E3 Saxo Classic 2026: Van der Poel wins thriller with monster solo

fotobureau Cor VosFrom the Boigneberg, with 64 kilometres to go, Mathieu van der Poel rides solo. He builds a one-minute gap, but when Per Strand Hagenes, Florian Vermeersch, Stan Dewulf and Jonas Abrahamsen join forces, it steadily comes down in the closing stages. Under the flamme rouge, it almost seems over for the defending champion, but… then the chase falters. And so: a hat-trick for Van der Poel! (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2026 E3 Saxo Bank

1. Mathieu van der Poel (nld) 4:55:14
2. Per Strand Hagenes (nor) + 0:05
3. Florian Vermeersch (bel) s.t.
4. Stan Dewulf (bel) s.t.
5. Jonas Abrahamsen (nor) s.t.
6. Tobias Lund Andresen (den) + 0:24
7. Christophe Laporte (fra) s.t.
8. Gianni Vermeersch (bel) s.t.
9. Mads Pedersen (den) s.t.
10. Matteo Trentin (ita) s.t.

Race report
There is plenty of enthusiasm for the break of the day, but it isn’t until after the first two obstacles — the cobbles of the Katteberg and Holleweg — that the break takes shape. Michiel Lambrecht, Nickolas Zukowsky and Bastien Tronchon ride for a while with a small gap over the peloton, before Sven Erik Bystrøm, Stan Dewulf and Luke Durbridge join them after roughly 50 kilometres. They open up a lead of over 3 minutes clear.

On the Hotond, Pepijn Reinderink, Edward Planckaert, Anthony Turgis, Edward Theuns, Timo Kielich and Daan Hoole start the chase. Their lead over the peloton is never very large, and when Tim van Dijke accelerates on the Taaienberg with Mathieu van der Poel on his wheel, the pair soon catch up with them.

Van der Poel finds it far too hectic and goes on alone over the Boigneberg. He catches the breakaway just inside the last 46 kilometres. A little later, on the Paterberg, he goes on alone. At that point, the peloton is 1 minute in arrears.

On the approach to the cobbles of the Varent, the first chasers — Per Strand Hagenes, Florian Vermeersch and Jonas Abrahamsen — catch up with the sole survivor of the day’s breakaway, Stan Dewulf. They crest the final climb of the day, the Tiegemberg, 35 seconds behind Van der Poel.

In the final 19 kilometres, the four chasers steadily close in on the defending champion. Under the flamme rouge, they are almost there, but then — with the gap no more than ten metres — the chase falters.

At the finish, Van der Poel holds on with a 5-second cushion, after which Hagenes bests Vermeersch in the sprint for second place

Other interesting reads: route and start list 2026 E3 Saxo Classic.