Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Kick-starts the Classics Season this Saturday

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on February 29th, signifies the start of the Spring Classics season in Europe with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday!

It’s the first race that leads us to the legendary classics of the season like Paris Roubaix and Liege Bastogne Liege. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad contains a few of the same cobbled climbs (hellingen) that are also raced over in E3 Harelbeke and the Queen of the Classsic, the Tour of Flanders.

Puncheurs and classics specailsts like Degenkolb, Vanmarcke, Wellens, Van Avermaet, Van Baarle, Stuyven, Theuns, Colbrelli and lats year's winner Stybar are most suited to this race. The endless short, steep, cobbled climbs are designed to sap the strength from legs of the hardest Pros.

Lats year in 2019, Van Avermaet attacked on the Bosberg and only Stybar could hold his wheel, but Wellens, Teuns, Lutsenko stayed in contention with just 10 kms to go. The five leaders has 32 seonds lead with 3 kms to go, first to attack Tim Wellens and Van Avermaet closed it down, Stybar attacked and again Van Avermaet closed it down. But Stybar attacked again and Van Avermaet didn't counter and left it to Lutsenko to chase. Stybar had a gap and held onto it to the line, ahead of Van Avermaet who won the sprint.

It’s not a race for climbers and pure sprinters, who'll find themselves being dropped after a number of climbs.

Omloop is the first of a weekend of Spring Classics along with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

The Route

The battle will intensify in the last 70 kilometres of the race, nine hills and six cobbled sectors on the menu.

The riders crest Rekelberg (800 metres at 4%), Valkenberg (540 metres at 8.1%) and Wolvenberg (645 metres at 7.9%) before the cobbles of the Ruiterstraat, Kerkgate and Jagerij follow in rapid succession. The Molenberg (463 metres at 7%) leads to a third stint on the cobbles of the Haagkoek before the Leberg pops up again. Shortly after its summit the route takes in the combo of the Berendries (940 metres at 7%) and Elverenberg/Vossenhol (1.3 kilometres at 3.6%). That last hill is paved with 650 metres of cobblestones.

With 10 kilometres to go, the race intensifies at the foot of the Muur Kapelmuur. The finale continues to the Bosberg – 980 metres at 5.8% and almost half of it is cobbled. The last 5km kilometres to the finish in Ninove are played out on the flat.

It is one exciting race to watch, as the drama builds and the attacks come thick and fast.

The Contenders for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2020

Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix – 2/1

Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC – 8/1

Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Deceuninck – Quick-Step – 12/1

Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma – 12/1

Matteo Trentin (Ita) CCC – 17/1

Bob Jungels (Lux) Deceuninck – Quick-Step – 18/1

Oliver Naesen (Bel) Ag2r La Mondiale – 18/1

Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick-Step – 23/1

Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo – 25/1

Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-McLaren – 28/1

VIDEO: 2019 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Highlights

2019 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Top 10