Saxo Classic
Friday, 28 March
208.8km

E3 is one of a number of Belgian one-day Classics that exist in the shadow of the Tour of Flanders, but should be far from discounted for its ability to provide a tough, attritional race over some of the most iconic climbs of Flanders.

They're all here, almost. Riders in E3 will get a preview of the famous Flanders double of the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg, which often provide the winner's launchpad in De Ronde, as well as the Taaienberg, Kanarieberg and plenty of others that add up to a total of 17 classified climbs.

Starting and finishing in the Kortrijk suburb of Harelbeke, E3 has been held every year since 1958 bar 2020 and really is a tour of one of bike racing's most famous heartlands. Unlike most races like it though, this one is held on a Friday, and serves as a prelude to Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem.

All the big hitters will be here, including last year's podium in its entirety – winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) plus Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) – all hoping to be the one to sup the outsize podium beer prize (or at least give it away to a fan like Van der Poel last year).

Four things to know

1. VDP and WVA pass the parcel

E3 is a race that practically belongs to Van der Poel and Van Aert. Either or both has finished on the podium since 2019, and in the last three years one of them has taken the victory. Last year it was Van der Poel's turn after two successive Van Aert victories.

With both men lining up at the start, will this game of pass the parcel continue in 2025? Or will it be the turn of another rider to steal the limelight? There are plenty of riders who could do so, including last year's second place Stuyven and his Lidl-Trek team-mate Mads Pedersen, or perhaps Matteo Jorgensen (Visma-Lease a Bike), who has finished top-five the past two years and looks good after a Paris-Nice GC win.

2. Winning moves

E3, almost without exception, is won by a solo escapee or from a very small breakaway. The only rider to break the mould in the 21st century is Tom Boonen, who won from a big bunch sprint in both 2004 and 2012.

Last year's event saw Van der Poel attack on the Paterberg and make good the gap over the Oude Kwaremont. The previous year VDP attacked at 60km out, but was accompanied all the way to the finish by Van Aert and Tadej Pogačar, with the Belgian rider prevailing.

Look for a race-deciding attack somewhere in the final 50km, which features five climbs including the Paterberg (44km to go) and the Oude Kwaremont (39km to go).

3. What's in a name?

E3 Saxo Classic has a fairly unique name among its Classics brethren, being named after both a local trunk road and a sponsor too. While the E3 road is now called the E17, the original name is so intrinsically linked with the race that it has been preserved. Saxo is short for Saxo Bank, whose business is clear from the name – and is the most recent of a series of banking sponsors since 2017.

The race is unique among the Northern Classics for featuring a newly adopted sponsor in its title, though Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Amstel Gold Race have enjoyed the involvement of their original sponsors (a media outlet and a beer company) since they were first run in 1945 and 1966 respectively.

4. So many debutants

Roughly a quarter of the peloton in this year's E3 will be first-time riders in the race. This include brand new WorldTour young guns, of course – such as Australia's Oscar Chamberlain who, at 20 years and 47 days old is the youngest rider in the race.

But also lining up will be the slightly more experienced Briton Joe Blackmore (who was crowned Cycling Weekly's Rider of the Year last season), and the much more experience Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), who is already an old hand at the Classics having ridden all the Monuments bar Paris-Roubaix.

Last year's podium

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck
2. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Lidl-Trek
3. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike

How to watch the E3 Saxo Classic

It is on TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, accessible via a TV package or a Discovery+ subscription. Read more in our how to watch E3 guide.

Riders to watch

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Going into this year's race, it is the Dutchman who has the form that makes him the standout favourite. As well as winning the newly named Ename Samyn minor Classic, he also looked imperious at last week's Milan-San Remo and is perfectly suited to the E3 terrain. He also has a fast finish to call on if needed.

Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The Belgian has yet to put a tick on the scoresheet this season, but E3 is very much home territory for him, and the terrain suits him down to the ground. He is also one of the fastest finishers in the bunch should it come down to it, having won the green jersey in the Tour de France. He'll regard E3 as the perfect testing ground for the Tour of Flanders a week later – a win in which he has long sought after.

Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)

Given how many times Küng has only narrowly missed out on major wins over the past few seasons, he should probably be more highly feted than he is. The 31-year-old Swiss rider has already bared his teeth this season and been plenty active in similar races. Could this be the one where he manages to put the ball in the net?

Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers)

Fifth place in the not-dissimilar Omloop Het Nieuwsblad earlier this month suggests it would be rash to disregard the young Brit, whose team as a whole seems to be riding on a new wave of confidence this season.

Certainly you would bet on him to beat his one and only previous result in the race – DNF in 2023.