E3 Saxo Classic 2023
Latest News from the Race
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Julian Alaphilippe: ‘Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar on a different level right now’
'Self pity isn’t any use' Frenchman says of Soudal-Quick Step's Classics crisis -
Biniam Girmay blames poor Gent-Wevelgem on forgetting to eat
2022 winner will make Tour of Flanders debut on his 23rd birthday -
Eddy Merckx critical of Van Aert’s Gent-Wevelgem gift: ‘I wouldn’t have done it’
Johan Museeuw: ‘In 15 years time, Wout might regret this’
E3 Saxo Classic 2023
E3 Saxo Classic: Wout van Aert wins battle of titans in Harelbeke
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) conquered the cobbled climbs of E3 Saxo Classic for the victory for a second consecutive year, and in the process also won the battle with his top competitors, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).
Van der Poel attacked at the front of the race with 60km to go and only Van Aert and Pogačar could match his efforts. It was then Pogačar who tried a final attack with 3.5km to race, but he was left in the wake of the Belgian winner and the Dutchman taking second.
E3 Saxo Classic overview
Date | March 24, 2023 |
Length | 202.1 kilometres |
Start location | Harelbeke |
Start time | 12:22 CET |
Finish location | Harelbeke |
Estimated finish time | 17:00 CET |
Category | Men's WorldTour |
Previous edition | 2022 E3 Saxo Bank Classic |
Cycling's ultimate dress rehearsal - How E3 Saxo Classic predicts the Tour of Flanders
E3 Saxo Classic returns to the Flemish Ardennes on Friday, March 24, and officially ushers in the 'Holy Week' of Flemish cycling. The one-day cobbled Classic began in 1958 as the E3 Harelbeke and was held on a Saturday. The race took its name from an old motorway, that is now called the E17, and it used to be known as E3-Harelbeke, which is the town where it starts and finishes. The name changed slightly across the decades, and settled on the current title in 2012 when the race gained its WorldTour designation.
It was also in 2012 that Belgian Tom Boonen won his record fifth, and final, title. He had previously won four consecutive races, 2004-2007. Belgian Rik Van Looy is next in line with four victories, taken between 1964 and 1969. Two riders have won a trio of times, Dutchman Jan Raas in succession from 1979 to 1981 and then Swiss star Fabian Cancellara between 2010-2013.
The race was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus global pandemic, but returned for the last two years, Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) winning in 2021 and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) winning ahead of teammate Christophe Laporte in 2022. Van Aert attacked along with Laporte over the Paterberg climb with 40km to go and time trialled to the one-two finish in Harelbeke.
Often described as a mini Tour of Flanders as it borrows much of the same parcours as De Ronde, the E3 Saxo Classic route heads into the Flemish Ardennes to tackle some of the most famous cobbles and climbs.
All the big names in the peloton with WorldTour squads and Pro Teams find it to be a crucial indicator ahead of the Tour of Flanders.
E3 Saxo Classic start list
Data powered by FirstCycling
Races
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E3 Saxo Classic 202324 March 2023 | Harelbeke | WorldTour
Latest Content on the Race
E3 Saxo Classic: stormy day brews up in Belgium with winds of up to 75kmh
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Race organisers say they have done maximum possible to ensure rider safety
Wout Van Aert: Jumbo-Visma start E3 Saxo Classic with five options
By Laura Weislo published
News Can the Dutch team repeat last season's 1-2 with Van Aert and Laporte?
Tom Pidock cleared to race after recovering from concussion
By Stephen Farrand published
News Yorkshireman misses E3 Saxo Classic as Ganna leads after Milan-San Remo breakthrough performance
Tadej Pogacar targets E3 Saxo Classic but opts out of Dwars door Vlaanderen
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
news Slovenian reduces Flemish goals in long Classics campaign
Top News on the Race
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Mohoric rues E3 mistakes but sees 'very little' difference to big three
'I'm feeling the best I ever did' says Bahrain Victorious rider -
Still room for improvement, but Wout van Aert eases doubts before Tour of Flanders
‘Last year, I was more on the top of my game than today’ says E3 Saxo Classic winner -
Mathieu van der Poel undeterred after E3 Saxo Classic loss to Wout van Aert
'Better to be beaten now than next week' says Dutchman eyeing third Tour of Flanders title on April 2
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‘I’m starting to like these races more and more’ – Matteo Jorgenson shines on the cobbles at E3 Saxo Classic
US rider takes fourth place in Harelbeke ahead of Tour of Flanders debut -
‘I hope it will be a different story next Sunday’ – Tadej Pogačar close at E3 Saxo Classic
Slovenian shines on Kwaremont but has to settle for third behind Van Aert and Van der Poel -
E3 Saxo Classic: stormy day brews up in Belgium with winds of up to 75kmh
Race organisers say they have done maximum possible to ensure rider safety
-
Wout Van Aert: Jumbo-Visma start E3 Saxo Classic with five options
Can the Dutch team repeat last season's 1-2 with Van Aert and Laporte? -
Tom Pidock cleared to race after recovering from concussion
Yorkshireman misses E3 Saxo Classic as Ganna leads after Milan-San Remo breakthrough performance -
Tadej Pogacar targets E3 Saxo Classic but opts out of Dwars door Vlaanderen
Slovenian reduces Flemish goals in long Classics campaign
Related Features
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Fabian Cancellara's Classics column - Wout van Aert sits Mathieu van der Poel down to turn weakness into strength
Our expert analyst dissects E3 Saxo Classic, poring over the sprint finish and asking: what kind of rider is Tadej Pogacar? -
Cycling's ultimate dress rehearsal - How E3 Saxo Classic predicts the Tour of Flanders
Test run in Flemish Ardennes provides key pointers for the Ronde -
The favourites of the cobbled classics - Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pogacar primed for the road to Roubaix
A glance at the men's peloton's rocky road to Flanders and Roubaix