The new road season in Belgium has started

The number of contenders to succeed Wout van Aert is fairly impressive. This Omloop is perhaps the most unpredictable race in the series of spring classics. After all, the Belgian opening race comes long before the holy week with the E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem and as apotheosis the Tour of Flanders.

Arnaud De Lie can count himself among the favorites. The 20-year-old Waal is already in great shape and is eager, very eager. But in the shadow of ‘t Kuipke and the ICC in the Arteveldestad some more riders will start. Sep Vanmarcke from Kortrijk announced on Instagram that he will be in perfect health at the start. Can the West Fleming repeat his 2012 victory?

Jasper Philipsen, Tim Wellens, Tom Pidcock and the tandem at Jumbo-Visma Tiesj Benoot and Christophe Laporte are also closely monitored. It is also looking forward to Yves Lampaert. The man from Izegem was already second in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad three years ago.

The concept of the Omloop, with three times a passage over the cobbled zone of the Haaghoek, will also be retained this year. The Molenberg is back from a while and is programmed as the seventh slope of the day. The last two slopes of the day are the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg. The top of this last hump is located 11 kilometers from the finish on the Elisabethlaan in Ninove. Around 4.15 pm we know the successor of Wout van Aert there.