Top favorite is Mathieu van der Poel, who can soon win the E3 Saxo Classic three times in a row. Gianni Vermeersch, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe: “If you look at the field of participants in general, I think that if Mathieu goes all out there, he will end up alone. Other years there were other guys who could participate. But after the Traaiberg, it can still go either way.”
Arjen Livyns,
None from Aert or Pogacar
Livyns is driving in his own Harelbeke today. Special, and that’s what Xandro Meurisse wanted, because E3 was actually not on his program. “
No Wout van Aert here, no Tadej Pogacar either. Who does van der Poel do something: Jasper Stuyven perhaps, in good shape after Milan-San Remo. Jasper Stuyven, Soudal Quick-Step: “If you ride a good race, both in the feeling and positioning and in the result, you go home with confidence, and it would be strange if you didn’t take that confidence with you to today’s race.”
Or Mads Pedersen, after a broken wrist? Mads Pedersen, Lidl-Trek: “It’s good enough to start, and then we’ll see if we can compete against the best guys today.”
Favorite
And does the favorite himself still have problems with his hand after an incident in Milan-San Remo? Mathieu van der Poel, Alpecin – Premier Tech: “It is quite annoying, not very bad, but still a bit disturbing.”
“I don’t think the changes in the course will really have an impact on the race. I think the Traaiberg is known in the E3 and that the race will open up there. I don’t expect that to be completely different today.”
The competition has been warned. Tonight around half past five we will know: van der Poel, or someone else?
