Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024: the first cobblestone classic of the season

The long-awaited Belgian classics arrive with the well-known Opening Weekend, where on Saturday the Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024 will take place, followed by the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne the next day. The start of the cobblestone season where the best classics riders will compete in what will be the first of many showdowns on the cobbles.

The battle on the cobbles begins with the Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024

Although the season started in early January, it is not until now, with the arrival of the spring classics, that the season truly intensifies. Two months that, for many, are the best of world cycling each season, at least in terms of providing the most exciting and spectacular races, as being one-day races, most contenders hold nothing back.

A mini-season within the 2024 campaign where a victory means justifying many contracts and meeting objectives. A wild battle on the cobbles that will have its first test in the Omloop Het Niewsblad, a true rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders in its purest essence.

Course of the Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024

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The Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024 continues to follow the recipe that has made it one of the most desired tests for classics riders in the cobblestone campaign. In fact, its route is essentially the same as the Tour of Flanders that was held until the race was moved to Oudenaarde.

Starting in Ghent and finishing in Ninove, the Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024 has a route of 202 km and practically the entire collection of walls and cobbled sections found in the Flemish monument.

Like the Tour of Flanders, it has an initial section that is less demanding and suitable for the less strong riders to seek the breakaway of the day. The real action will start at kilometer 100 after passing through Oudenaarde, after which, the continuous chaining of walls and flat cobbled sections begins, such as the traditional Paddestraat. However, as is also customary in classics, it will be the arrival at the Molenberg, one of the most iconic walls of Flanders, that will likely break the race if it hasn't already, 40 kilometers from the finish.

From there, it will be a free-for-all that will culminate with the ascent of the mythical Muur-Kapelmuur and the linking with the Bosberg that leads to the always exciting final stretch to Ninove, where it is rare for a year not to provide thrilling pursuits.

Favorites for Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024

An incredible lineup, as usual, is presented at the Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024 where the best classics riders in the world will try to achieve a victory that allows them to mark their territory on the cobbles.

Among them, one name stands out, that of Wout van Aert, who comes to this spring campaign with the obsession of redeeming himself from his performances at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian comes prepared, as he demonstrated last week on the roads of the Algarve by winning a sprint finish where he found himself at the front almost unintentionally, and attempting a feat, this time unsuccessfully, in the stage that ended at the top of Malhao.

However, despite being the undisputed leader in theory, a look at the team presented by Visma-Lease a Bike suggests that his main rivals for this race will be found within the team, with riders like Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiejs Benoot, or the debut with the yellow squad Matteo Jorgenson, who will also seek to restore confidence to the Dutch team.

The once reference in these races, Soudal-QuickStep, presents a Julian Alaphilippe in need of showing himself to put an end to the declining streak he has been experiencing for too long. Kasper Asgreen, Yves Lampaert, or a recovered Gianni Moscon will support him in this race.

Also noteworthy is the presence of Tom Pidcock leading the INEOS Grenadiers, who, although the road is not his main focus this year, like Van Aert, showed great form in the queen stage of the Volta ao Algarve where he finished in the group of the best.

We can complete the list of contenders for victory with names like Alberto Bettiol, Oliver Naessen, Jasper Stuyven, Dylan Teuns, Matteo Trentin, or Tim Wellens, who, in the chaotic development that these races often have, could very well capitalize on the confusion.

How to watch Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024

Eurosport will once again be our road cycling channel to enjoy the classics and the only channel with broadcasting rights in Spain. We can watch the race live exclusively on the Eurosport digital platform starting at 13:30 until its conclusion due to the calendar clash with O Gran Camiño and UAE Tour. If we do not have access to the app, we will have to wait until 17:45 when we can watch the race on delay on Eurosport 1.