2012 E3 Harelbeke
The 55 wheel classic E3 Price Harelbeke took place on 23 March 2012. The one-day race was in 2012 for the first time part of the UCI World Tour 2012 and within this the fifth race. The race distance was 203.0 km.
The participants
The clear favorite to win was the winner of the last two years, Fabian Cancellara of Team RadioShack - Nissan. Of the Omega Pharma - Quickstep especially the Belgian Tom Boonen, Sylvain Chavanel expecting the Frenchman but also Niki Terpstra good chance of winning. Three hot irons in the fire also had the BMC team: Philippe Gilbert, Greg Van Avermaet and Alessandro Balla wanted to win. September Vanmarcke also had often proved that to be expected in the classics with him. Other favorites were: Oscar Freire ( Katusha ), Peter Sagan (Liquigas ), Lars Boom, Matti Breschel (both Rabobank), Filippo Pozzato Farnese Vini, and Marco Marcato and Bjorn Leukemans (both Vacansoleil -DCM ) ..
The route
The race starts and finishes in Harelbeke led over 13 slipways to 203 km. The profile was wavy, but not too hard at the beginning. After 99 km then stood at the first slipway. The famous Wall of Geraardsbergen kicks off. The next slipway followed 81 km from the finish. In this section of the slipways were very close together. The cobblestone streets made these sections even more difficult and more important for the race and the race course. Helling No. 10 was the Patersberg. Although the increase was only 362 meters long, but a maximum gradient of 20 % and cobblestone pavement made the mountain very demanding. Helling No. 11 was achieved 34 km from the finish. Oude Kwaremont was 2.2 km long and in the steepest part of 11% steep. This was followed by Helling No. 12, Knokteberg, 25 km from the finish, and after a good 10 km long asphalt piece 15 km from the finish of the Tiegemberg, which was 6.5% steep 1km long and on average. Then it was the last kilometers sloping or flat finish back to Harelbeke.