E3 Saxo Classic 2026 adds a second ascent of
De Oude Kwaremont to the route.
The 2026 E3 Saxo Classic will include some changes to its route in 2026. The Spring Classic will include a second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont as well as two ascents of the E3-Col climb. The Muur van Geraarsdbergen will be left out in 2026. These updates make E3 even more similar to the Tour of Flanders. The race will start and finish in Harelbeke as normal and race date is on the Friday before Gent-Wevelgem which takes place on the Sunday of the same weekend. All this adds up to a brilliant weekend of watching and cycling as you can also cycle the Gent-Wevelgem Sportive on Saturday and/ or the E3 Sportive on Sunday! For those with a bit more time you can extend the weekend to include Wednesday and Thursday too as the Flemish Cycling Week starts with the renamed Ronde Van Brugge on Wednesday 26 March 2026 (formerly Classic Brugge- De Panne).
Ronde van Brugge (Classic Brugge de Panne)
Date: Wednesday 2026
Route: Brugge → Brugge
Distance: tbc km
Elevation Gain: tbc m
Key Climbs:
Highlights: Spend a full day on the course as a guest of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Visit the Team Hotel, the Team Bus, the Start in Brugge and then drive on the course through the crowds hosted by a former Pro rider. Watch the finish in Brugge. Lunch included.
BOOK YOUR DAY WITH TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE ON THE 2026 RONDE VAN BRUGGE HERE -> Ronde van Brugge – Visma | Lease a Bike – Sportive Breaks
E3 Saxo Bank Classic
Date: Friday 27 March 2026
Route: Harelbeke → Harelbeke
Distance: 213 km
Elevation Gain: 3000 m
Key Climbs: Paterberg: 400 m at 12.9%, max 20.3%
Oude Kwaremont: 2.2 km at 4%, max 11.6% (twice!)
Taaienberg: 700 m at 6.3%, max 16%
Karnemelkbeekstraat: 1.2 km at 6%, max 12% (twice!)
Highlights: E3 is a mini Tour of Flanders with more climbing added into the route. Likelihood is that the race will attract a stellar field in 2026
Book your E3 Weekend now with Sportive Breaks
E3 and Gent-Wevelgem Weekend
Book our E3 and Gent-Wevelgem Weekend if you want to ride and watch or just watch or just ride. You can decide what to do each day. Watch E3 on Friday, ride the Gent-Wevelgem Sportive on Saturday and ride the E3 Sportive on Sunday. We include a hotel stay in Kortrijk in the heart of all the action.
Friday 27 March 2026 – E3 Saxo Classic
Saturday 28 March – Gent – Wevelgem Sportive
Sunday 29 March – E3 Saxo Classic Sportive OR Gent – Wevelgem
BOOK YOUR E3 and Gent Wevelgem Weekend here – Sportive Breaks
Gent – Wevelgem to change its name and to start from Middelkerke in 2026
Gent-Wevelgem will be known as ‘In Flanders Fields – from Middelkerke to Wevelgem’ from 2026. A lot of the race’s character will be retained with passages through Ypres city centre in the final section of the race. The new course will keep the windswept ‘De Moeren’ section, plus iconic climb of the Kemmelberg, as well as the narrow gravel roads known as ‘plugstreets’. The finish remains in Wevelgem. The women’s race will have a start and finish in Wevelgem.
Date: Sunday 29 March 2026
Route: → Middelkerke -> Wevelgem
Distance: tbc km
Elevation Gain: ~tbc
Key Climb:
Kemmelberg, Plugstreets, de Moeren
Highlights:
Kemmelberg, Plugstreets, de Moeren, Ypres
BOOK YOUR DAY WITH TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE ON THE 2026 Gent – Wevelgem HERE -> Gent Wevelgem – Visma | Lease a Bike – Sportive Breaks
Why Book With Sportive Breaks?
A Sportive Breaks trip is designed by cyclists for cyclists. We’ve been planning and delivering cycling holidays for many years. Below we have listed just a few reasons why you should book your next cycling holiday with Sportive Breaks:
When booking
- Early booking discounts
- Helpful and experienced customer service teams in the UK, USA and Australia
- Huge choice of events
- Interest-free payment plans
- Excellent value for money
- Online booking system with live pricing and availability
- Choice of booking currency
- Choice of room types (single, twin, double, triple, family)
- Twin share service for single travellers
- ABTA protected holidays (Association of British Tour Operators accredited member)
- Independent reviews by Feefo
- Free bespoke trip planning service for groups
- Online medical certification service available (extra cost)
- Sports Travel insurance available with bike rental cover (extra cost)
Our Service
- Local staff for sustainability, the best local insights and service
- Single travellers, groups and all nationalities are welcome to join our group
- Cyclist friendly hotels in the best locations for the start and finish
- Guided warm-up rides
- Welcome meetings, event briefings and post-event gatherings
- Guaranteed event entry with choice of start pen (selected events)
- Mechanical assistance from UCI mechanics
- Transport to the event start and from the finish (selected events)
- Private feed and assistance stops powered by AMACX nutrition on selected events
- Post-travel bike building and pre-travel bike packing assistance
Optional extras
- Bike rental
- Airport transfers with space for bike boxes
