E3 Saxo Classic 2023: Van Aert wins three-up sprint

foto: Cor VosThe E3 race comes down to a stellar trio. Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel take control on the last ascent of Oude Kwaremont before Van Aert sprints to glory in Harelbeke. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results E3 Saxo Classic 2023

1. Wout van Aert (bel)
2. Mathieu van der Poel (nld) s.t.
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) s.t.
4. Matteo Jorgenson (usa) + 0.33
5. Iván García (spa) + 0.44
6. Stefan Küng (swi) + 0.56
7. Matej Mohoric (slo) s.t.
8. Valentin Madouas (bel) + 1.25
9. Søren Kragh Andersen (den) + 1.31
10. Filippo Ganna (ita) s.t.

Race report
The riders pass kilometre 0 in wet conditions for a brutal day out. After several unsuccessful attacks Thomas Bonnet and Mathias Norsgaard jump off the front after 30 kilometres, while Mathis Le Berre, Martin Urianstad and Kelland O’Brien chase them down. The five open up a gap of almost 4 minutes.

Dries De Bondt bridges across when the gap has fallen to 30 seconds.

Van der Poel closes the gap on the Taaienberg with Van Aert in his wheel. Some twenty riders track them down with 77 kilometres to go. Pogacar, Kragh Andersen, De Bondt, Laporte, Van Hooydonck, Asgreen, Sénéchal, Lampaert, Mohoric, Wright, Turner, Küng and Jorgenson are on board. The young American heads out alone.

An elite group with eleven riders brings him back. Kragh Andersen keeps on pushing and Van Hooydonck and Mohoric go with him, while Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar rejoin them on the cobbles of the Mariaborrestraat.

Kragh Andersen and Van Hooydonck lose contact on the Paterberg, but they rejoin the others before the Oude Kwaremont. Pogacar speeds up on the steep cobbles with Van der Poel in his wheel. Van Aert regains contact after the summit.

The Three Musketeers enter the Tiegemberg 1.20 minutes ahead of the first chasers, Hooydonck, Kragh Andersen, Mohoric, Küng, Madouas, Jorgenson, García and Ganna.

Van Aert opens the sprint and Van der Poel goes all in to overhaul him. But to no avail and he stops pushing before the line. Van Aert takes the win in the E3 for the second year in a row.

Other interesting reads: route en start list 2023 E3 Saxo Classic.