The E3 Saxo Classic kicks off the hot phase of the Flemish classics season, which ends nine days later in the Tour of Flanders culminates. Some sections of the Ronde are repeated in the E3 Harelbeke, making the race a kind of dress rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders. The E3 Prijs was first held in 1958. It was named after the E3 motorway, which runs from Harelbeke to Antwerp and is now known as the A14. The record winner is the Belgian Tom Boonen with five victories (2012, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004).
E3 Saxo Classic 2023: The route of the E3 Harelbeke
The course of the E3 Harelbeke 2023 is almost identical to last year's route. Just over 200 kilometres are on the programme. As usual, the start and finish of the E3 Saxo Classic will be in Harelbeke. With 17 climbs, the so-called Hellingen, some of which lead over cobblestones, the 2023 race will once again live up to its reputation as a small Tour of Flanders.
The finale begins around 80 kilometres before the finish with the Taaienberg, which is up to 16 per cent steep. After around ten somewhat flatter kilometres, Berg ten Stene, Boigneberg, Eikenberg, Stationberg and Mariaborrestraat follow in quick succession within a good 15 kilometres. After the Kapelberg, the combination of Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont awaits the riders, which will also be ridden in reverse order in the Tour of Flanders 2023. If no decision has yet been made there, the Helling Karnemelkbeekstraat (up to 18 per cent steep) and the Tiegemberg are the last two climbs of the day to break away from the competition. The last 20 kilometres to the finish are largely flat.
The slipways
- Katteberg | kilometre 27.1 | 750 metres with 6% average gradient | max. 11%
- La Houppe | kilometre 86.1 | 1880 metres with 4.8% average gradient | max. 10%
- Kanarieberg | kilometre 92.3 | 1050 metres with 7.7% average gradient | max. 14%
- Oude Kruisberg | kilometre 100.2 | 800 metres with 4.8% average gradient | max. 9%
- Knokteberg | kilometre 108 | 1260 metres with 7% average gradient | max. 13%
- Hotondberg | kilometre 111.9 | 1200 metres with 4% average gradient | max. 8%
- Kortekeer | kilometre 119 | 1000 metres with 6.4% average gradient | max. 17%
- Taaienberg | kilometre 123.7 | 700 metres with 6.3% average gradient | max. 16%
- Ten Stene mountain | kilometre 131.7 | 1300 metres with 5.2% average gradient | max. 9%
- Boigneberg | kilometre 136.9 | 1000 metres with an average gradient of 5.2% | max. 12.3%
- Eikenberg | kilometre 141.3 | 1250 metres with 6.2% average gradient | max. 10%
- Stationberg | kilometre 146.7 | 700 metres with 3.2% average gradient | max. 10%
- Kapelberg | kilometre 157.6 | 750 metres with an average gradient of 7.1% | max. 14%
- Paterberg | kilometre 161.7 | 400 metres with an average gradient of 12.9% | max. 20.3%
- Oudw Kwaremont | kilometre 164.5 | 2200 metres with 4% average gradient | max. 11.6%
- Karnemelkbeekstraat | kilometre 172.3 | 1530 metres with 4.9% average gradient | max. 18%
- Tiegemberg | kilometre 184.1 | 750 metres with 5.6% average gradient | max. 9%
E3 Prize Harelbeke: The most important information at a glance
- Date: 24 March
- Distance: 204.1 kilometres
- Edition: 65.
- Record winner: Tom Boonen (Belgium), five victories
- German winners: Dietrich Thurau (1977), Olaf Ludwig (1991)
- Official start: 12:22
- Finish: 16:42 - 17:20
E3 Saxo Classic 2023: The favourites for the E3 Harelbeke
The field of riders is impressive. Among others, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) have announced their participation in the E3 Saxo Classic 2023. Exactly the four riders who also characterised the Milan-San Remo final.
After his triumph at Milan-San Remo the Dutchman is the first to be named when it comes to the favourites for E3 Harelbeke. The 28-year-old was not as strong at Tirreno-Adriatico as many expected. A week later, he irresistibly rode away from the competition on the Poggio. A van der Poel in this form is hard to beat.
What applies to van der Poel also applies to van Aert: He didn't make the very best impression at Tirreno-Adriatico either and also had to cope with a crash during the long-distance race. Perhaps these were the decisive percentage points that would have been needed to follow van der Poel at Milan-San Remo. Van Aert's big advantage at E3 Harelbeke is the team: Jumbo-Visma can put the competition under pressure with Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck.
The Slovenian is determined to win the Tour of Flanders in 2023. To do this, he needs preparation races. At the Ronde 2022, he already proved that this type of race suits him. However, the two-time Tour de France winner was recently shown his limits by van der Poel at Milan-San Remo. Nevertheless, Pogacar will be a force to be reckoned with.
Ganna can do the classics: the world hour record holder proved this impressively with his second place at Milan-San Remo. The Italian is in outstanding form, but such winding races in Flanders with their many short, poisonous climbs are not his favourite. Paris-Roubaix is more likely to be his favourite. Nevertheless, Ganna should be on your radar.
The winner of Paris-Roubaix 2022 won at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad He won his first race for his new team Jumbo-Visma and showed that he can be more than just a co-leader behind van Aert. At Tirreno-Adriatico, the 30-year-old pulled out on the penultimate stage with "physical problems", but gave the all-clear shortly afterwards. He should be a force to be reckoned with for the E3 Saxo Classic.
Christophe Laporte
The Frenchman rode arm in arm with van Aert to finish second in the E3 Harelbeke last year and knows how to finish in front here. The crucial question will be whether he gets a free ride or has to work for one of the other two stars at Jumbo-Visma.
More favourites
Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) proved at Gent-Wevelgem in 2022 that he can win classics, but recently fell somewhat short of expectations at Milan-San Remo. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) is another candidate for a top finish, as is Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), who has already finished on the podium of the Tour of Flanders in 2022 and second in this year's Tour of Belgium. Strade Bianche was. With the Swiss Stefan Küng Groupama-FDJ has a second trump card. Trek-Segafredo also has two hot potatoes in the fire with Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven. Soudal - Quick Step - the team that has dominated the classics in the past - is not being talked about much at the moment. After a disappointing Milan-San Remo, the main focus should be on Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen to keep an eye on. From a German perspective, Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) has an outside chance. The 29-year-old is in good form, as he recently proved at Milan-San Remo.
The favourites according to TOUR stars*
**** Mathieu van der Poel
*** Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogacar
** Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Filippo Ganna
* Biniam Girmay, Matej Mohoric, Valentin Madouas, Stefan Küng, Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Julian Alaphilippe, Kasper Asgreen, Nils Politt
*The more stars a driver gets, the stronger he is rated
E3 Saxo Classic 2023: The E3 Harelbeke on TV and live stream
The E3 Saxo Classic 2023 will be televised live on Eurosport 1 will be shown. The television broadcast will begin at 2:15 pm on Friday. There will also be a live stream of E3 Harelbeke on Discovery+ and GCN+ (both via paid subscription).
E3 Saxo Classic participants: The start list of the E3 Harelbeke
- 1 Wout van Aert
- 2 Christophe Laporte
- 3 Tiesj Benooot
- 4 Dylan van Baarle
- 5 Edoardo Affini
- 6 Tosh van der Sande
- 7 Nathan van Hooydonck
- 11 Julian Alaphilippe
- 12 Kasper Asgreen
- 13 Tim Declercq
- 14 Yves Lampaert
- 15 Florian Senechal
- 16 Jannik Steimle
- 17 Davide Ballerini
- 21 Mathieu van der Poel
- 22 Quinten Hermans
- 23 Dries De Bondt
- 24 Sören Kragh Andersen
- 25 Silvan Dillier
- 26 Robert Stannard
- 27 Tobias Bayer
- 31 Biniam Girmay
- 32 Aime De Gendt
- 33 Dries De Pooter
- 34 Laurenz Rex
- 35 Hugo Page
- 36 Mike Teunissen
- 37 Loic Vliegen
- 41 Greg van Avermaet
- 42 Oliver Naesen
- 43 Lawrence Naesen
- 44 Benoit Cosnefroy
- 45 Valentin Retailleau
- 46 Damien Touze
- 47 Stan Dewulf
- 51 Nikias Arndt
- 52 Matevz Govekar
- 53 Kamil Gradek
- 54 Dusan Rajovic
- 55 Cameron Scott
- 56 Matej Mohoric
- 57 Fred Wright
- 61 Jordi Meeus
- 62 Ryan Mullen
- 63 Marco Haller
- 64 Jonas Koch
- 65 Shane Archbold
- 66 Nils Politt
- 67 Maximilian Schachmann
- 71 Axel Zingle
- 72 Simone Consonni
- 73 Wesley Kreder
- 74 Christophe Noppe
- 75 Pierre-Luc Perichon
- 76 Alexis Renard
- 77 Jelle Wallays
- 81 Alberto Bettiol
- 82 Stefan Bissegger
- 83 Owain Doull
- 84 Jens Keukeleire
- 85 Jonas Rutsch
- 86 Tom Scully
- 87 Lukasz Wisniowski
- 91 Stefan Küng
- 92 Kevin Geniets
- 93 Lewis Askey
- 94 Olivier Le Gac
- 95 Valentin Madouas
- 96 Jake Stewart
- 97 Samuel Watson
- 101 Ivan Garcia Cortina
- 102 Johan Jacobs
- 103 Matteo Jorgenson
- 104 Mathias Norsgaard
- 105 Ivan Romeo
- 106 Lluis Mas
- 107 Fernando Gaviria
- 111 Alan Riou
- 112 Mathis Le Berre
- 113 Kevin Ledanois
- 114 Matis Louvel
- 115 Luca Mozzato
- 116 Daniel McLay
- 117 Clement Russo
- 121 John Degenkolb
- 122 Nils Eekhoff
- 123 Leon Heinschke
- 124 Alexander Edmondson
- 125 Patrick Bevin
- 126 Tim Naberman
- 127 Kevin Vermaerke
- 131 Zdenek Stybar
- 132 Luke Durbridge
- 133 Luka Mezgec
- 134 Kelland O'Brien
- 135 Dylan Groenewegen
- 136 Campbell Stewart
- 137 Elmar Reinders
- 141 Jasper Stuyven
- 142 Mads Pedersen
- 143 Alex Kirsch
- 144 Markus Hoelgaard
- 145 Toms Skujins
- 146 Emils Liepins
- 147 Otto Vargaerde
- 151 Mark Cavendish
- 152 Leonardo Basso
- 153 Yevgeniy Fedorov
- 154 Dmitriy Gruzdev
- 155 Cees Bol
- 156 Yevgeniy Gidich
- 157 Davide Martinelli
- 161 Filippo Ganna
- 162 Michal Kwiatkowski
- 163 Kim Heiduk
- 164 Jhonatan Narvaez
- 165 Joshua Tarling
- 166 Connor Swift
- 167 Ben Turner
- 171 Tim Wellens
- 172 Mikkel Bjerg
- 173 Ryan Gibbons
- 174 Matteo Trentin
- 175 Tadej Pogacar
- 176 Rui Oliveira
- 177 Sjoerd Bax
Lotto-Dstny
- 181 Pascal Eenkhorn
- 182 Jarrad Drizners
- 183 Arjen Livyns
- 184 Brent van Moer
- 185 Sebastien Grignard
- 186 Michael Schwarzmann
- 187 Florian Vermeersch
Team Flanders-Baloise
- 191 Jenno Berckmoes
- 192 Kamiel Bonneu
- 193 Alex Colman
- 194 Lindsay De Vylder
- 195 Gilles De Wilde
- 196 Ward Vanhoof
- 197 Elias Maris
Bingoal WB
- 201 Louis Blouwe
- 202 Ceriel Desal
- 203 Julian Mertens
- 204 Ludovic Robeet
- 205 Luca van Boven
- 206 Guillaume van Keirsbulck
- 207 Dorian De Maeght
TotalEnergies
- 211 Peter Sagan
- 212 Thomas Bonnet
- 213 Sandy Dujardin
- 214 Daniel Oss
- 215 Geoffrey Soupe
- 216 Anthony Turgis
- 217 Dries van Gestel
Israel-Premier Tech
- 221 Sep Vanmarcke
- 222 Derek Gee
- 223 Hugo Houle
- 224 Jens Reynders
- 225 Guy Sagiv
- 226 Tom van Asbroeck
- 227 Krists Neilands
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
- 231 Jack Bauer
- 232 Tom Devriendt
- 233 Fabio Christen
- 234 Kamil Malecki
- 235 Filippo Colombo
- 236 Nicolo Parisini
- 237 Nickolas Zukowsky
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
- 241 Alexander Kristoff
- 242 Louis Bendixen
- 243 Martin Urianstad
- 244 William Blume Levy
- 245 Erik Nordsaeter Resell
- 246 Anders Skaarseth
- 247 Rasmus Tiller
Women's race
In 2022, a women's race was held for the first time at E3 Harelbeke, which is also known as Leiedal Koerse and took place at the end of April. The winner was Femke Markus from the Netherlands. In 2023, the race, which is in the UCI category 1.2, will take place on 29 April.
E3 Harelbeke: All winners
- 1958 Armand Desmet (Belgium)
- 1959 Norbert Kerckhove (Belgium)
- 1960 Daniel Doom (Belgium)
- 1961 Arthur De Cabooter (Belgium)
- 1962 Andre Messelis (Belgium)
- 1963 Noel Fore (Belgium)
- 1964 Rik van Looy (Belgium)
- 1965 Rik van Looy (Belgium)
- 1966 Rik van Looy (Belgium)
- 1967 Willy Bocklant (Belgium)
- 1968 Jaak De Boever (Belgium)
- 1969 Rik van Looy (Belgium)
- 1970 Daniel van Ryckeghem (Belgium)
- 1971 Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium)
- 1972 Hubert Hutsebaut (Belgium)
- 1973 Willy In't Ven (Belgium)
- 1974 Herman van Springel (Belgium)
- 1975 Frans Verbeeck (Belgium)
- 1976 Walter Planckaert (Belgium)
- 1977 Dietrich Thurau (Germany)
- 1978 Freddy Maertens (Belgium)
- 1979 Jan Raas (Netherlands)
- 1980 Jan Raas (Netherlands)
- 1981 Jan Raas (Netherlands)
- 1982 Jan Bogaert (Belgium)
- 1983 William Tackaert (Belgium)
- 1984 Bert Oosterbosch (Netherlands)
- 1985 Phil Anderson (Australia)
- 1986 Eric Vanderaerden (Belgium)
- 1987 Eddy Planckaert (Belgium)
- 1988 Guido Bontempi (Italy)
- 1989 Eddy Planckaert (Belgium)
- 1990 Sören Lilholt (Denmark)
- 1991 Olaf Ludwig (Germany)
- 1992 Johan Museeuw (Belgium)
- 1993 Mario Cipollini (Italy)
- 1994 Andrei Tchmil (Belgium)
- 1995 Bart Leysen (Belgium)
- 1996 Carlo Bomans (Belgium)
- 1997 Hendrik van Dyck (Belgium)
- 1998 Johan Museeuw (Belgium)
- 1999 Peter van Petegem (Belgium)
- 2000 Sergei Ivanov (Russia)
- 2001 Andrei Tchmil (Belgium)
- 2002 Dario Pieri (Italy)
- 2003 Steven de Jongh (Netherlands)
- 2004 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
- 2005 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
- 2006 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
- 2007 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
- 2008 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Norway)
- 2009 Filippo Pozzato (Italy)
- 2010 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)
- 2011 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)
- 2012 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
- 2013 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)
- 2014 Peter Sagan (Slovakia)
- 2015 Geraint Thomas (Great Britain)
- 2016 Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland)
- 2017 Greg van Avermaet (Belgium)
- 2018 Niki Terpstra (Netherlands)
- 2019 Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic)
- 2021 Kasper Asgreen (Denmark)
- 2022 Wout van Aert (Belgium)
