E3 Saxo Classic 2025, one day classic, March 28

[Didinho]

PR, here we go!

Or he just wants to be fresher for the Ronde, after seeing how Mathieu’s level is. Without riding Roubaix. Or with the wind in Wevelgem it seems pointless to make it a hard race. But more likely he’s switching these 2 races for his first Roubaix.

 

[Lequack]

Why would he want to ride a flat race instead of a hilly race, both have cobbles.

 

[Jan the Man]

Perhaps some sort of compromise, I suppose it's quite a difficult balancing act for Gianetti who has to measure Pogacar's ambitions with having the sheiks on phone every day asking how it's looking for the Tour de France. He also needs to be as fresh as possible coming out of Liege so he's in a good spot to start dropping the weight, having to deal with VDP/Wout in a load of cobbled classics and then Evenepoel in the Ardennes won't come without a price. Wouldn't be the favourite for Gent anyway imo, too far after the last Kemmelberg and Alpecin/Trek have sprinters who can actually race.

Also a balancing act from the team’s perspective. Pog obviously no.1 by miles but they would no doubt have promised chances for others. Closing off Roubaix to support Pog 100% means the likes of Mogrado Vermeersch Pollit and others get chances

 

[Monsi]

I don’t understand the reasoning for not riding E3 and GW because Roubaix is in 2.5 weeks. To reduce the risk of crashing?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904667488974971314

View: https://x.com/laflammerouge16/status/1904667488974971314

Maybe this is the reason. And also like Jan the Man said, if Pog is going to be the leader in Roubaix, then they have to keep some of those domestiques satisfied so they get leadership of two other big WT cobbled classics. They can't make the likes of Politt, Vermeersch, etc the leaders in Amstel/Fleche anyway so it's probably why E3 and Gent are the races that Pog is skipping in exchange of Roubaix.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Fun bit of trivia about the Karnemelkbeekstraat or Rue du Lait Battu, 32 km before finish: this climb coincides with the language border. The left side of the road is in Flanders; the right side in Wallonia.

And if we hear that in commentary, then we will know that Kirby lurks here under the guise of @the delgados

 

[Peyroteo94]

He is not racing E3 and GW to give others a chance. This is what I think.

 

[scribers]

Why would he want to ride a flat race instead of a hilly race, both have cobbles.

He has monumental ambitions

 

[the delgados]

And if we hear that in commentary, then we will know that Kirby lurks here under the guise of @the delgados

I can only wish to be Carlton Kirby!
Maybe in another life, but meantime I will continue to go to bat for an underappreciated commentator.
He has the ability to turn this simple sentence I write into a work of poetry.
CK can turn a frown upside down by waking people up and announcing a glorious sprint finish for the ages.
I can barely wake my pup to go for walkies.
I'm not CK.

 

[Lequack]

So now Wout has to beat MVDP instead.

 

[MartinGT]

Heading over to the Holy Land for this and GE. Cannot wait!

 

[Lequack]

UAE have added Morgado, Molano and Vermeersch to the startlist, obviously removed Pog and also Narvaez.
Decathlon have removed Bissenger.
Ineos have added Connor Swift.
Q365 have added Fabio Christen and Nizzolo.

 

[Lequack]

Also for the Dutch speakers, they might find this funny

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904855325351514606

View: https://x.com/sporza_koers/status/1904855325351514606

 

[Sciatic]

Heading over to the Holy Land for this and GE. Cannot wait!

Good for you, enjoy! And give us a post-race report

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

He is not racing E3 and GW to give others a chance. This is what I think.

I'm sure MvdP and WvA appreciate the gesture.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I'm sure MvdP and WvA appreciate the gesture.

I was talking about UAE domestiques.

 

[Potomac]

This could be a good race.

 

[Balthazar]

I think an outsider will win, as in someone that's not Wout or Mathieu. Providing Wout is on form, which i'm hoping he will be, they could control eachother.

Visma will probably try to play team tactics and attack with Matteo and even Tiesj to put Alpecin under pressure with Wout shadowing Mathieu. A bit like in the olympic RR in Paris last year where Wout was tasked with controlling Mathieu allowing Remco to anticipate. I personally kinda dislike races where the favorites heavily control eachother and let others ride because it doesn't allow for a duel. I hope i'm wrong and Wout just takes on the challenge and throws the kitchen sink at Mathieu.

 

[Samamba]

Will probably start raining in the last 1 to 2 hours of the race, but most of the expected rain will fall after the finish.

 

[Lequack]

Arnaud De Lie is out, probably the result of the crash he had the other day.
Alaphilippe also removed from the startlist.

 

[Heston]

Has anyone heard anything from Mohoric? Is he regaining shape or is he just completely out of it?

 

[Netserk]

Mostly headwind for the last 75 km.

 

[Samamba]

Arnaud De Lie is out, probably the result of the crash he had the other day.
Alaphilippe also removed from the startlist.

De Lie did not crash and also was never supposed to ride E3.

 

[Lequack]

De Lie did not crash and also was never supposed to ride E3.

I was watching Brugge-De Panne and he was at the side of the road, thought he crashed.

 

[tobydawq]

Has anyone heard anything from Mohoric? Is he regaining shape or is he just completely out of it?

I think he is completely out of it sadly.

Has been for quite some time.

 

[Samamba]

I was watching Brugge-De Panne and he was at the side of the road, thought he crashed.

He was just checking up on his teammates