Defending champion Mathieu van der Poel launched a solo attack on a cobbled climb 38km from the finish and powered to victory in Friday’s E3 Classic in Harelbeke, Belgium.

The win was another dominant performance from the 30-year-old Dutchman and serves as a major tune-up for next Sunday's Tour of Flanders, where he is also the defending champion.

Three Wins From Three Races For Van Der Poel

This marks Van der Poel’s third win from three races this season. He now sets his sights on back-to-back Monuments: the Tour of Flanders on April 6 and Paris-Roubaix on April 13.

Danish rider Mads Pedersen finished second, 1 minute and 7 seconds behind, while Italy’s Filippo Ganna came in third, another 58 seconds back—just days after finishing runner-up to Van der Poel at Milan-San Remo.

"He's so strong. When he attacks like that and you see him go, it's impossible to keep up with him. I'm happy with second today," said Pedersen.

Van Aert Off Form As Injuries Mar The Race

Belgian star Wout van Aert, a two-time E3 winner, was caught in an early split and appears far from the form needed to contend in the upcoming Monuments.

The race was also marked by a serious crash just 3km in, sending five riders—including Paul Magnier, Martin Svrcek, and Tim Merlier—to the hospital.