• Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 7:00 AM
The cycling season may have been going on for weeks in Australia, Colombia, Spain, France and the Middle East, but for a number of traditional cycling followers it will still feel as if the cycling year only really starts with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. There is good news for those followers, because Saturday February 24 is that time again. There are beautiful people present with Wout van Aert, Jasper Philipsen, Christophe Laporte and Arnaud De Lie. CyclingFlits looks ahead.
History
Last ten winners of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
2023: Dylan van Baarle
2022: Wout van Aert
2021: Davide Ballerini
2020: Jasper Stuyven
2019: Zdeněk Stybar
2018: Michael Valgren
2017: Greg Van Avermaet
2016: Greg Van Avermaet
2015: Ian Stannard
2014: Ian Stannard
Latest edition
Result Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023
1. Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma)
2. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) on 20s
3. Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) in z.t.
4. Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
5. Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers)
Course
After the unofficial departure and the team presentation in the well-known Kuipke in Ghent, the official starting shot will sound in Merelbeke next Saturday. The peloton will then have to cover more than 200 kilometers – but five kilometers less than last year. In the first 100 kilometers of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the riders pass through the Zwalmstreek and Oudenaarde, among others. Only the Leberg and the Long Mountain are significant obstacles in this first phase of the one-day race.
After 100 kilometers the slopes follow each other in rapid succession. The supply after just over a hundred kilometers marks the start of that part of the Omloop. Approximately every ten kilometers the riders will be presented with a serious calf bite. The Katteberg and the cobblestones of the Holleweg are the first in the list. Next is the diptych Haahoek-Lebergof Paddestraat, Hostelry in Valkenberg on the route.
With 45 kilometers to go we can say that the final really begins. Then the Wolvenberg on the menu. That slope – one without cobblestones by the way – itself is not too difficult, but just before it the cobblestones of the Holleweg and immediately after the Wolvenberg the cobblestones of the Church Holes in Jagerij. Where a few editions ago the Molenberg was not in the course, this is now the case again. The tough test follows after the various cobblestone sections, with a difficult extension. It is there where the best have distinguished themselves more than once.
Then it is the turn of the well-known triptych Haaghoek-Leberg-Berendries. At the top of the very steep Berendries it is only 27.5 kilometers to the finish in Ninove. A few kilometers later the Fox Den follows, after which there is a short ‘break’. You shouldn’t take that too literally, because it is not flat in that intermediate phase. Yet the difference is big Wall of Geraardsbergen. The iconic cobblestone climb is just sixteen kilometers from the finish.
Suppose the course has not yet been decided on the Wall, there is still the Bosberg. After the Bosberg it is only twelve kilometers to the finish in Ninove. The line of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is not on Onderwijslaan this year, but just like last year on Elisabethlaan. This ensures that we have a slightly wider finish, and one that rises slightly towards the end.
Saturday February 24, 2024: Ghent – Ninove (202.2 km)
Start: 11am
Finish: between 3:50 PM and 4:20 PM
Climbs Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024
Cobblestones Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024
Favorites
Identifying a top favorite for the first classic of the year is without a doubt a difficult exercise. First of all, because most big names simply don’t have too much competition in their legs yet. If they did participate in a stage race in more sunny places, it was often purely as a preparation race for this first major goal of 2024.
Secondly, many different scenarios are possible in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, as we have seen in recent years. Drivers can take off on the hills and on the cobblestones, a small group fighting for victory cannot be ruled out and even a group sprint – look at the edition with a lot of headwind, which Ballerini won – is possible in Ninove. It ensures that many riders will be reviewed in this preview. But let’s face it, doesn’t that just make it more beautiful?
A star ensemble at Visma | Lease a Bike – photo: Cor Vos
The team par excellence to look forward to is of course Visma | Lease a Bike. Our jaws almost dropped when we saw their (provisional) selection. We list the names: Wout van Aert, defending champion Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot, Jan Tratnik, Matteo Jorgenson and Edoardo Affini. The latter is the man who will have to lead from the start and Tratnik will probably also be a man in service. But everything else? Keep a close eye on that. Dylan van Baarle proved once again last year that this strength in width can mean that the shadow leader who leaves first can win.
Wout van Aert is the name within the team that will get the most eyes on him, and he knows that. However, that does not necessarily mean that he has less chance of victory. Two years ago, a strong Van Aert simply drove everyone off the wheel on the Bosberg, in order to solo to victory. This time Van Aert, who was on the cross bike for less time, opts for a more steady build-up towards his two dream monuments, but nevertheless the form is in good shape. Otherwise you won’t win a stage in the Volta ao Algarve. For European champion Christophe Laporte The Omloop will even be his first race of the season, but since he emerged as a finisher last year, no one doubts his state of preparedness.
But rest assured: the privateers on the coast will be numerous. Not least at Alpecin-Deceuninck, which with Jasper Philipsen brings another season debutant to the start. To be honest, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Philipsen have not been a very good marriage in the recent past. In his three previous participations, Philipsen never even entered the top 30. On the other hand, the Limburg sprint bomb only finally took the step towards achieving results in the cobbled classics last year. The flatter Paris-Roubaix (second) is the best example of this, but Philipsen also participated strongly in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Did we see a harbinger of the coming spring?
De Lie impressed in the Omloop last year – photo: Cor Vos
The reverse story applies to Arnaud De LieThe power sprinter made everyone’s jaws drop in 2023 with his tirelessness in the Omloop. In the face of huge resistance, he climbed the Muur van Geraardsbergen with the best of them, and then did more than his job in the hunt for Van Baarle. De Lie had to make do with silver, but became the moral winner. Since then he has known that he can aim for a profit in cobbled races like these. Of course, Lotto Dstny’s golden boy is still only 21, but the Belgian team wants to start harvesting. Add a strong Victor Campenaerts and Brent Van Moer next to it, and you know it could happen this year.
A few years ago, we would have always looked to that other Belgian top team, Soudal Quick-Step, for cobblestone classics like this. Their last victory in a cobbled classic is now behind us in the Tour of Flanders in 2021, and so it is time for Patrick Lefevere’s men to put that right. The winner then was Kasper Asgreen who proved in last year’s Tour that he has not yet lost his capabilities. But Julian Alaphilippe also wants to take his chance on the cobbles again after almost three years of absence. The class cannot be missed from those boys, not to mention Yves Lampaert and Gianni Moscon.
Lidl-Trek is another team with a tradition in the classics in Belgium, and so they will also travel to Ghent for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with an interesting ensemble (without Mads Pedersen). With Jasper Stuyven they even have a former laureate in their ranks, but secretly we are most looking forward to the young Italian golden boy in this team. Jonathan Milan In the 2023 edition, Milan already attracted attention with several attacking attempts. This is how he showed for the first time that he is more than just a sprinter. Later he made his definitive breakthrough as a fast man, but Milan also indicated that he also liked the classics. Then the Omloop will be a first important test. With the help of home driver Edward Theuns, Milan should be able to go far.
Kasper Asgreen still has it – photo: Cor Vos
Thanks to the participation of Philipsen, De Lie and Van Aert, the other participants know for sure that they will have to drive away from them on the slopes if they want to compete for a win. With his explosiveness Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) could be such a person. And also Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) likes an attack. Moreover, the two have excellent cornering and descending technique, so they are not likely to give up a gap on the winding, undulating roads towards Ninove. Add to that an absolute speedster like Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), and you know that attackers are certainly not without a chance.
Someone like Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates) is often good early in the season and with Nils Politt he has a great new traveling companion got by his side. Matteo Trentin (new to Tudor Pro Cycling), and Søren Wærenskjold and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) are also not averse to winning early in the year, as is Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel-Premier Tech). For Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan) it was almost that time in the difficult stage to Yitti Hills in the Tour of Oman, if not for Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) who put a stop to it. Those boys can also participate on Saturday, as can teammates Florian Sénéchal and Alexey Lutsenko.
We would also like to give a mention to outsiders Biniam Girmay and Mike Teunissen (Intermarché-Wanty), Jordi Meeus and Bob Jungels (BORA-hansgrohe), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), Axel Zingle (Cofidis), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education- EasyPost) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar).
Favorites according to WielerFlits
**** Wout van Aert
*** Christophe Laporte, Arnaud De Lie
** Matej Mohoric, Dylan van Baarle, Jasper Philipsen
* Kasper Asgreen, Tom Pidcock, Stefan Küng, Jonathan Milan
Website organization
List of participants (WielerFlits)
Weather and TV
We certainly won’t get a warm Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, if we do Meteorologist may believe. Maximum temperatures of up to 9 degrees Celsius are expected in and around Ninove, and an occasional rain shower could also fall. A maximum of 3 millimeters of precipitation is expected. Furthermore, the wind is blowing at a force of 3 Beaufort from the southwest.
On Saturday we can finally listen to the voices of Karl Vannieuwkerke and José De Cauwer. At Sporza VRT 1 they will start from 1.30 pm, followed by the live broadcast of the men and women, of course. Eurosport 1 and online channels Eurosport.nl and Discovery+ are also available from 1:30 PM. The NOS gives priority to skating on TV, but has a live stream and the new commentator Andries Lamain will be heard there.
2024-02-20 06:00:00
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