Profile & Route Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024

Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 19:11

Profile. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is the first cobbled classic of the season and the first out of the 'Opening Weekend'. A race with great historic significance, until today it continues to signal the start of the spring classics campaign.

202 kilometers on the menu for the first big cobbled classic of the season. Although not as big as the April challenges it's a big day on the bike, with a warm-up for the monuments. The first half of the day should be relatively calm with only a couple of sectors and bergs, but this will change shortly after.

From 56 to 27.5Km 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. Here there will be four cobbled sectors, four bergs and one sector which is both cobbled and uphill, all in quick succession.

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PREVIEW | Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024

Gent - Ninove, 202.3 kilometers

The final decisive sections come with the Muur de Geraardsbergen, summiting with 16 kilometers to go, needs no introduction, will be a place where any group ahead of the peloton will loose time as the leadout to the cobbles is always furious. Over the top gaps can be created, the Bosberg will follow quickly after with 12 kilometers to go, it’s also hard but to create gaps is much more complicated, unless if it’s a sprint over the top.

Muur de Geraardsbergen: 1.2Km; 7% average gradient; 20% maximum gradient; 16Km to go<br>Bosberg: 800 meters; 6.5% average gradient; 13% maximum gradient; 12Km to go

Muur de Geraardsbergen: 1.2Km; 7% average gradient; 20% maximum gradient; 16Km to go
Bosberg: 800 meters; 6.5% average gradient; 13% maximum gradient; 12Km to go

Things consolidate between the two sectors and the riders within a chance of winning are usually very evenly matched, and separated in the steep gradients. From there on it’s a fast, slight downhill approach to Ninove where the riders will finish the race in familiar roads. The same technical finale of previous year won't be present, but it will nonetheless be a flat finish just outside the city center.