Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 1.UWT (24/2/2018)

[Max Rockatansky]

Enough with these children races in the desert. Time for the hard men.

Gent › Ninove (196 Kilometer)
1 Leberg 132 km
2 Den Ast 98 km
3 Katteberg 90 km
4 Leberg 78 km
5 Kokkerelle 65 km
6 Wolvenberg 62 km
7 Molenberg 53 km
8 Leberg 42 km
9 Berendries 38 km
10 Valkenberg 32 km
11 Tenbosse 26 km
12 Muur - Kapelmuur 16 km
13 Bosberg 12 km

BMC (van Avermaet, Drucker)
Ag2r (Naesen, Gougeard)
Astana (Cort Nielsen)
Bahrain Merida (Colbrelli)
Bora (Oss, Pöstlberger)
EF Education (Breschel, Vanmarcke)
FDJ (Démare)
Lotto (Benoot, Wellens)
Mitchelton-Scott (Trentin)
Quick-Step (Gaviria, Gilbert, Terpstra, Stybar)
Dimension Data (EBH, Eisel)
Katusha - Alpecin (Würtz Schmidt)
LottoNL-Jumbo
Sky (van Baarle)
Sunweb (Matthews)
Trek (Felline, Nizzolo)
Team Emirates (Swift)
Cofidis (Laporte)
Roompot
Sport Vlaanderen
Fortuneo
Vérandas Willems (van Aert)
Vital Concept (Coquard)
Wanty - Groupe Gobert (van Keirsbulck)
WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic

*Edited by KB, map and profile courtesy of Netserk.

Map:

Profile:

 

[Netserk]

It'll be interesting to see if the main selection will happen around Molenberg, or a relatively large group of favorites will duke it out on the Muur.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I wonder if Van Aert is ready for this, it's pretty short after his CX season ended.

 

[yaco]

Tougher route than in previous years - Most of the leading riders seem to be in decent form, but it's possible there will be a surprise - Of course some will hold themselves back for KBK.

 

[markene2]

Lutsenko will win this bike race

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

I wonder if Van Aert is ready for this, it's pretty short after his CX season ended.

That'll be interesting to see. Has he ever done well in a big one day race?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yes, I love this race. Start of the season.

Greg ftw, he is an absolute killer.

 

[Anderis]

Sep Vanmarcke will win this bike race.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Re: Re:

I wonder if Van Aert is ready for this, it's pretty short after his CX season ended.

That'll be interesting to see. Has he ever done well in a big one day race?

I think he will be better in the classics a bit later on, he says himself that he wont be on good form for OHN

 

[Jagartrott]

Temperatures are likely to be only just above freezing. I wonder how it will affect the guys coming from 20+ or even 30+ temps (like in Oman).

 

[huge]

Finally the real bike racing is starting... about time and just 2 weeks from one of my favourite races: Strade Bianche!

 

[Baldinger]

Oh yes. Looking forward to this.

Can't figure out why Trek isn't bringing Mads Pedersen to the race. Seems odd.

 

[May0maniac]

Now that Boonen is no longer an active rider I have one question:
Will the Hotsteppers still find a way to loose this race?

 

[Blanco]

Van Avermaet, Vanmarcke, Stybar.., one of those guys ftw. I'm curious what Wellens can do?

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Oh yes. Looking forward to this.

Can't figure out why Trek isn't bringing Mads Pedersen to the race. Seems odd.

Maybe sent him straight to Italy so he can do a lot of recon on the, well, strade bianche for the Strade Bianche...

Mystery solved; he's doing the Faun Environnement - Classic de l'Ardèche Rhône Crussol, and the Royal Bernard Drome Classic.
As for why he's doing those races, and not this - and KBK - I have no idea.

 

[BalearicBeats]

Hard to look past Van Avermaet here. Naesen also seems to be in form. Baptiste to top-ten

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I really dislike the route change

The old route with flat cobbled sectors after the hills offered something different from other races. Even though seeing the old RVV finale again will be nice, I don't want it to be at the expense of the route of Omloop..............

 

[Netserk]

I too preferred the old route, it always had a very good dynamic. Anyway, profile of the route:

Unfortunately, the section around Molenberg just isn't as great as the old section around Taaienberg, but nonetheless, I expect the real racing of this season to start with ~70km to go

 

[Gigs_98]

I really like cobbles classics but if there is one thing I dislike about them it's that they are so exchangeable. There are numerous big races all taking place in the same region, all with the same climbs and this goes so far that a very old coassic can just completely change its route from one year to another. The racing will be good andway but I just prefer unique races like SB or PR

 

[Laplaz]

Curious to see what Trentin can do here.

 

[Oliver]

Untill Molenberg the route could be much better. Action will start after last time Haaghoek I guess. I think I'll be watching at Berendries.

Oli vs Greg!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re:

Finally the real bike racing is starting... about time

And I hope it is not too intrusive in this thread to add, about time to pick your team for the Spring Classics CQ game. Entries close when the race starts on Saturday

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

only just noticed what the new route is about, so they changed this into RVV Old. -50km.
Huh.. way to lose your character as a race.

Yeah the race will be good, cobbled races are almost always good, but it's a shame they made it this way. I understand the sentiment but do we really need 10 variations of the RVV in every belgian race?

 

[Leinster]

I really like cobbles classics but if there is one thing I dislike about them it's that they are so exchangeable. There are numerous big races all taking place in the same region, all with the same climbs and this goes so far that a very old coassic can just completely change its route from one year to another. The racing will be good andway but I just prefer unique races like SB or PR

Agreed. Angry that your favourite climb isn’t in the Ronde this year? Don’t worry, it’ll be in H-N. Annoyed that Gent-Wevelgem doesn’t actually start in Gent any more? Well actually H-N does. Do you wish the crosswinds were tougher in H-N this year? Never mind, maybe the forecast will pick up in time for Driedaagse or E3.

I think it’s just that there are a lot of races in Flanders, and Flanders itself isn’t very big. So there has to be some course overlap. But with races like Criterium International disappearing, it’s at the very least odd that this small region of Belgium manages to hold fast onto such a significant chunk of the cycling calendar.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not to mention they recently added a lot of these races to the WT calender that weren't WT before. Although I'm actually not that against it because I think classic riders deserve to be high up the ranking as well. It should not be only stage racers