Wout van Aert will kick off his season at the Ename Samyn Classic

Having overcome the health issues that forced him to miss the opening weekend, Wout van Aert continues with his planned schedule and will kick off his 2026 season next Tuesday, March 3, at the Ename Samyn Classic, a second-level event on the classics calendar but perfect for the Belgian to gauge the competition before the Strade Bianchi, which takes place next Saturday.

Favorites for Victory at the Ename Samyn Classic 2026

With last year's winner, Mathieu van der Poel, absent, all eyes at the Ename Samyn Classic 2026 will be on Wout van Aert. However, despite being a race of a lower level than those held during the Opening Weekend, victory is by no means guaranteed, especially since the finish, on a street that rises, usually ends in a pure power sprint among a small group, a discipline that once would have assured victory for the Belgian but has recently brought him nothing but disappointments in the form of second places.

Looking at the participants, we could also mention Jordi Meeus as a favorite, who did not have his best legs throughout the opening weekend, always struggling against all the moves. The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe cyclist will have a good opportunity here to redeem himself.

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Another contender for victory at the Ename Samyn could be the Dutchman from NSN, Hugo Hofstetter, and, to conclude, we must obviously consider an experienced team in this type of race like the always tenacious Alpecin-Deceuninck, whose cyclists double their efforts when the leader is not in the race. Riders like Kaden Groves or Jonas Rickaert could also be in the fight for victory, although it is always difficult to make a prediction in a race that often has a completely chaotic development.

Route of the Ename Samyn Classic 2026

The Ename Samyn Classic is a rare bird within the landscape of spring classics. It is a cobbled classic, but its route is located in Walloon territory. We remind you that Belgium is practically two different countries: on one side, Flanders, where Flemish is spoken, a language similar to Dutch, in the north and west. It is an area of extensive fields facing the North Sea, where only the hills south of Ghent, where the famous walls that are climbed in almost all the classics held during this month are located, break the monotony of the terrain.

On the other hand, Wallonia, French-speaking, is better known for the hills of the Ardennes region, with Liège-Bastogne-Liège as its highest expression. In the middle, the Ename Samyn Classic is a cobbled race in the pure Flemish style but held in Walloon territory.

Moreover, the most relevant aspect of its route, which has little elevation, is its final circuit around the town of Dour. A winding course with several cobbled sectors that always promises a festival of attacks, also favored by the wind that usually sweeps the area.

How to Watch the Ename Samyn Classic 2026

The Ename Samyn Classic can be followed on Eurosport 1 and on the HBO-Max platform next March 3 starting at 15:15, with the expected finish around 17:30.