The Dutch wheel star Mathieu van der Poel celebrated the next outstanding success six days after his triumph at Milan-Sanremo and, in the absence of his great rival Tadej Pogacar, won the Belgian E3 Saxo Classic around the small town of Harelbe after an impressive solo.
Van der Poel is now a favorite in the next duels with world champion Pogacar. After 40 kilometers single-handedly, van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) prevailed in the rain on Friday with 1:05 minutes ahead of the Danish ex-world champion Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Third place went to the hard strength of the Italians of the Italians Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), who had pushed himself between van der Poel and Pogacar on Saturday at Milan’s Sanremo.
“It was really hard today, especially with the wind at an angle from the front. The last part was terribly long today, I suffered”said van der Poel. “In the end, only being beaten by a ‘monster’ is okay too”said Pedersen.
Flanders tour Next showdown
The Dutch and the Slovenian are currently in their own league. The next meeting on the Tour of Flanders on April 6th – partly on the same streets as on Friday – should offer spectacle again.
Pogacar had canceled his E3 start and at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday at short notice to prepare for the Flanders’ tour and his first start at Paris-Roubaix (April 13). In the previous year, van der Poel won both races with impressive solos – but each in the absence of Pogacar.
Irresistible Start on Oude Kwaremont
The 208.8 km race around the small town of Harelke led over numerous toxic gradients, including the Paterberg and the Oude Kwaremont, which also play central roles on the tour of the Flanders. Van der Poel stayed back for a long time, but nobody had a chance against his capital start at Oude Kwaremont.