"It's going to be quite easy for me to improve on previous years" - Tom Pidcock out to break new ground at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2025
Cycling
Tom Pidcock has often entered the Classics as a rider hyped up pre-race over recent years. Rarely, if ever though, has the British star arrived at Opening Weekend in as good a form as he does in 2025. As such, the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team leader is widely considered one of the standout favourites to take victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this Saturday afternoon.
Pidcock has already added four wins to his palmares this year, and with two top-10 finishes from the last couple of years at Omloop, the Brit has performed solidly at Opening Weekend in the past. "I've always sort of been in the race and then suffered on the last two climbs and done alright in the sprint," he recalls of his past Omloop Het Nieuwsblad experiences, in a pre-race interview with Eurosport. "I think it's going to be quite easy for me to improve on previous years, I'm definitely in a place to be able to do that."
As for how the race itself might go, Pidcock has noticed a few small changes from recent years. "The course has changed a bit and the Eikenberg is also harder. I expect this is going to a place that the race will start this year," he predicts. "For us that's the key point to get to the front. We think the race will open from there and yeah, not everyone has raced against each other, there's a lot of unknown, so there's also normally a lot of cagey racing. Always a difficult one to read."
"But it's also the first race of the year, no pressure to win here. Just go out, enjoy the racing and see how it goes," adds Pidcock in conclusion. "I was nervous today because I wanted to speak Flemish on the podium, but not for the race," he laughs.
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