"I have no doubt I'll be ready for the Spring Classics" - Stefan Kung ready to unleash at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Cycling
The Opening Weekend is here, and with it marks Stefan Küng’s
ninth appearance at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The 31-year-old’s best result in
this race came in 2020 when he finished ninth, he will certainly be hoping to
finish closer to front this year.
Küng’s highest ever finishes in a classic or monument have
been third place. He achieved this at Paris-Roubaix in 2022, E3 Saxo Bank
Classic in 2022, and Dwars door Vlaanderen last year. Could 2025 be the year he
finally secures a major classics victory?
Speaking to Cyclingnews during the Volta ao Algarve, his
only prior race before Omloop, Küng reflected on his form.
"It's the first race of the season, you always work
hard over the winter and you never know exactly how you are doing.
"You have an idea, but it's always good to be back in
racing and to be focused on this good start to the season. Because once this (Algarve)
is done, the serious business starts."
Last year was a significant one for Küng, as he secured his
first Grand Tour stage win on the final day of the Vuelta a España with a time
trial victory.
"I wanted to finish the Volta ao Algarve with a good
feeling on the bike, but sometimes it's better when it's not 100% yet, to give
the body time to recover and be ready for the Opening Weekend and what comes
after.
"Now I'm not flying yet, so I'm not very, very happy,
but it's the first race of the season, we changed our approach a bit, so we
have to trust the process because the work we did over the winter was good. I
have no doubt I'll be ready for the Spring Classics."
Küng acknowledged that his different approach means he is
not yet at peak form, but emphasised that "for sure the big goals are in
April."
"I just need to stay calm, recover, do Omloop and
Paris-Nice and the legs will only improve. As an athlete, you like to have nice
feelings in the first race of the season, but it is still only the first race.
So I think my experience helps me to stay calmer than I would have been five
years ago."
Reflecting on the importance of early-season racing, Küng
explained, "I would say you can learn a lot because there are the results,
there's how you are feeling and there's how you react to efforts in the race.
It gives you an indication of how you stand.
"Also, it's good to have race kilometres in the legs
before the start of the Classics for sure. That's always going to help."
He also pointed out that his team has undergone some
changes, saying, "We've also got some new guys in the team, too, there's
been a bit of a turnover, so we'll know more after it.
"I know this race suits me but it's the first of the
season so it's hard to predict anything in particular. Until you race that
first Classic, you never really know how you are."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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