77th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: February 26, 2022

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hoole has impressed me both in his last u23 year and so far this season because he's very versatile (which is odd for such a huge guy). He rode a solid TT in Algarve but was also close to a top10 in Tramuntana.
Last year he managed a good GC result in l'Avenir but was also visible in a few pro Belgian semi classics.
I feel like there's a lot of raw power and we're only scratching the surface. Plus he must be in pretty good shape considering his recent results.

Nothing against Eekhoff but he rides for DSM, a team I decided to have zero expectations on for 2022.

Fair enough, but do consider had the wind not changed in Algarve during the ITT, he might not have finished top 20.

Hoole has never really impressed me except in Avenir. As you might have read, i also hate DSM for how they operate but Eekhoff has made me think "wow" a few times even if his results don't show that per se.

I'll keep an eye on Hoole but i'm not expecting much.

EDIT: lol - Eekhoff out due to Covid.

 

[Black Betsy]

Happy new season

 

[Pantani_lives]

Wellens and Vanmarcke withdraw because they're ill.

About Pidcock: I haven't watched Algarve, but he probably just saw that as preparation. After last year and his titles in cross and mountain bike he's definitively among the favorites for races like this.

 

[search]

About Pidcock: I haven't watched Algarve, but he probably just saw that as preparation

probably, but he spent a week of holiday with his girlfriend in New York after the XC Worlds, so a bit of drop in shape would be no surprise either (and intentional, aiming more for the later classics)

 

[sir fly]

probably, but he spent a week of holiday with his girlfriend in New York after the XC Worlds, so a bit of drop in shape would be no surprise either (and intentional, aiming more for the later classics)

Broke away on Wall Street?

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1497512856471937024

View: https://twitter.com/bikeaid/status/1497512856471937024?s=21

 

[Netserk]

Map:

Profile:

Wind direction in the finale:

 

[sir fly]

Phew... that's wind.
Thought about Ukraine for a moment.

 

[Boes]

Whatever the wind direct may be. Contrairy to pretty much the last few weeks there's hardly any wind in Belgium today (nor tomorrow in Kuurne for that matter).

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Nice to see Healy in the break in his first WT race

 

[Tim Cahill]

Blythe looks like Grandad Joe became a female liberal arts lecturer.

 

[sir fly]

I'm amazed Mohorič's debutant here.

 

[tobydawq]

So, will the coverage ever start?

 

[SafeBet]

So, will the coverage ever start?

Of the 2022 race you mean?

 

[Tim Cahill]

And now we come to the coverage

'It's been 150km of complete carnage I can't believe you've missed this one folks'

 

[Netserk]

The racing is slowly heating up. Sheffield (Ineos) has attacked on the approach to Valkenberg. Still nearly 10 km to the first boiling point.

 

[Samamba]

With 100 guys to the Muur

 

[Devil's Elbow]

This is ridiculously tame so far...

 

[OnTheRopes]

Nice to see good commentators Adam Blythe and Dan Lloyd, no Mr Ho ho thankfully
The racing is beginning now.

 

[Netserk]

Sheffield now caught by the peloton, the speed has been high since Valkenberg. Are we promised more committed moves soon?

 

[Netserk]

This is ridiculously tame so far...

Did you really expect more than this before Holleweg?! The section to attack before the Muur is between Holleweg and Leberg.

 

[Netserk]

So Van Aert is sporting a Red Bull helmet this year.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Crash. Covi and Campenaerts among those down.

 

[Samamba]

Race done for Covi and Campenaerts.

 

[Netserk]

Crash with a handful of riders down.