Race Preview Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: It feels just like the 2024 season began a very long time in the past in Australia, however the ‘actual’ season solely begins with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. This Saturday, February twenty fourth, the peloton hits the Belgian cobbles and the followers might be out to cheer on their favourites: Wout van Aert, Jasper Philipsen, Christophe Laporte, Arnaud De Lie and plenty of others will do battle within the ‘opening weekend’.
Dylan van Baarle – 2023 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
The Final 10 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Winners:
2023: Dylan van Baarle (Ned)
2022: Wout van Aert (Bel)
2021: Davide Ballerini (Ita)
2020: Jasper Stuyven (Bel)
2019: Zdeněk Štybar (CZ)
2018: Michael Valgren (Den)
2017: Greg Van Avermaet (Bel)
2016: Greg Van Avermaet (Bel)
2015: Ian Stannard (GB)
2014: Ian Stannard (GB).
In case you are of a sure age you’ll nonetheless say ‘Het Volk’ – Jan Raas in 1983
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 Consequence:
1. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
2. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto Dstny at 0:20
3. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uno-X
5. Tom Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers.
Dylan van Baarle once more in 2023?
The Route
After the groups are introduced in Gent’s Kuipke velodrome, the riders make their option to the official begin in Merelbeke. The peloton can have greater than 200 kilometres forward of them, 5 kilometres lower than final yr. Within the first 100 kilometres of the Omloop, the riders go by the Zwalmstreek and Oudenaarde. The Leberg and the Lange Munte are the one difficulties on this first a part of the race. After 100 kilometres the climbs come one after the opposite, about each 10 kilometres the riders might be confronted with a troublesome climb. The Katteberg and the cobbles of the Holleweg are the primary on the menu, then the Haaghoek-Leberg, Paddestraat, Hostellerie and Valkenberg are on the route.
Omloop Het Nieusblad’24 map
With 45 kilometres to go, the finale begins. The Wolvenberg comes first, it doesn’t have cobbles, so it isn’t too tough, subsequent is the cobbles of the Holleweg after which after the Wolvenberg the cobbles of the Kerkgate and Jagerij comply with. The Molenberg has been lacking lately however it’s again once more. Then it’s the Haaghoek, Leberg and Berendries. From the highest of the steep Berendries there may be solely 27.5 kilometres to the end in Ninove. A couple of kilometres later there may be the Vossenhol, after which there’s a brief break earlier than probably the most well-known climb in Flanders: the Muur van Geraardsbergen. This iconic cobbled climb is simply 16 kilometres from the end. If the race has not been selected the Muur, there may be nonetheless the Bosberg and the 12 kilometres to the marginally uphill end line of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Elisabethlaan in Ninove.
Omloop Het Nieusblad’24 profile
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024 Climbs:
Leberg (162.8km)
Kattenberg (98.6km)
Leberg (89km)
Hostellerie (72km)
Valkenberg (64.1 km)
Wolvenberg (53.6 km)
Molenberg (41.2 km)
Leberg (one other 33.7km)
Berendries (29.6km)
Vossenhol (27.km)
Muur van Geraardsbergen – Kapelmuur (15.7km)
Bosberg (11.8km).
Cobbled Sections:
Haaghoek (165.8 km)
Lange Munte (114.1 km)
Holleweg (97.8 km)
Haaghoek (92.1 km)
Paddestraat (82.9 km)
Holleweg (56.2 km)
Kerkgate (50 km)
Jagerij (47.4 km)
Haaghoek (36.7 km).
The primary actual Traditional of 2024 – Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
The Favourites
There are numerous favourites for the primary traditional of the yr, however many of the high Classics riders don’t have a lot competitors kilometres of their legs but. They might have ridden a stage race someplace within the solar, however that might have been only for coaching, a Belgian Traditional is a special plate of Stoofvlees (Flemish beef stew). The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad can have totally different eventualities. Riders can assault on the climbs and/or on the cobbles for a courageous solo, a small group may maintain off the peloton, or there may very well be a bunch (giant group) dash end.
Wout van Aert on the Bosberg
Visma | Lease a Bike has the strongest group on paper: Wout van Aert, final yr’s winner Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot, Jan Tratnik, Matteo Jorgenson and Edoardo Affini. Affini and Tratnik will in all probability be on domestique work, however you by no means know. Dylan van Baarle proved final yr that he can win races and needs to be the ‘second in cost’ if the possibility comes his approach. After all all eyes might be on Wout van Aert, however he can win in that scenario. Two years in the past, Van Aert rode everybody off his wheel on the Muur van Geraardsbergen, to then solo to victory. This yr Van Aert has raced much less cyclo-cross this yr and has had a extra regular build-up to the Classics season, however he did just lately win a stage of the Volta ao Algarve. For European champion Christophe Laporte, the Omloop might be his first race of the season, however you possibly can’t rule him out.
Jasper Philipsen – Greater than a sprinter?
This season Alpecin-Deceuninck has Jasper Philipsen on its roster, however Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will not be his greatest race. In his three earlier participations, Philipsen was by no means within the high 30. Though the Limburg sprinter has solely actually tried to attain leads to the cobbled Classics since final yr. He was second within the 2023 Paris-Roubaix and rode properly in Dwars door Vlaanderen, so he’s one other potential.
De Lie as much as first place
Arnaud De Lie is one other energy sprinter and had a surprising Omloop in 2023 have been he climbed the Muur van Geraardsbergen with the very best after which fought arduous with the Jumbo-Visma pair of Van Baarle and Laporte to complete second. Lotto Dstny’s high rider continues to be solely 21, however the Belgian group desires him to begin profitable. Victor Campenaerts and Brent Van Moer might be there for again up.
Flanders winner – Kasper Asgreen
Soudal Fast-Step was all the time the group to look at within the cobbled Classics, however these days could be behind the Belgian tremendous group. Their final victory in a cobbled traditional, that was the Tour of Flanders in 2021. The winner was Kasper Asgreen and he nonetheless has what it takes. Patrick Lefevere’s boys can’t be ignored, Julian Alaphilippe additionally desires to take his probability on the cobbles once more after nearly three years. Yves Lampaert and Gianni Moscon are additionally no slouches.
Jasper Stuyven – Het Nieuwsblad winner in 2020
Lidl-Trek is often a group for the Classics, and though they don’t have Mads Pedersen, however they will depend on Jasper Stuyven who received Het Nieuwsblad in 2020. Then there may be the Italian teen Jonathan Milan. Within the 2023 version, Milan put in a number of assault makes an attempt, exhibiting for the primary time that he’s greater than only a sprinter and he mentioned that he likes the Classics, the Omloop might be a primary essential take a look at. Belgian, Edward Theuns is aware of the roads and along with his assist, Milan needs to be a younger man to look at.
Always remember Tom Pidcock
Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) and Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) are each attackers and high bike handlers. If both of them escape they don’t seem to be doubtless to offer an inch on the winding, undulating roads to the end in Ninove. Add within the power-house Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ).
Tim Wellens for UAE
Tim Wellens (UAE Staff Emirates) is often in good type early within the season and he has Nils Politt at his aspect. Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Søren Wærenskjold and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) are additionally early performers, as is Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel-Premier Tech). Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan) and his teammates Florian Sénéchal and Alexey Lutsenko may additionally shake issues up.
Prime outsider – Biniam Girmay
Amongst the outsiders there are Biniam Girmay and Mike Teunissen, each of Intermarché-Wanty, Jordi Meeus and Bob Jungels (BORA-hansgrohe), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Axel Zingle (Cofidis), Alberto Bettiol (EF Schooling- EasyPost) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar).
One other Omloop for Wout?
The Favorites:
- Prime: Wout van Aert
- Second: Christophe Laporte, Arnaud De Lie
- Doable: Matej Mohoric, Dylan van Baarle, Jasper Philipsen
- Exterior guess: Kasper Asgreen, Tom Pidcock, Stefan Küng, Jonathan Milan.
Carry on the cobbles
Keep PEZ for the race report on Saturday and all of the information in EUROTRASH Monday.
# Because of WielerFlits and Professional Biking Stats for the info and figures. #
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