The great European classics start this weekend, bringing with it a few spring weeks of cobblestones and hills with two prestigious races, such as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday, where Belgian Wout Van Aert will start as favourite and Movistar will try Oier LazkanoSpanish road champion.
Van Aert boarded the Omloop, race he won in 2022with success achieved in the Algarve and leading a luxury team that includes riders who can also compete for success, such as Van Baarlewho defends the title in 2023, Christopher Laporte and Tiesj Benootas well as the new signing Matteo Jorgenson.
Before the absence of Van der Poel, opening up options for other riders, such as Matej Mohoric (Bahrain), Tim Pidcock (Ineos), Alexey Lusenko (Astana) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep), although the Frenchman was not the rider who won the two world titles. His team will also have the assets of Kasper Asgreen and Yves Lampaert.
Lazkano excites Movistar
Oier Lazkano (Vitoria, 24 years old), Spanish road champion, will attend Omloop and Kuurne as Movistar hopes. Your recent demonstration in the recent Jaén classic reflects a good state of form for the Alava cyclist, who surprised in 2023 with an excellent second place in Across Flanders.
The Spanish team will have for Omloop and Kuurne a team composed of Oier Lazkano, Iván García Cortina, Johan Jacobs, Gonzalo Serrano. Mathias Norsgaard, Manlio Moro and Albert Torres.
The Omloop will not undergo any changes compared to previous years and maintains its essence with twelve climbs and nine cobbled sections mainly concentrated in the second half of the 202 km between the Kuipke velodrome in Ghent and Ninove .
Although the tension will be significant from the first loop, which starts at 99 from the finish in Kattenberg, the main points for solving are Molenberg, just over fifty from the finish, and the classic and decisive chain of Kapelmuur (km 186) with the Bosberg (km 190), the last two cobblestone climbs of the test.
In Kuurne it is possible to finish in a sprint
The Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne was debated on Sunday at predictable sprintsalthough it often holds surprises, as the classics also tend to move.
Another peculiarity of Kuurne is that the difficulties are concentrated outside the last sixty kilometers: there are up to thirteen climbs, including four pavé sections, but the last one, Kluisberg, is crowned 61 km from the finish. From there, the route is flat – and can be windy – until the final 12.5 kilometer loop.
Belgian Lotte Kopecky, favorite in the women’s Omloop
Lotte Kopecky (Rumst, 28 years old), will become head of SD Worx-Protime in Omloop title defense achieved in 2023. The World Champion is a clear favorite to win. His final season was imperial, winning the Tour of Flanders and the World Cup.
This season started strongly at the UAE Tour Women, where she won the queen stage 3 over Jebel Hafeet and took the overall title. Their great goals in 2024 are the Olympic Games, the Tour and the Zurich World Cup.
Kopecky shares one team with another favorite, Lorena Wiebes, which was second last year. Wiebes recently won two stages on the UAE Tour, showing his best form heading into the spring classics. We also have to rely on Demi Vollering, the only runner who surpassed Kopecky last year, specifically winning the Tour de France.
Movistar will present itself with ambitions close to the podium with a team composed of Emma Norsgaard, Jelena Eric, Arlenis Sierra, Aude Biannic, Sara Martín and Floortje Mackaij.
The Omloop route will be 127 kilometers between Ghent and Ninove, will have eight levels, including five sections of cobblestones, which will start the thrill. The test focuses on toughness in c50 kilometers, although it is from Molenberg -km 85, with 42 to the finish line when the peloton breaks.
The main part, where the favorites usually jump, is the most emblematic duo of the climb: the Kapelmuur, 16 from the finish, and its chain with the Bosberg, 12.
Latest Omloop winners:
. 2023. Dylan Van Baarle (PSB)
. 2022. Wout Van Aert (BEL)
. 2021. Davide Ballerini (ITA)
. Jasper Stuyven (BEL).
Last winners of Kuurne-Brussels:
. 2023. Tiesj Benoot (BEL)
. 2022. Fabio Jakobsen (PSB)
. 2021. Mads Pedersen (DIN)
. 2020. Kasper Asgreen (DIN). EFE
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
