"I didn't understand the chase at all" - Lefevere unsparing toward the riders who "gifted" Van der Poel the E3 Saxo Classic

The chase group’s performance at the E3 Saxo Classic 2026 continues to draw criticism, none sharper than Patrick Lefevere’s. The veteran boss did not hide his bewilderment after watching the race unfold, especially the reaction - or lack of it - to the attack by Mathieu van der Poel.

In his column in Het Nieuwsblad, Lefevere went straight to the point: “I didn’t understand anything about the chase, or the lack of it.”

For Patrick Lefevere, the issue was not with the front group, which kept some coordination, but with what happened behind. The peloton, far from mounting an effective pursuit, looked chaotic and disorganised.

“Why not ride full gas with fifteen men?” In his view, there was no collective response to a situation that demanded the opposite: unity and clear tactics.

The former Belgian director goes further and points to a shift in peloton mentality as the root of the problem. “They’ve become individual projects. Riders and teams are too focused on their own chances instead of organising a clear chase together.”

A reading that, in his opinion, explains why attacks like Van der Poel’s end up sticking.

Lefevere also highlights in-race decision-making, questioning the influence of sports directors. “Is it decided by the riders or by what they hear in the earpiece?”

He also hints at constant mutual marking between teams that ultimately blocks any joint initiative. “That’s not how it works against those guys.”

His reflection also includes Tadej Pogacar, another of the current dominant forces.

With an eye on the Tour of Flanders, Lefevere issues a clear warning to the peloton. “It’s not lost if they go early, but then everyone has to pull.”

His message is blunt: without genuine cooperation, stopping riders like Mathieu Van der Poel will be virtually impossible.