Van der Poel wins Belgium's E3 as Ayuso regains lead at Catalunya

Defending champion Mathieu van der Poel launched a solo attack on a cobbled climb 38km from the line and went on to win the E3 Classic on Friday.

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There was an achievement in itself for the Dutch master but also a warm-up for next Sunday's similar, but longer, Tour of Flanders, where Van der Poel is also defending champion.

This is the 30-year-old's third win from three races this season.

Now he will go on to tackle two ultra-long Monuments, the Tour of Flanders on April 6 and Paris-Roubaix a week later.

Damien Rider, Mads Pedersen was second at 1min 33sec, with Filippo Ganna third, another 58sec adrift, less than a week after he came second to Van der Poel in an epic struggle on the Milan-San Remo.

'He is so strong. When he attacks like that and you see him go, it is impossible to keep up with him. I am happy with second today,' said Pedersen.

Belgian Wout Van Aert, twice a winner of the race, was caught in an early split and appears a long way off the form needed to win either of the two upcoming Monuments.