Belgian Bonanza '25: 20th Omloop Nieuwsblad WWT + 20th Omloop Hageland + 14th Le Samyn (March 1st, 2nd and 4th )

[Samu Cuenca]

After some racing in Australia, UAE and Spain, the women's peloton is now getting ready to tackle the Belgian roads in three races within the next week. First up is the mythical Omloop on Saturday, which, according to some, marks the start of the season proper. 138 km await the riders en route from Gent to Ninove. 6 pavés and 8 hellingen, including the Kapelmuur-Bosberg combo, will provide the main challenges on the course.

Last year's race saw the BAGUETTE (best and greatest, eh... something) Marianne Vos toy with Lotte Kopecky and win her surprisingly first ever victory in this race. Neither Vos nor Kopecky will be riding this time around, and Lizzie Deignan and Tiffany Cromwell are expected to be the only former winners on the start line. This makes it quite likely that we'll get a first time champion, and following her crushing performance in Valenciana, Demi Vollering looks like the woman to beat. However, nothing is decided on paper.

Omloop is one of the races where the women finish after the men (at approx. 17:10 CET), so you won't miss the finish if you sleep in.

Spoiler: Some additional route details

Start list: https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=9181&y=2025&k=8

Former winners: Annemiek van Vleuten 2, Anna van der Breggen 2, Emma Johansson 2, Suzanne de Goede 2, Marianne Vos, Lotte Kopecky, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Amy Pieters, Christina Siggaard, Lucinda Brand, Lizzie Deignan, Tiffany Cromwell, Kirsten Wild, Loes Gunnewijk and Mie Bekker Lacota

 

[JR1012]

Given her surprising good climbing at the UAE Tour, I wonder if Wiebes can challenge for the win on Saturday.

 

[RedheadDane]

You don't think Omloop deserves it's own thread?

@Armchair Cyclist, I think this needs to be stickyfied.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

You don't think Omloop deserves it's own thread?

@Armchair Cyclist, I think this needs to be stickyfied.

I don't think the other two deserve their own threads, and I did the same thing two years ago.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think the other two deserve their own threads, and I did the same thing two years ago.

TBF, it's less weird than that combo-thread that started the whole "colour coding races" thing.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

TBF, it's less weird than that combo-thread that started the whole "colour coding races" thing.

I'm considering creating an Italian Insanity thread for the upcoming one-day races where posts must be green for Strade Bianche, white for Trofeo Binda, and red for Milano Sanremo

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm considering creating an Italian Insanity thread for the upcoming one-day races where posts must be green for Strade Bianche, white for Trofeo Binda, and red for Milano Sanremo

I'm sure that'll work just fine...

 

[Didinho]

Had a conversation with Mieke Docx and told her she’s gonna win today from the breakaway.

First thing done. She’s in the breakaway.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Had a conversation with Mieke Docx and told her she’s gonna win today from the breakaway.

First thing done. She’s in the breakaway.

I'd love to see that, too.

 

[nightowl]

9 minutes seems like a really big gap to bring back

 

[Samu Cuenca]

9 minutes seems like a really big gap to bring back

There have been issues with race radio, so I'm not sure that gap is accurate. Question is if the riders know the real one.

 

[JR1012]

13 minutes? No way thats the real gap.

 

[nightowl]

There have been issues with race radio, so I'm not sure that gap is accurate. Question is if the riders know the real one.

That makes sense. Could throw up a weird result if the riders and confused too

 

[JR1012]

10 minutes with 35 km to go.

 

[Didinho]

That gap is real? Giving Omloop away to the break is not common.

 

[JR1012]

9 minutes 32 km to go. Only two climbs remaining for front group.

 

[Didinho]

And a bid headwind.

I’m always surprised with these big gaps but mostly they get it back fast. Don’t know about today. Seems too much.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Gap has come down, but surely they won't be able to catch them. If the gap grew that big because of faulty race radio, it's horrible, but if it's just because nobody wanted to work earlier on, then it's obviously their own fault.

 

[Didinho]

Fdjeux riding now but it will be too late. With attacks coming on the last hills it can get down fast but it will also be a start-stop thing with the headwind.

 

[nightowl]

I am curious to find out what happened here. There’s no way they catch the break now

 

[yaco]

Overall, the women's racing has been underwhelming in 2025. I will add that some of the middle to lower ranking WT teams are silly not to put someone in the break.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

If the gap grew that big because of faulty race radio, it's horrible,

If the gap grew that big because of people relying on race radio rather than riding, they are getting exactly what they deserve.

 

[Didinho]

I don’t read anything on Sporza live about miscommunication with the time gaps.

Teams just not willing to ride alone or from too far out.

 

[nightowl]

I wonder if SD-Worx tried their usual let the break go and refuse to work trick, and it finally came back to bite them.

 

[JR1012]

Still 6 min and 16 km to go. Clearly the break will make it.