Boonen questions Van Aert’s E3 preparation: "I would never have risked not competing in races before E3"

For the Belgian classic icon, the E3 was an essential part of his schedule for the year's major goals. "The E3 Saxo Classic was one of my favorite races to ride. The course suited me very well, which is probably also why I won in Harelbeke five times," Boonen said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. "It is the last test before the Tour of Flanders. The race is a bit shorter and more compact, but there is much less recovery time in the final, which was perfect for me to give myself one last push towards the Tour and Roubaix."

This year's starting list overflows with talent, as it does every year: a logical thing, according to the former Quick-Step rider. "The date is perfect, after which there are eight days until the Tour: just enough time to do what you must. The foreign riders will also travel to Harelbeke by then and stay until the Tour. It is the perfect time to get a first taste of the cobblestones and to fight for your position on the narrow roads."

After a high-altitude training camp in Tenerife, Van Aert will return to competition in the E3 Saxo Classic. He has won twice in Harelbeke in the past, but Boonen is unsure if he can do it again. "I never went on an altitude training course in the spring, but I think Wout knows his own strengths and what the best solution for his career is at the moment. It is a challenging and complex race; you have to fight hard, and you need to feel the energy. I would never have risked not competing in races before E3 because I would not have felt comfortable with that. I preferred to keep a close eye on the other competitors."

Van der Poel took a different approach to his Belgian rival: after Le Samyn and Tirreno-Adriatico, he rode the Milan-San Remo, which he won. The 44-year-old analyst argues that his performance in Italy makes him the top favorite in the cobblestone classics. "Mathieu van der Poel was impressive in Sanremo. The way he responded to Pogacar on the Poggio, when everyone thought he would stay behind, was clever. He gained a psychological advantage over Tadej there. At the moment, Van der Poel is my favorite for the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix."

At Visma | Lease a Bike, they are not worried yet. On Friday, it will mainly be about seeing how Van Aert feels in his first race. "We knowthat Pogacar and Van der Poel have already shown great things. But we are not going to sell ourselves short because of that. Wout is also in good shape. It's just waiting and seeing how he will feel in that first race."

"He has no lack of ambition or confidence. But he is not the top favorite to win, and that much is clear:" Heijboer continues about Van Aert's chances in the E3 Saxo Classic. "If it doesn't quite come together on Friday, we won't lose any sleep over it. We have a long-term plan and are working towards the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. And then the Tour of Italy. That's where we hope to hit the jackpot."

Normally, we would have been treated to a wonderful three-way battle in Harelbeke because Pogacar was also on the start list alongside Van der Poel and Van Aert. But the world champion has changed his mind: He will skip Gent-Wevelgem and the E3 to focus fully on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. After months of speculation, the Slovenian has added the Hell of the North to his program.