E3 Saxo Classic was contested in Belgium on a 208.8-kilometer route from Harelbeke to Harelbeke. The spring classic would be contested in hilly and cobbled terrain and sported a very impressive start list with sprint aces and breakaway experts present. 

The start list included Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Michael Matthews (Jayco-Alula), Giacomo Nizzolo (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), and Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team).

The speed was intense from the very beginning of E3 Saxo Bank Classic 2025, and many riders were eager to join an early breakaway.

The hectic caused Kevin Vermaerke (Team Picnic-PostNL) to crash with the three Soudal-QuickStep riders Dries van Gestel, Jordi Warlop, and Gil Gelders. The riders who had been involved in the crash were later transported to the hospital in Waregem for further examination and treatment. Dries van Gestel fractured his left elbow and wrist, while Gil Gelders and Jordi Warlop were concussed. 

The peloton was split into multiple groups early in the race. A front group featuring approximately fifty-five riders was in front and featured many strong riders, including Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek), Tobias Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), and Connor Swift (Ineos-Grenadiers). 

Meanwhile, Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers), Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had been caught in group two and their teammates were working hard to bridge the gap to group 1 with 135 kilometers remaining of the classic race.

The distance between group 1 and group 2 had been reduced to twenty seconds with 110 kilometers remaining. Group 2 was hoping to bridge the gap to the front group before the Kanarieberg climb, where decisive moves could possibly be made at the front of the race.

USA’s Matteo Jorgenson attacked from the front group on the Kanarieberg. Stefan Küng responded with Jasper Stuyven and others. They were caught and the groups joined forces.

Riders from Ineos-Grenadiers were pulling at the front of the peloton when one hundred kilometers remained of the classic. Many riders were using the race as preparation for Gent-Wevelgem 2025, which would be contested two days later.

Casper Pedersen (soudal-QuickStep) and Aime de Gendt (Cofidis) had formed a 37 second gap when 82 kilometers remained, and the riders were approaching the Taaienberg. 

Mathieu van der Poel, Filippo Ganna, and Mads Pedersen attacked on the Taaienberg and bridged the gap to the front duo. Multiple small groups were chasing further back to join the decisive action at the front.

The front quintet was still united on the Berg Ten Steene with 72 kilometers left and had an advantage of 22 seconds over the first chase group, which featured Tim Wellens, Matteo Jorgenson, Stefan Küng, Joshua Tarling, Jasper Stuyven, and Matteo Trentin.

The five men in front continued to increase their lead in the following kilometers. They had an advantage of almost a minute when sixty kilometers were left of the race. 

The advantage of the attacking quintet had increased to 01:20 minutes ten kilometers later. The five strong riders were cooperating well in a quest to keep the chase group at bay. 

Aime de Gendt was dropped from the front group as it approached the Paterberg. The four remaining riders pressed on and Mads Pedersen set a fast pace on the Paterberg.

Oude Kwaremont was the next hill climb to be contested by the front group. Van der Poel attacked on the climb and Mads Pedersen tried to keep up with the Dutchman. Van der Poel opened a gap to Mads Pedersen, while Casper Pedersen, Filippo Ganna, and Aime de Gendt were chasing ten seconds behind.

Thirty-seven kilometers were left of the E3 Saxo Classic and Mathieu van der Poel was increasing his lead. Mads Pedersen was now chasing solo twenty seconds behind. De Gendt and Ganna were thirty seconds back. Ganna later dropped de Gendt. Matteo Jorgenson, Stefan Küng, Tim Wellens, and Jasper Stuyven were chasing two minutes back.

33 kilometers of the race remained, and the riders were approaching the Karnemelkbeekstraat climb. 

Van der Poel continued his solo ride at the front of the race, but had he stored sufficient energy to keep the chasers at bay? His advantage was 28 seconds when he had 28 kilometers left of the race.

Van der Poel’s rear wheel slipped in a wet roundabout slightly later, but the Dutchman managed to stay on his bike. He then had to struggle on a wet cobbled section slightly later. Cornering once again proved difficult for him. 

Despite the challenging racing conditions, van der Poel was expanding his advantage and was now thirty-five seconds ahead of Mads Pedersen.

Fifteen kilometers were left of the race towards the finish line in Harelbeke and van der Poel was now one minute ahead of Denmark’s Mads Pedersen. The Danish rider from Lidl-Trek was doing a great job at keeping third-placed Filippo Ganna at a distance as the Italian Ineos-Grenadiers rider was now 45 seconds behind the Great Dane. Further back Aime de Gendt and Casper Pedersen had been caught by Matteo Jorgenson, Stefan Küng, Jasper Stuyven, and Tim Wellens.

Van der Poel was still in the lead when five kilometers remained. Mads Pedersen was second, while Ganna was further back. All riders were pushing their pedals hard to produce the maximum watts possible, while trying to avoid crashes on the wet roads.

Mathieu van der Poel showed impressive form and great courage in today’s E3 Saxo Classic 2025. The former World Champion crossed the finish line solo in 04:39:14 as winner of the race.

Mads Pedersen finished second for his Lidl-Trek team. The Danish former World Champion was more than a minute slower than the race winner but had showed promising form before the next spring Classics, including Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix.

Former time trial World Champion Filippo Ganna completed the race podium for Ineos-Grenadiers when he finished third more than two minutes after van der Poel.

Casper Pedersen won a sprint from a small group to take fourth, while Jasper Stuyven finished fifth.

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