The Flemish Cycling Week starts on Friday with the E3 Saxo Classic, widely seen as the toughest event in the series when judged by the ratio between climbing metres and total distance. TipsGG looks at the route, race context and the main contenders.
Recent winners set the tone for Harelbeke
The E3 Saxo Classic honour list reads like a classics timeline. Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara repeatedly took top spots in the early 2010s, then Peter Sagan won in 2014. Geraint Thomas followed in 2015, Michał Kwiatkowski in 2016 and Greg Van Avermaet in 2017. More recent names include Niki Terpstra, Kasper Asgreen, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Last season’s winner was Mathieu van der Poel, scoring back-to-back victories after going clear on his own and crossing the line in Harelbeke with a one-minute advantage over Mads Pedersen. Both riders are expected on the start line this year.
Route breakdown: Paterberg, Oude Kwaremont and a tougher finish
At 208 kilometres, the E3 Saxo Classic is about 63 kilometres shorter than De Ronde. The selection usually comes on the same key climbs, with the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont again central to the race.
The Taaienberg, after just over 137 kilometres, has traditionally produced the first major split. In this edition, an extra major challenge is added before that point. The big changes sit on the Oude Kwaremont timing: instead of crossing it once as riders head into the finale, they will tackle it twice.
The first passage arrives after 121 kilometres. Riders then return to one of the Flemish Ardennes’ most familiar climbs shortly after the Paterberg. In the last 40 kilometres, only the Karnemelkbeekstraat (also known as the E3 Col) and the Tiegemberg remain before the finish in Harelbeke.
Weather and start times
Friday is expected to be chilly, with temperatures around 9°C in the Low Countries. The race should stay dry, with wind in the final section back towards Harelbeke described as a slight headwind around force 2 on the Beaufort scale.
- Start: 12:45 PM local time
- Finish: approximately 5 PM
Who are the favourites for E3 Saxo Classic 2026?
Please note: the start list is not yet official, so the outlook can still change.
The main standout is Mathieu van der Poel. He won the last two editions of the Belgian Classic with Alpecin and has shown strong uphill form on cobbles at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, especially with Tadej Pogacar (returning later in the Flemish block), Wout van Aert (opting for extra rest) and Tom Pidcock (racing in Catalunya) not on the start line.
Support for van der Poel in the Flemish Ardennes is expected to include, among others, Tibor Del Grosso and Edward Planckaert. With this year’s added extra passage of the Oude Kwaremont, the decisive stretches remain loaded for a solo difference.
When Lidl-Trek challenged van der Poel, it did so in both 2024 and 2025: Jasper Stuyven finished second in 2024, and Mads Pedersen was runner-up last year. Pedersen returned to racing last Saturday after a broken collarbone and wrist and placed fourth in Milan-Sanremo. Team backup and potential co-leader is Mathias Vacek.
Visma | Lease a Bike is likely to line up without Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan, leaving Christophe Laporte as the main option. Laporte finished fourth at Omloop and, after illness ruled him out of Le Samyn, he also looked sharp at Sanremo. In 2024, Laporte finished second behind Van Aert after both riders crossed the line together.
Beyond the Dutchman and immediate rivals, a wide set of contenders could shape the race: Matej Mohoric, Oliver Naesen, Anthony Turgis, Matteo Trentin, Mike Teunissen, Biniam Girmay, Dylan van Baarle, Fred Wright, Kasper Asgreen and Michael Valgren.
There are also riders such as Joshua Tarling, Ben Turner, Jonas Abrahamsen, Valentin Madouas and debutant Romain Grégoire. Jenno Berckmoes is worth noting as Lotto-Intermarché’s leader in the absence of Arnaud De Lie. Filippo Ganna is not yet listed for INEOS Grenadiers.
- Top favorite: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
- Underdogs: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Christophe Laporte (Visma | Lease a Bike), Gianni Vermeersch (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Jasper Stuvyen (Soudal Quick-Step), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Emirates-XRG)
- Dark horses: Joshua Tarling (INEOS Grenadiers), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ), Matej Mohoric (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost) Laurence Pithie, Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Dylan van Baarle (Soudal Quick-Step), Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Mike Teunissen (XDS-Astana), Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek)
TV broadcast details
Live coverage on Friday is scheduled on VTM in Belgium and Eurosport in the Netherlands, via the main channel and HBO Max. Eurosport 1 is expected to join after Volta a Catalunya, from around 04:00 PM, while online coverage is likely to start around 03:00 PM.
Make sure to follow us for a compelte Where to Watch preview for the E3 Saxo Classic later this week!
What to watch as the race nears Harelbeke
The key question is how often Oude Kwaremont forces riders to light the fuse. With a second passage added this year, the gaps can form earlier, then harden before the E3 Col and Tiegemberg close the final segment. Coverage can start with the Taaienberg split after 137 kilometres, then shift to the late cobbled pressure building towards Harelbeke. Follow TipsGG for fast updates and in-race analysis on all the key moves.