Mathieu van der Poel adds the Omloop Nieuwsblad to his record

Mathieu van der Poel did not count the Omloop Nieuwsblad among his excellent collection of victories as he had, in fact, never raced this event before. After surprisingly announcing his participation earlier this week, the race was a veni, vidi, vinci for the Dutchman, who begins the classics season with the same superiority he demonstrated in the recent cyclocross campaign.

Mathieu van der Poel instills fear in his rivals with a resounding victory at Omloop Nieuwsblad

Almost without breaking a sweat. Such was the exhibition of Mathieu van der Poel, who practically did not even have to attack to claim the Omloop Nieuwsblad for the first time in his career, in his first participation.

A day that unfolded under a typically Flemish sky, as dictated by the rules of the classics. Intense wind, occasional rain, and cold were the perfect ingredients, along with the 200 kilometers of cobblestones, walls, and narrow roads, to enjoy the greatest spectacle in the world of cycling.

RECOMENDADO

Cramp, rupture, or overload? Learn to identify each muscle injury

"It is my essential recovery product": Van Aert's favorite drink at the finish line improves its formula

The Specialized Turbo Levo Alloy bikes are dropping in price and gaining power

The rehersal that ended in a fall: Pieterse is already thinking about winning Roubaix

Princeton raises the aerodynamic bar with the new Wake 6560 Evolution II

The World Cup reviews the 20 teams licensed for 2026 and 2027: this is how the map of XCO and XCC looks

The race unfolded calmly, mainly due to the unfavorable wind, during the first half, in which the group allowed a breakaway to form, notably represented by the Burgos-Burpellet-BH team, invited to this race for the first time, with Frenchman Clément Alleno.

As the distance to the finish line dropped below 100 km, the race began to accelerate and tension rose, along with the inevitable crashes. However, it was not until the passage through the Molenberg, 45 kilometers from the finish, that the race would definitively break apart in the most unexpected way.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Advertising

A post shared by Eurosport España (@eurosportes)

The narrow climb to this tough wall began with Florian Vermeersch accelerating and trying to break away. Leading the group was Matteo Trentin, who was looking to close the gap when his front wheel slipped on the wet cobblestone and he fell, causing a blockage on the narrow wall. Behind him, Mathieu van der Poel skillfully avoided him and saw the perfect opportunity to accelerate and catch up to the UAE Team Emirates-XRG cyclist.

On the false flat after cresting, the Dutchman from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Tim van Dijke, also managed to link up. Immediately, the three of them worked together, consolidating the group and quickly reaching the breakaway riders who were clinging to the train heading for a position of honor that morning, which surely none of them imagined would be within their reach.

They soon gained more than a minute of advantage, mainly due to the effort of Mathieu van der Poel, who clearly bore the brunt of the breakaway without showing any signs of asking for a turn. Only the final chapter remained, with a completely anticlimactic ending as the only thing that could happen did.

At the Muur-Kapelmuur, Van der Poel did not even have to attack; he positioned himself at the front, set his pace, and managed to drop his companions even before reaching the toughest and most characteristic part of the legendary wall. Game over. Van Dijke and Vermeersch continued to push and work together, aiming to be the first humans across the finish line. Both contested the remaining positions in a mini-sprint that fell to the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe cyclist.

Omloop Nieuwsblad 2026 Results

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4h53’55”
2. Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +22”
3. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +24”
4. Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) +53”
5. Aimé de Gendt (Pinarello-Q36.5) +54”
6. Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM) +54”
7. Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +54”
8. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) +54”
9. Alexis Renard (Cofidis) +54”
10. Luke Lamperti (EF Education-EasyPost) +54”