Profile Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2022

The opening weekend is just around the corner as we are riding into the first one-day World Tour race of the season. It will be in Flandres that this first event will take place as many of the spring classics specialists will be looking to test themselves on a set of classics through these traditional roads, opening up with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

On the menu are 204 kilometers to munch up, just a warm-up for the classics riders who really want to thrive later on in the spring. The race is divided into two halves, the first one being mostly flat and with only a couple of cobbled sectors who should be meaningless, and with the 100 kilometer mark the true race begins as the peloton hits the first set of closely-followed complicated sections.

Katteberg, Holleweg, Haaghoek and Leberg all in sequence, Paddestraat closely after. Not much climbing, but cobbled sectors that won’t be easy, and with the narrow roads and stretching of the peloton this can prove to be a point where some loose their opportunity to fight for the race.

From 58 to 29.5Km to go we find the second set of sectors, where attacks are expected, anticipating the run-up to Geraardsbergen. Here is where team depth will kick in, with many teams looking to put pressure over the rivals and distance themselves from the responsibility of working.

The final decisive sections come with the Muur de Geraardsbergen, summiting with 17 kilometers to go, needs no introduction, will be a place where any group ahead of the peloton will lose time as the lead out to the cobbles is always furious. Over the top gaps can be created, the Bosberg will follow quickly after with 13 kilometers to go, it’s also hard but to create gaps is much more complicated, unless if it’s a sprint over the top. Things consolidate between the two sectors and the riders within a chance of winning are usually very evenly matched.

From there on it’s a fast, slight downhill approach to Ninove where the riders will finish the race in familiar roads. Not a technical run-up to the line, however there is a long S turn that finished with just under 300 meters to go so if a sprint is to decide the race positioning will be crucial to time the sprint correctly.