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Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) secures his third consecutive victory at the E3 Saxo Classic, but not without a fierce challenge. In a nail-biting finale, he holds off a fast-closing chase group led by Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Vermeersch nearly catches Van der Poel at the red kite but hesitates, seeking help from his companions who fail to respond. This moment costs them the race. Per Strand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike) out-sprints Vermeersch for second, leaving the Belgian in third. Stan Dewulf (Decathlon CMA CGM) finishes fourth, ahead of Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility). Van der Poel spends over 60 kilometers on the attack and admits the effort drains him. “I thought I could make it, but with 5km to go, it nearly went wrong,” he says, reflecting on the intense final moments.
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