Mathieu van der Poel claims E3 Saxo Classic victory as spring classics season heats up. Two superstars are reshaping the monument calendar.
The spring classics season of 2026 has found its rhythm, and two names are commanding every podium: Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. On Friday, March 27th, van der Poel claimed victory at the E3 Saxo Classic in Harelbeke, adding another brilliant chapter to what is shaping up to be an extraordinary classics campaign.
Van der Poel’s Masterclass in the Flemish Flatlands
There’s something almost poetic about watching Mathieu van der Poel dissect the cobbled classics of Flanders. With his victory at the E3 Saxo Classic, the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider has now claimed two of the season’s most prestigious early-season races. His earlier triumph at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad confirmed what many already knew: the Flemish paved roads are van der Poel’s domain. These aren’t races decided by power alone—they demand tactical brilliance, mechanical sympathy, and an almost supernatural ability to read the peloton. Van der Poel possesses all three in abundance.
The Belgian event, which has become synonymous with separating the classics contenders from the pretenders, saw Per Strand Hagenes of Norway finish second, with Florian Vermeersch of UAE Team Emirates-XRG completing the podium in third place. While these are strong finishes, they underscore just how dominant van der Poel’s performance truly was.
Pogacar’s Monument Monopoly
Yet while van der Poel has owned the spring classics’ opening act, Tadej Pogacar has been penning an equally compelling story at the season’s marquee races. The Slovenian champion has claimed both Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo—the first Monument of the season—with performances that ranged from commanding to absolutely devastating. Where van der Poel excels in the tactical cat-and-mouse of the Flemish flatlands, Pogacar has proven unstoppable in races that favor explosive attacking and sustained power output.
The contrast is instructive: van der Poel’s terrain is the cobblestones and the narrow country lanes of Belgium and northern France. Pogacar’s domain extends to the climbs, the exposed roads, and the wide-open stages where pure strength becomes the deciding factor. Both riders are approaching their respective challenges with the kind of form that suggests neither is willing to cede ground to the other.
What Lies Ahead: The Monument Gauntlet
The spring classics calendar has only just begun its crescendo. With three of the sport’s five Monuments still to come, the real test of dominance awaits. March 29th brings Gent-Wevelgem, a race that traditionally favors aggressive, well-coordinated teams with strong lead-out trains. Just one week later, on April 5th, the peloton tackles the Flandern-Rundfahrt (Tour of Flanders), a Monument where van der Poel’s palmares already gleam with multiple victories.
April 12th presents Paris-Roubaix, the Hell of the North—a race where mechanical resilience and mental fortitude matter as much as raw cycling ability. Then comes April 26th and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Doyenne, the oldest Monument on the calendar, where climbing prowess becomes paramount.
The burning question isn’t whether van der Poel and Pogacar can maintain their form—it’s whether either can extend dominance across all terrains. Can van der Poel’s tactical wizardry navigate the long, grinding climbs of Liège-Bastogne-Liège? Can Pogacar find the right rhythm in the cobbled sectors that suit his rival so perfectly? These aren’t rhetorical questions; they will determine who claims the unofficial title of spring classics champion.
What we’re witnessing is a rare convergence of two generational talents, each operating at peak performance in their respective specialties. For cycling fans, that’s an invitation to fasten your seatbelt. The classics season just got very interesting indeed.
This article was created with the help of AI and editorially reviewed. Report an issue