“I think our task is to be in the right position on the Taaienberg” – Wout van Aert identifies strategy for E3 Saxo Classic

After a training block at altitude, Wout van Aert makes his long-awaited return to racing today at the E3 Saxo Classic. The Belgian star heads into one of his favourite cobbled events feeling refreshed and ready after some quality preparation in Tenerife.

“It was a very good training camp, very nice there too. I am happy with where I am,” van Aert told Wielerflits ahead of the race.

Van Aert knows better than most how demanding E3 can be. He won the race in both 2021 and 2022, but admits that this year, he’ll have to wait and see how his legs respond in competition.

“I can’t bring back the feeling from last year, so we’ll have to wait and see in the race anyway. This race is super tough. I think our task is to be in the right position on the Taaienberg, which will be crucial. I hope to be in the right position with several teammates after that.”

While the likes of Mathieu van der Poel dazzled at Milano-Sanremo last week in a historic battle on the Cipressa, van Aert was notably absent—a fact that didn’t sit easily with him.

“Really great. It hurt my cycling heart that I wasn’t there when the attack on the Cipressa,” he said, reflecting on the action from afar.