76th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: February 27, 2021

[Pantani_lives]

Last year the Omloop was just early enough on the calendar to be held before the corona cancellations. This year fans are asked to watch the race at home, and no spectators are allowed in the start and finish zone. Thirteen hills and nine cobbled sectors will take the riders from Gent to Ninove on a dry Saturday afternoon. The Rekelberg has been replaced by the longer Hostellerie, and there's a new strech of cobblestones around 50 km before the finish. The final remains the same, with the old couple Muur & Bosberg as judges. Total distance: 200.5 km.

Cobbled sections:
**Haaghoek (154 km) [2000 m]
**Huisepontweg (130 km) [1800 m]
**Holleweg (98 km) [1500 m]
**Haaghoek (92 km) [2000 m]
**Paddestraat (83 km) [2300 m]
**Holleweg (52 km) [1500 m]
**Karel Martelstraat (51 km) [2400 m]
**Jagerij (49 km) [800 m]
**Haaghoek (38 km) [2000 m]

Hills:

1. Leberg (151 km) [950 m; 4.2%]
2. Den Ast (124 km) [450 m; 5.5%]
3. Katteberg (102 km) [600 m; 6%]
4. Leberg (89 km) [950 m; 4.2%]
5. Hostellerie (73 km) [1300 m; 4,5%]
6. Valkenberg (64 km) [540 m; 8.1%]
7. Wolvenberg (52.5 km) [645 m; 7%]
8. Molenberg (42.5 km) [463 m; 7%]
9. Leberg (35 km) [950 m; 4.2%]
10. Berendries (31 km) [940 m; 7%]
11. Elverenberg-Vossenhol (28.5 km) [1,268 m; 3.6%]
12. Muur-Kapelmuur (16.7 km) [475 m; 9.3%]
13. Bosberg (12.8 km) [980 m; 5.8%]

Recent winners:
2011 Sebastiaan Langeveld
2012 Sep Vanmarcke
2013 Luca Paolini
2014 Ian Stannard
2015 Ian Stannard
2016 Greg Van Avermaet
2017 Greg Van Avermaet
2018 Michael Valgren
2019 Zdenek Stybar
2020 Jasper Stuyven

Record holders with three wins:
Ernest Sterckx (1952, 1953, 1956)
Joseph Bruyère (1974, 1975, 1980)
Peter van Petegem (1997, 1998, 2002)

The women's race will be held on the same day. They will start at 13.45h. The finish will be around 17.30h, after the men's race, for the first time live on television.

Recent winners women:
2011 Emma Johansson
2012 Loes Gunnewijk
2013 Tiffany Cromwell
2014 Amy Pieters
2015 Anna van der Breggen
2016 Lizzie Armitstead
2017 Lucindaz Brand
2018 Christina Siggaard
2019 Chantal Blaak
2020 Annemiek van Vleuten

Let's hope for a smashing opening of the Flemish season!

 

[tobydawq]

Let's hope we can watch it at all!!

 

[Spine Concept]

Mathieu van der Poel will win this bike race.......... If he starts.

 

[rghysens]

Mathieu van der Poel will win this bike race.......... If he starts.

+1

 

[Lequack]

Will there be English coverage or no?

 

[RedheadDane]

It's on the schedule on the Eurosport Player.
Dunno if it's in English, though. Or we just get the commentating from the local feed. Either way works with me!

 

[BlueRoads]

Probably won't be able to watch.

 

[SafeBet]

That feeling you get when Omloop is just around the corner.
Bring on the cobbles!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Let's just hope we get to watch it. Almost always one of the best races of the season. And let's hope for an epic battle between Alaphilippe and Van der Poel as well.

 

[tobydawq]

It's on the schedule on the Eurosport Player.
Dunno if it's in English, though. Or we just get the commentating from the local feed. Either way works with me!

But isn't that a mistake?

 

[King Boonen]

But isn't that a mistake?

Might have been at first, but it's just been announced that Eurosport and GCN will show both the men's and women's races.

 

[RedheadDane]

But isn't that a mistake?

It only just got added today. And yes, I checked, multiple times!

 

[SafeBet]

Now we only need confirmation that MvdP will ride.

 

[tobydawq]

Might have been at first, but it's just been announced that Eurosport and GCN will show both the men's and women's races.

Oh, that's the best news all year.

 

[DaLong]

Now we only need confirmation that MvdP will ride.

I read somewhere Alpecin-Fenix will be announcing their official roster today. Perhaps they're holding off until he passes his tests.

 

[Jagartrott]

It was nearly 20 °C today - not too bad for late February. Many teams did a recon of the parcours. Weather for the weekend: dry and probably sunny, windy on Saturday (NE), around 10 °C.

 

[Blanco]

Greg Van Avermaet will equal the record.

 

[shakey888]

Will there be English coverage or no?

It’s not slated to be on British Eurosport on Saturday. According to the timetable there’s live ski flying(?) on both channels!

 

[SafeBet]

Unfortunately no Van der Poel.

 

[Lequack]

Van der Gone

 

[Spine Concept]

Unfortunately no Van der Poel.

Confirmed? Haven’t seen it confirmed yet. Still hope...

 

[Oliver]

Did a recon yesterdag, have seen a lot of riders. Can't wait for saturday!

 

[Oliver]

Confirmed? Haven’t seen it confirmed yet. Still hope...

Sporza.be says he's not with the 9 selected riders (including 2 reserve).

 

[Spine Concept]

Sporza.be says he's not with the 9 selected riders (including 2 reserve).

It says that he’s not on the startlist yet. The chances have become smaller but nothing definitive yet.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Yes, it looks like MvdP won't start. Teams have to submit a list of seven riders and two reserves 72 hours before the race, and they can only pick from those.