'Ciao' – peloton prepares for Mathieu van der Poel attack at E3 Saxo Classic, despite hand injury

Mathieu van der Poel might be nursing a hand injury he suffered at Milan-San Remo last week, but he will still be the most-watched rider at E3 Saxo Classic on Friday.

The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider has won the last two editions of the Tour of Flanders warmup, and in the absence of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), is the out-and-out favourite. There was already speculation that riders might already be racing for second.

Speaking on TV before the Belgian Classic, Van der Poel said: "I’m very excited, these are the races I love to do the most." Interviewed earlier, Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling), said it was a case of "ciao" if the 31-year-old did decide to attack from afar again.

Van der Poel was caught up in the crash 32km from the finish which also took out eventual winner Pogačar at San Remo, and suffered some cuts to his left hand, which left him unable to hold his handlebars properly.

Of his hand, he said: "It’s still painful, it’s not super good to ride on the cobbles, but it’s also not holding me back."

The Dutchman has soloed to victory at E3 twice before, 43km out in 2024 and 39km out in 2025, after the Oude Kwaremont.

However, things might be trickier for Van der Poel, given that there is only one outstanding favourite, although it was similar at Omloop Nieuwsblad earlier this year and he managed to still escape to victory.

He is not the only rider nursing a hand injury, with Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), second last year, racing less than two months after breaking his wrist and collarbone.

Pedersen's big goal is "beating Mathieu", he said pre-race. "Pretty painful on long days," he said of his injury. "This is a good start, the main goal is still Sunday next week and the week after."

Next Sunday is the Tour of Flanders, the week after Paris-Roubaix, so there is much more to still aim for in the season. E3 is one of the key points on the road to Flanders, with many of the same cobbled climbs, including the Kwaremont, the Paterberg and the Taaienberg.

It is, however, a big race in its own right, with Tom Boonen, Van der Poel and Van Aert among the multiple-time winners. This year's edition is 208km, with 3,000m of elevation gain over 16 hills.

Van der Poel has attacked on the Taaienberg on each occasion he has won, so this is the key point, 700m at 6.3%. The peloton will head up the Kwaremont twice this year, up an alternative route first, the Keuzenlingsstraat (2.2km at 4%) before the traditional route, also used in the Tour of Flanders.

Other possible winners include Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling), Fred Wright (Pinarello Q36.5), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step).

Make sure you are across how to watch the E3 Saxo Classic with our guide.