Jan Tratnik wins thrilling 2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad ahead of Nils Politt; Wout van Aert makes it two Visma riders on the podium

Jan Tratnik has taken victory in a thrilling edition of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. With the drama going all the way to the final pedal stroke, Nils Politt and Wout van Aert completed a top-class podium.

With around 30 riders forming an elite, leading group at the front of the race, with the majority of teams represented in it, as the race headed into the final 70km, those caught out had some relatively earlier troubles to deal with.

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In the leaders, the likes of Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Jasper Philipsen, Kasper Asgreen, Tom Pidcock, Jonathan Milan, Tim Declerq and Arnaud De Lie among others, there was plenty of quality in the front group.

As the peloton came very close to completing the catch though, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders in the peloton attacked again, forming another selection at the front. Just six riders held a lead of around 50 seconds at 40km to go, those being van Aert, Laporte, De Lie, Pidcock, Matteo Jorgenson and Toms Skujins.

With the lead having extended to over a minute into the final 30km, the impetus of the chase had stalled somewhat, meaning things may have been decided.

So which of the six would win? Team Visma | Lease a Bike had the clear numbers advantage and despite Skujins making a few attacks it was a man in yellow and black that finally make the elastic snap when Jorgenson attacked clear with just over 20km to go.

As the chase of the American stalled, the peloton actually caught right up to the chasers and with Pidcock dropping away, Tim Wellens joined the group.

Incredibly, as the race went over the Bosberg, Jorgenson was caught by the peloton and the race was all back together with just over 11km to the line.

Team Visma | Lease a Bike still had strength in numbers though and Jan Tratnik soon countered. He was joined by Nils Politt and the duo had built up an advantage of 16 seconds at the front.

With 2km to go it was still 15 seconds and the duo were beginning to think about an incredible victory. They couldn't let up and play games though because the chasers were still all in.

Into the finishing straight, Politt was stuck on the front, with Tratnik making his move to come around with a couple hundred metres to go. When he did so, Politt could not respond and victory was Tratnik's with van Aert leading home the bunch for third.

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