Smaller Classics

A race named after a motorway, E3 can be viewed as a mini-Flanders with steep punchy climbs and a day that is focused around the famous Oude Kwaremont.

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E3 BINCKBANK

A race named after a motorway, E3 can be viewed as a mini-Flanders with steep punchy climbs and a day that is focused around the famous Oude Kwaremont. A selective 204km race, often it is won by a solo rider or a sprint from four or five; it’s never been decided by a group larger than that since 2012 when Tom Boonen won from 45.

Last year Niki Terpstra won solo and you would expect a similar winner this year with all the main cobbles contenders coming to the fore. What makes this race interesting is the 20 kilometres from the last climb to the finish, which normally leads to a very tactical finale — who has numbers in the front group to attack; who wants to control it for a very reduced sprint; who can time their solo effort perfectly in the last five kilometres?

GHENT-WEVELGEM