"It's difficult to open the race before the Muur" - Mathieu van der Poel unlikely to risk it from far at Omloop
Cycling
Alpecin-Premier Tech were left right and center at the Omloop het Nieuwsblad team presentation this morning as Mathieu van der Poel emerged to take part in his first road race of the season. The former World Champion has shared his thoughts ahead of the race in which is behaviour may influence that of many others in the peloton.
"That might be putting it too strongly. If you look at the Omloop, you see that it's difficult to make a difference," van der Poel shared with Sporza at the start of the day. "It's difficult to open the race before the Muur. The wind is a bit of a factor today, but it's not always favorable. We have to be alert, as in every classic."
However, if there isn't a bluff at play, the Dutchman is indicating that he will not be attacking the race early on. His words describe the profile of Omloop well, as the race is always decided on the Muur de Geraardsbergen/Bosberg combination; or often in the kilometers that follow it. All scenarios must be considered, and that includes a relatively packed sprint as was the case 12 months ago.
"With Jasper [Philipsen] and Kaden [Groves] behind me, we're in a good position as a team. Riding solo is possible, and has happened in the past. But we know how to handle that. We have Jasper and Kaden for the sprint. That's an asset I have."
Jasper Philipsen keeps his options open
Alpecin have the cards to attack but most likely they will keep their powder dry until the final minutes of the race, with van der Poel as a potential attacker; whilst Philipsen and Groves will try to survive and be cards to play if it comes down to a sprint.
Philipsen, who didn't manage to make a good impression in his season debut at the Volta ao Algarve, pushed the focus away towards the man of the moment: "Mathieu is our absolute spearhead. It would be great to get another bunch sprint, but other scenarios are also possible."
"We have to be ready for any scenario. With a rider like Mathieu on the team, the race changes. The tailwind to Ninove also changes the race," he warns, hinting that a sprint finish may be less likely.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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