As mentioned, Visma start the Omloop with multiple different options. "That's always a good thing," Van Aert notes with a smile, noting in particular the team's new signing
Victor Campenaerts. "He's an explosive rider, a rider who knows the roads and a real racer. He really wants to go for it and that's the kind of rider you want in the Classics."
As for his own chances? "I felt good by the end of Algarve, so I took confidence from that last time trial," Van Aert assesses. "But yeah, this is completely different so we'll see. This is almost a new discipline, but in previous years it went well straight away from the beginning so that is also what I hope for today."
One of the other contenders Visma can boast is of course, Matteo Jorgenson. The American too was excited to get underway in his season opener. "I'm ecstatic. I'm really excited to be here in this special place, and yeah, I'm ready to get going," he declares with a smile. "The team has prepared well and we know what's at stake, for sure. I think we have the strongest team and you get a lot of energy from being on the strongest team, being able to control the race."