“No Pogacar, no Van Aert, no need to doubt” – Philippe Gilbert predicts Mathieu van der Poel dominance at E3 despite injury concerns
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel’s Milano-Sanremo crash has introduced a rare question mark ahead of the cobbled Classics, but not everyone is convinced it changes anything at all.
Despite the Dutchman being left unable to properly hold his handlebars in the decisive phase of the race, the expectation remains that he will take control at the E3 Saxo Classic, particularly with his two biggest rivals absent.
Philippe Gilbert was unequivocal when assessing the situation in conversation with Het Nieuwsblad, insisting: “Van der Poel, of course. No Pogacar, no Van Aert at the start, then there’s no need to doubt.”
Gilbert sets the tone
Gilbert’s confidence is not built on absence alone, but on what he believes Milano-Sanremo actually showed. “Without that crash, Mathieu would always have stayed with them on the Poggio.”
In his view, the defining image of Van der Poel being dropped late in the race does not reflect a gap in level, but a moment shaped by circumstance. Strip away the crash, and the expectation is that he would have remained right at the front. That is what underpins the certainty in his earlier assessment. Not just that Van der Poel is the best option available, but that he remains at the level required to dominate.
Sanremo reframed, not questioned
That reading is shared elsewhere. “Sanremo tells you nothing about the races that are coming now. He came up against a super, super Pogacar there,” Dirk De Wolf explained.
Rather than raising concerns, the Poggio moment is being treated as a race-specific outcome, one driven by an exceptional performance from Pogacar and the added complication of the crash.
In that context, Van der Poel’s inability to follow is not seen as a warning sign ahead of the cobbled Classics.
Van der Poel managed to follow Pogacar's initial move at Milano-Sanremo 2026
Dominance strengthened by absence
If anything, the conditions around E3 only reinforce Gilbert’s position. “With the level he’s at now, he would always have been in contention for the win,” Benoit Naesen said of Wout van Aert.
Remove Van Aert and Pogacar from the equation, and the number of riders capable of matching Van der Poel shrinks dramatically. “Because of that, we’ll get a very open race on Friday,” Oliver Naesen added.
But that openness does not extend to the very front of the race.
One rider still defines the outcome
That is the key distinction. The race may offer more opportunities, more attacking options, and more unpredictability behind. But the expectation at the front remains unchanged.
Van der Poel arrives with a minor question mark after Sanremo. But he also arrives without his two biggest rivals, and with the backing of those who believe his level has not dropped.
Gilbert’s stance is clear. Even with the injury. Even after Sanremo. There is still no need to doubt.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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