Naesen exceeds expectations with E3 Harelbeke podium finish
Belgian says 'bring on De Ronde'
At the end of last year, Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) joked that if he wound up in a three-man move with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and someone else, then that someone else would not be winning the race.
It was more a light-hearted illustration of his friendship with the Olympic champion, with whom he regularly trains, than arrogant bravado. Naesen was nevertheless proved right at E3-Harelbeke, where that very situation came to pass and Philippe Gilbert was left sandwiched in between the two.
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Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.