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Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Sport
Adam Becket

'That’s racing, I’m certainly not angry with my fellow escapees' – why didn't the chasing group catch Mathieu van der Poel at the E3 Saxo Classic?

van der Poel Mathieu van der Poel E3 Florian Vermeersch E3 Saxo Classic the E3 Saxo Classic Jonas Abrahamsen Belgium
HARELBEKE, BELGIUM - MARCH 27: (L-R) Stan Dewulf of Belgium and Team Decathlon CMA CGM, Florian Vermeersch of Belgium and UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Per Strand Hagenes of Norway and Team Visma | Lease a Bike sprint at finish line during the 68th E3 Saxo Classic 2026 a 208.5km one day race from Harelbeke to Harelbek / #UCIWT / on March 27, 2026 in Harelbeke, Belgium. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images).

It wasn't quite snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, but it was snatching defeat from the jaws of the chance of victory at the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday.

As Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and a chasing quartet wiggled their way around the famous housing estate which marks the end of the race, it seemed inevitable that the two groups would join up. The gap dropped below 10 seconds, then five, then one of the riders behind could have chucked a bottle at the Belgian.

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