E3 Saxo Classic: times and how to watch the first Van der Poel vs Van Aert

With the images of the spectacular Milan-San Remo that we enjoyed a few days ago still in our minds, the highlight of the cobblestone classics arrives with the dispute, next Friday, March 28, of the E3 Saxo Classic, a race that will once again offer us a new battle between Van der Poel and Pogacar. A party to which Wout van Aert will join, who will have to prove that he still has the necessary level to face these two beasts.

Favorites for victory in E3 Saxo Classic 2025

Surely everyone remembers the 2023 edition of this E3 Saxo Classic and the tremendous battle between Mathieu Van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Tadej Pogacar. An attack festival that ended in a sprint finish where the Belgian proved to be the strongest. A three-way duel that we all hope will be repeated in this 2025 edition.

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Both for being the winner of last year's edition and for the form and maturity he showed in the Milan-San Remo a few days ago, Mathieu van der Poel is undoubtedly the favorite in this simulated Tour of Flanders where he excels on the cobblestones.

Obviously, his main rival and the only one who has managed to challenge him on the Flemish cobblestones in recent times has to be Tadej Pogacar, who thrives on the challenge and will once again rely on his trusted guard, formed by Tim Wellens and Jhonatan Narváez, to help him control the situation and delay the moment when he has to face the race head-on, undoubtedly an advantage against the brute force of the Dutchman.

Although not considered a favorite by many after a discreet start to the season, Wout van Aert must be included, as he has focused all his efforts, even sacrificing his cyclocross campaign with a reduced calendar, to perform at his best in these two weeks that begin with the E3 Saxo Classic. Therefore, we have no doubt that the Belgian will be at the front. Additionally, Visma-Lease a Bike has a Matteo Jorgenson in top form after his victory in Paris-Nice, who has already shown that he can perform well in these races.

It will be interesting to see in what form Oier Lazkano arrives, the revelation of last year's classics, who, however, did not have the best debut a few weeks ago in the opening weekend. Along with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, he should be considered a second-tier contender for victory, along with others like Mads Pedersen, who did not even appear in the Milan-San Remo, or Filippo Ganna, who, despite his great performance in the Italian classic, still has to prove himself on the cobbles.

Route of E3 Saxo Classic 2025

No changes in the route of the E3 Saxo Classic with the start and finish in the town of Harelbeke, a neighboring municipality of Kortrijk, a border city with France next to Lille and Roubaix where teams set up their headquarters during the classics and becomes the epicenter of world cycling during these weeks.

The E3 Saxo Classic 2025 will have a route of 209 kilometers with a design that could be considered a simulation of the Tour of Flanders that will take place in just over a week. The first 90 kilometers are relatively flat before entering the heart of the Flemish Ardennes with an uninterrupted succession of 16 climbs, including some as demanding and classic as Kanarieberg, Kruisberg, Taaienberg, and the feared duo Paterberg, Oude Kwaremont, which in the E3 Saxo Classic are tackled in that order, opposite to the Tour of Flanders.

The location of the climbs, about 30 kilometers from the flat terrain of Harelbeke, leads to a purely rolling finish that usually results in interesting pursuits after the race has been broken up on the different ascents. However, after what was seen during the opening weekend, where both Het Niewsblad and Kuurne were decided in sprints, this possibility must always be considered, although the presence of Van der Poel, Pogacar, and Van Aert suggests otherwise.

How to watch E3 Saxo Classic 2025

The overlap with the Volta a Catalunya means that Eurosport has to juggle to broadcast both races. Therefore, on Eurosport 2, we can only watch the E3 Saxo Classic 2025 live from 16:00, after the stage of the Volta a Catalunya ends. In any case, we can follow the full broadcast through the Max platform, which will start airing the race at 14:00.

Additionally, Eurosport 2 will offer a full replay of the broadcast at night, specifically at 21:50.