2022 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Race Preview
The details of this year's 2022 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The spring season is almost upon us, and cycling fans around the world will be eagerly anticipating the start of the Belgian classics campaign with the 78th edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The race, which takes place on Saturday the 26th of February, serves as the traditional curtain raiser to the cobbled classics season, sending the peloton through the Flemish countryside before the bigger prizes of the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix come into view.
The 204 kilometre route starting and finishing in Ghent will feature the usual collection of short, punishing climbs and stretches of rough cobblestones that define this corner of Belgium. The Wolvenberg, Leberg, Berendries, and Valkenberg all feature on the parcours, before the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg provide the final significant test in the closing stages. With the finish located in Ninove, riders will have little time to recover from those late climbs before the race reaches its conclusion.
Wout van Aert arrives as one of the clear favourites after his dominant displays in recent years and will be looking to add another monument-week victory to his palmares. The Jumbo-Visma rider is a constant threat in any race that suits the puncheur profile and will be difficult to beat if he arrives at the front group in the finale.
Mathieu van der Poel is also expected to feature prominently, as the Alpecin-Fenix leader makes his return to the road after his customary winter cyclocross campaign. His physical condition at this early point in the season is always a talking point, but few riders in the world possess his ability to simply impose themselves on a race regardless of form.
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl will, as always, arrive with strength in numbers and multiple options for victory. Kasper Asgreen, who won the Tour of Flanders in 2021, is one name to watch, while the experienced Zdenek Stybar and Florian Senechal could also play a role. The Belgian squad's ability to control races and set up their leaders remains unmatched in the peloton.
Greg Van Avermaet, now riding for AG2R Citroen, will be hoping to recapture some of his classic form in front of a home crowd, while Jasper Stuyven of Trek-Segafredo will be eager to build on his Milan-San Remo victory from the previous year. Dylan van Baarle and Sep Vanmarcke are also names who tend to thrive on these roads and should not be overlooked.
The women's race, taking place on the same day, continues to grow in prestige and is expected to produce another thrilling contest. Lotte Kopecky, Anna van der Breggen, and Annemiek van Vleuten are among those who could challenge for top honours.
Weather, as always in late February in Belgium, could play a significant role. Cold temperatures and the possibility of rain or wind could make survival as much of a challenge as the climbs themselves, adding another layer of unpredictability to what promises to be an enthralling start to the classic season.
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