Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck grimaces with determination at finish line in Harelbeke for the win at E3 Saxo Classic(Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) goes back-to-back with another solo victory at 2025 E3 Saxo Classic (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
For a second year in a row, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) grabbed the spotlight at E3 Saxo Classic and rode to a solo victory into Harelbeke. The Dutchman struck out over the Oude Kwaremont, 40km from the finish, and accelerated away from four riders who had been at the front with him. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) finished 1:07 back for second and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) splashed in the rain 2:05 back for third. It was a rough start for Van der Poel, as he and other favourites were caught behind a crash in the opening 10km that caused a ripple of splits among the peloton.
E3 Saxo Classic route
The 2025 E3 Saxo Classic includes 17 'bergs' and several sections of cobblestone roads across the 208.6 kilometre route from Harelbeke and back.
Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
