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E3 Harelbeke 2015

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Welcome to live coverage of E3 Harelbeke

The cobbles continue. We're only a short while away from the start of E3 Harelbeke. You can take a look at the full start list here

Peter Sagan is the defending champion at E3 Harelbeke, beating Niki Terpstra and Geraint Thomas in a sprint for the line. He's looking for a repeat performance today.

The riders are off through the neutralised section. We've got at least one non-starter in Filippo Pozzato after the Italian developed a fever last night.

We've put together a list of riders that we think will perform today and at Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem. View our top 10 riders to watch video here and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any of our up and coming classics videos.

You've seen our top 10 riders to watch, who are you picks today? Let us know on twitter using with @Cyclingnewsfeed or @SadhbhOS

There are 17 hellingen for the riders to tackle today. Here is a look at what lies ahead of the riders this Friday.

You can read our preview of the race here.

We picked Geraint Thomas as one of our ones to watch today. The Welshman finished third here last year and put on a strong performance in the finale of Milan-San Remo last Sunday. He told Cyclingnews' Dan Benson yesterday that he was in his best form.

We have six men off the front. They are: Sean De Bie (Lotto-Soudal), Dries Devenyns (IAM Cycling), Sébastien Turgot (AG2R-La Mondiale), Kristian Sbaragli (MTN-Qhubeka), Andrea Dal Col (Southeast) and Sjoerd van Ginneken (Team Roompot).

The six escapees have some two minutes on the peloton as they pass through Melden.

191km remaining from 218km

Fabian Cancellara is another of the former winners racing today. He's won the race three times in the past and will be looking to get back onto the top step this Friday. It's a format that has delivered him to success in the past.

Dries Devenyns is the most experienced on the cobbles of the six escapees. The Belgian was part of the QuickStep team for some time. He moved to Giant-Shimano last season, working as a road captain for John Degenkolb, before switching to IAM Cycling for this season.

Ian Stannard will be riding in a supporting role today, for Geraint Thomas. Stannard, who is focussing on Paris-Roubaix, thinks that Team Sky are on the brink of their first monument victory.

A crash for Cancellara

Boom, Langeveld and Degenkolb also involved in the crash with Cancellara. No news on the condition of the riders, we'll let you know as soon as we find out.

It's the second crash in a week for Boom, who came down on a corner during Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen. Fortunately for the Dutchman, he avoided any serious injury.

LottoNL-Jumbo and Sky now leading the bunch following that crash. While Turgot and Sbaragli are distanced from the break.

172km remaining from 218km

Following that crash, Trek report that Cancellara is back on his bike but in pain. Bonifazio, Langeveld and Wagner didn't continue though and are on their way to hospital.

Some good news in that Cancellara, Degenkolb and Boom are all back the peloton after that crash.

Cobbled races are almost always a bit of a bunfight as the riders try to get into prime position on the cobbles. Let's hope that crash was the worst we'll see today.

There was plenty of action at the start today, including Peter Sagan being awarded his weight in beer (let's hope he's saved it for later). Check out our start line gallery here.

The escapees' advantage now stands at 4:50 over the peloton after 58 kilometres of racing.

More news of abandons coming through, Lotto-Soudal have lost both Gert Dockx to a back injury and Vergard Breen to an elbow injury. Dockx was one of the men in the break at Dwars door Vlaanderen earlier in the week.

Cancellara is the next man to abandon after that crash. He was seen shaking his wrist following the incident and has decided to climb off.

Pictures of the crash show riders scattered all over the road. Looks like it happened on a narrow stretch of cobbles with some riders being thrown into the ditches on either side of the road.

As the peloton losing riders like nobody's business, the gaps to the escapees grows to 8:45, with LottoNL leading the pace of the bunch.

Here is the latest news on the abandon of Fabian Cancellara, we'll bring you any updates as we get them.

Nine minutes the advantage now for the six escapees

Zdenek Stybar knows what it's like to have your hopes dashed by a crash, he fell out of contention of Milan-San Remo on the descent of the Poggio. He's one of a number of potential winners for Etixx-QuickStep today.

Another crash and this time it is Thomas Voeckler. The Frenchman has reportedly abandoned.

As the peloton pass through the feed zone the gap has ballooned to nearly 10 minutes. They've taken an absolute battering today.

Trek Factory Racing DS Dirk Demol has told Belgian television that Fabian Cancellara will miss Gent-Wevelgem this weekend. Not ideal preparation for his Tour of Flanders defence.

Daniel Oss could be an outside bet for today. The Italian was in good condition at Milan-San Remo and is looking for more at the classics.

Cancellara reportedly said as he climbed into the team car that his spring campaign is over, and he may be forced to miss Flanders and Roubaix. Let's home his condition improves in the coming days.

115km remaining from 218km

If Fabain Cancellara were to miss Flanders and Roubaix it would change the whole complexion of the two Monuments. With Tom Boonen also set to miss the races after his nasty fall earlier this month, we could see a new winner of both of these events.

As the leaders hit the fifth climb of the day the Boigneberg, the peloton have finally sprung into action. The TInkoff-Saxo lead group have brought the gap down to 6:20.

The last tweet from Boonen says that he's still suffering with pain in his shoulder but managed to ride 100 kilometres, now he's watching E3 Harelbeke with pain in his heart.

A touch more information on Cancellara's abandon. Trek’s director sportif Dirk Demol was interviewed by Sporza during the race. Demol said Cancellara was definitely out for Gent-Wevelgem and his participation for Ronde van Vlaanderen was in doubt too.

Out front, Kristian Sbaragli has put some distance between himself and his fellow escapees.

In the peloton there is a bit of a traffic jam on the Boigneberg. Nairo Quintana gives an impatient clap of his hands and a fan dutifully responds with a clap of his own, much to the amusment of the Colombian.

A mechanical problem for Edvald Boasson Hagen. The Norwegian looks to be coming into form with a top 10 at Milan San Remo last Sunday.

Lars Boom is off the back of the peloton and in the cars. He was involved in the crash that ended Fabian Cancellara's race.

Geraint Thomas is Team Sky's leader today but, as directeur sportif Servais Knaven told Cyclingnews, the team are keeping their options open.

Denis Vanandert seems to have gone down on a corner. He is attended to by a couple of medical officials but it isn't long before he climbs back on his bike and trying to adjust his handlebars.

We're past the halfway mark and the gap to our leaders stands at 5:37. The peloton appeared to have eased off a little though.

BMC and Giant-Alpecin on the front of the group and pushing the pace again. A few riders can't hack it and have dropped off the back. Team Sky rider Andy Fenn is hanging on for dear life.

Dries Devenyns leading the escapees up the Taaienberg but their gap has reduced to just 5:08 now.

A crash right near the front of the group takes out several FDJ riders, while one Sky rider is forced to leap from his bike to avoid being landed on and ends up in a ditch.

There are splits happening as Daniel Oss has a dig off the front.

Oss has taken Trentin and Breschel with them. They catch Dal Col, who was in the break earlier.

The pace is too hard for Quintana who can be seen hanging off the back of the main group. This is his second race ont he cobbles after Dwars door Vlaandern. He enjoyed his pavé debut so much that he said that he'd like to try Paris-Roubaix one day.

Benoot powers across to join the other chasers. He put in a great performance at Dwars this week.

The peloton have split into a number of groups on the road, Katusha and Sky at the front of the first 'peloton.'

The efforts of Katusha bring the four chasers back into the fold as an Astana rider takes a flyer off the front.

Lots of attacks flying off the front and as Grivko is caught Dillier takes a turn.

79km remaining from 218km

Cancellara may be out today but we did get a chance to catch up with him earlier in the season and he talked us through his Trek Domane. You can watch the video here

Dillier and Grivko are back with the peloton once again. Sky are doing much of the work in the peloton at the moment, with Viviani leading proceedings.

This race has had a high attrition rate this far and we've still got 75 kilometres to go. Katusha confirm that Jacopo Guarnieri is the latest to abandon. He's one of Alexander Kristoff's main lead-out men.

The next climb for the peloton is the Knokteberg the 1.5km climb averages 5.3% but kicks up to over 13%.

The advantage of the leaders continues to drop and is now just 3 minutes. The big favourites, minus Cancellara, are still in the bunch.

More attacks from the peloton and Laurens de Vreese and Kristjan Koren jumps off the front.

De Vreese is spending his first year in the WorldTour after signing with Astana at the end of last season.

Nairo Quintana has obviously had his fill of the pavé. He watches the bunch go by from the side of the road as he waits for the team car to give him a lift back to the hotel.

De Vreese's move didn't work but Astana have gone on the attack again with Grivko and he has Gaudin and Offredo with him.

66km remaining from 218km

Cancellara on his way to get a check over. He looks like he's in quite a bit of pain, seems to be his back and thumb that has taken the brunt of the fall.

Belgian press speculating that Cancellara may be suffering from a 'minor spinal fracture' we are confirming that with the team however, and will bring you more news when we know.

61km remaining from 218km

Confirmation coming through that Cancellara has suffered two fractures in his back and will be out for the remainder of the spring.

56km remaining from 218km

It appears that Van Ginneken is now with the front group while Turgot has lost touch. Behind, Stijn Devolder is taking with Dirk Demol, the Trek team will be hastily redrawing their race plans.

53km remaining from 218km

Sybar looming near the front of the group. What can he do today? The Czech rider has been in great shape this sprint and he'll be rareing to go after losing out last Sunday.

Sybar looming near the front of the group. What can he do today? The Czech rider has been in great shape this sprint and he'll be raring to go after losing out last Sunday.

The latest on the Fabian Cancellara crash and his injuries. Without himself and Boonen we are likely to see a new winner of De Ronde this year.

46km remaining from 218km

Koren is now back with the peloton as Etixx-QuickSterp take up the front. They're really driving the pace now and it's all strung out. Rick Zabel looks in trouble at the back.

The Paterberg is next up for the escapees and Devenyns looks like the most comfortable of the remaining three. As the gap drops below a minute, the Belgian creates some distance between himself and the other two.

42km remaining from 218km

It's Oss on the front of the peloton heading up the Paterberg, creating more gaps in the main group.

40km remaining from 218km

Sbaragli caught as Van Avermaet and Vandenberg attack off the front.

It is now Devenyns out front on his own as De Bie gets caught. He's got 27 seconds on the bunch which is quickly tracking him down.

The chasing group has grown as the Oude Kwaremont. Thomas in there and it looks like Kristoff has made it back too.

38km remaining from 218km

Sagan now with Stybar and Thomas and they have Devenyns in their sights.

The three chasers have caught Devenyns, who almost goes off the road on a corner. Vanmarcke leading the chase behind. He flicks his elbow for someone to come through and help but it's Vandenbergh behind him and he's not going to help with Stybar up front.

35km remaining from 218km

33km remaining from 218km

The number of riders in the chasing group grows but so does the advantage of out leading trio, they now have 23 seconds over the second group on the road. They're now on the Karnemelkbeekstraat

31km remaining from 218km

Offredo has another go off the front, he's got a couple of bike lengths on the BMC-led peloton.

As we near the finish of E3, today's stage of the Volta a Catalunya has just ended with Alejandro Valverde winning solo, ahead of Rigoberto Uran

Offredo back in the group as Stybar, Sagan and Thomas extend their lead to 30 seconds.

This break looks an awful lot like the winning move last year with just another QuickStep rider missing to give us our full compliment from 2014. Sagan won on that day with Thomas finishing third, it's hard not to imagine that it will finish much the same this year if they stay together.

26km remaining from 218km

Front wheel change for Bjorne Leukemans after he suffers a puncture. It's a relatively speedy change and he's on his way. Almost that instand Devenyns himself suffers a puncture.

The chasing group don't seem to be able to make any headway on this gap, it's still over 30 seconds with 24km to go. Still plenty of road to bring them back however.

22km remaining from 218km

Shoe problems for Sep Vanmarcke. It looks like it's his cleat after his little off-road excursion on the Paterberg.

20km remaining from 218km

Kolobnev's stint on the front is brief and BMC are back on the front. The gap is finally coming down as the three leaders are about to hit the final climb.

Stannard looks to be in trouble now, he's off the back of the main group.

18km remaining from 218km

News from Catalunya is that Richie Porte is the new leader after taking the leader's jersey from Bert De Clercq.

A good effort from Stannard and he manages to make it back onto the peloton. A relief for the Sky rider.

Van Avermaet crashes

Greg Van Avermaet on his back on the side of the road after coming down on the inside of a corner. He's up and walking but he needs a new front wheel.

Looks like Van Avermaet plans to walk to the finish. He's walking along the side of the road as he waits for his team. A replay shows that he was catapulted over his handlebars.

14km remaining from 218km

12km remaining from 218km

The three out front all look fairly comfortable, as they take equal turns on the front. Is a minute enough for them with 10 kilometres to go?

8km remaining from 218km

Kolobnev pulls off the front of this chasing group, his face showing the pain in his legs.

Offredo goes once again, the FDJ rider is determined to get something.

6km remaining from 218km

Some indecision in the chase as Katusha tried to make some other team do the work and the gap has grown once again to 42 seconds. With only 5 kilometres to go they cannot affort to mess around.

The leaders must be thinking about the victory. Peter Sagan is surely the favourite but the other two will be determined to get rid of him before the finish.

Thomas is the first to strike with 4.3km to go

Thomas gets the gap and Stybar chasing. Sagan doesn't look like he has the enegry left.

3km remaining from 218km

Thomas has 10 seconds on Stybar with 2.7 to go.

Sagan is 18 seconds behind Thomas now.

1km remaining from 218km

Flamme rouge and Thomas has a significant advantage

Stybar goes under the flamme rouge now, he's not going to catch Thomas

Geraint Thomas wins E3 Harelbeke

Thomas looked over his shoulder as he neared the line but couldn't see Stybar. A strong victory from the Welshman.

Stybar crosses the line in second

Sagan is brought back by the group and spat out. It looks like Kristoff has won the sprint for third.

A forlorn Sagan crosses the line well over a minute behind Thomas. That's a lot of time to lose in less than 4km

Geraint Thomas says he imagined he was in Ed Clancy's wheel (as if doing the team pursuit on the track) as he drove to the line today. He also had this to say at the finish.

Confirmation that is was actually Trentin who took the third spot with Kristoff finishing in third.

Here is the top 10 from today's E3 Harelbeke

They often describe E3 as a mini-Flanders and Geraint Thomas certainly put his name forward for the big event next week.

Peter Sagan looked completely empty at the finish. Is his form fading or did he bonk at the finish? He'll be hoping it is the latter of the two.

The big news today, aside from Thomas' victory, is that Fabian Cancellara's spring is over after suffering two fractured vertebrae

Lotto-Soudal confirm that Vergard Breen ended up with two fractures in his elbow after getting caught up in the same crash as Cancellara.

That's it from us today. Stick with Cyclingnews for full results, report and gallery and all the reaction from the race. And remember we'll have live coverage of Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday.

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