2023 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Race Preview
The details of this year's 2023 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The season opens in earnest this weekend as the Belgian cobbled classics get underway with the first major one-day race of the spring. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad has long served as the traditional curtain-raiser to the Flemish campaign, and this year's edition promises all the drama and unpredictability that fans of the cobbles have come to expect.
The 207-kilometre route through the Flemish Ardennes will once again test riders with its familiar combination of bergs and cobbled sectors. The Molenberg, Leberg, Berendries, Wijnpers and Valkenberg all feature, before the race reaches its decisive finale over the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg. These two climbs coming in quick succession in the final 30 kilometres have historically been the place where races are won and lost, and there is little reason to expect things will be different this time around.
Wout van Aert arrives as one of the chief favourites. The Jumbo-Visma star has an outstanding record in this race, winning in 2021, and he begins his cobbled classics campaign in excellent condition following strong early season results. His ability to get over the climbs and then produce a powerful sprint makes him exceptionally dangerous.
Mathieu van der Poel will be eager to make his mark after a stellar 2022 cobbles campaign, and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider has the climbing punch and aggressive racing style to be a factor throughout the finale. Tadej Pogacar is also expected to start, adding an intriguing dimension to proceedings given his clear ambitions in the one-day classics.
Tom Pidcock for Ineos Grenadiers represents another serious contender. The young Englishman demonstrated his pedigree on the cobbles last year and will be looking to translate that into a major result. Kasper Asgreen, Christophe Laporte and Mads Pedersen are among those who will also be looking to disrupt the narrative of the presumed big favourites.
The women's race runs on the same day and deserves equal attention. Lotte Kopecky begins as a strong favourite on home roads, while Annemiek van Vleuten, Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes will all be pushing for honours.
Weather conditions in late February in Flanders can play a significant role, and if cold temperatures and crosswinds materialize, the race could split apart well before the final climbs, producing a smaller and more select group to contest the finale. Whatever the conditions, expect an aggressive race with multiple attacks on the Muur before a breathless conclusion somewhere between there and the finish line in Ninove.
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