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Follow us on GoogleIf you perform well at the E3 Saxo Classic, you tend to perform well at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix too. With that idea in mind, all eyes will once again be on Friday’s race, traditionally the opening act of a Flemish week packed with cobbled Classics. So, who is racing – and perhaps more importantly, who is not? IDLProCycling.com keeps track of the line-up for you.
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Normally, the E3 Saxo Classic never struggles to attract a strong field. The theory that good legs here translate into success in the biggest cobbled races is well known throughout the peloton. However, in recent years riders have increasingly streamlined their race programmes. Only the biggest goals remain, which means some notable names are missing from Friday’s start list.
In 2023, Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel delivered an epic edition, culminating in a three-man sprint won by Van Aert. Since then, Pogačar has not returned to the E3, while Van Aert will also be absent this year for the first time in years. The Belgian will only ride In Flanders Fields on Sunday and will train on the day of the E3.
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Who will challenge Van der Poel at E3 Saxo Classic?
Van der Poel is the only one of the “big three” lining up this time. The Dutchman, racing for Alpecin-Deceuninck, won the race in both 2024 and 2025 and is now targeting a remarkable hat-trick. He will be supported by young talent Tibor del Grosso as a potential wildcard. But who will take him on? Which riders could realistically challenge him, as Pogačar did recently at Milan–San Remo?
At Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates) and Tim van Dijke (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) were among those who could follow Van der Poel the longest. Both riders will be at the start on Friday. Red Bull also lines up with Mick van Dijke and Laurence Pithie.
Visma | Lease a Bike will start without Van Aert, but the Dutch team still brings in-form riders such as Christophe Laporte and Per Strand Hagenes.
This article will be updated as more team selections are confirmed. The start list below is therefore provisional.
Participants E3 Saxo Classic 2026
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
- I’m still learning the rules: does moving left in a sprint automatically bring a penalty, or does it depend on whether the other rider is blocked? It sounds like Brand wasn’t impeded here.patriciaw10-11-2026
- A final decision still needs a proper explanation. If the federation’s complaint goes nowhere, I hope the officials at least review how they handled the riders afterwards.michael5410-11-2026
- Fair play to Lucinda for saying Marie had won fair and square. That kind of sportsmanship matters, especially after such a controversial decision.raceready710-11-2026
- Schreiber beat Brand on the road, so the jury needed to explain clearly why that slight deviation warranted relegation. Being cut off before she could give her account sounds appalling.lindae10-11-2026
