Road captain Mathew Hayman will be re-inserted into the Belgium squad for this Friday’s E3 Haralbeke, providing fresh legs and valuable experience.

The second of a series of Belgian races over the fortnight, Hayman joins the seven-man ORICA-GreenEDGE outfit from yesterday’s Dwars Door Vlaanderen.

“We have a fresh Mat Hayman coming in for E3 after we decided not to let him ride on Wednesday,” sport director Laurenzo Lapage explained.

“We also have Luke Durbridge, who we rode for only a half day until the feed zone yesterday.

“So those two guys will be the protected guys along with Jens Keukeleire who will have a third free role on Friday.”  

The E3 Harelbeke is somewhat a ‘mini Tour of Flanders’. The 218km race, starting and finishing in Harelbeke travels many of the same roads and feautres many of the same famous climbs.  It total, Friday’s race presents 17 identified ‘hills’ of which a number are cobbled.

ORICA-GreenEDGE at E3 Harelbeke (Friday 27 March):

Adam Blythe
Mitch Docker
Luke Durbridge
Mathew Hayman
Michael Hepburn
Leigh Howard
Jens Keukeleire
Jens Mouris