The weekend that everyone in Belgium has been waiting for has finally arrived: the first classic of the year is being raced today, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. After the team presentation at the iconic Kuipke velodrome in Ghent, the official start will be given in Merelbeke. The peloton will then have to cover just over 200 kilometers to reach the finish in Ninove. In the first 100 kilometers of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the peloton will pass through the Zwalmstreek region, Zottegem, Nazareth and Oudenaarde.

To follow the live coverage of the entire race starting at 11:05 CLICK HERE

Only the cobblestones of Paddestraat and Lange Munte and the two-part circuit Haaghoek-Leberg represent significant obstacles in the first phase of the race. After 120 kilometers, the final and most significant part begins, when riders will have to quickly climb Haaghoek and Leberg again. At 74 kilometers from the finish, we can say that the real final part will begin: there will be the Eikenberg and, three kilometers later, it will be the turn of the Wolvenberg. This climb, without cobblestones, is not particularly difficult in itself, but immediately after we face the cobblestones of Kerkgate and Jagerij. Then comes the famous Molenberg climb. The race will not be over and there will follow several particularly treacherous cobblestone sections. This is where the best riders have distinguished themselves more than once.

After this section, it will be the turn of the well-known trio Haaghoek-Leberg-Berendries. Once the peloton reaches the top of the legendary Berendries, there will still be 34 kilometers to the Ninove finish. Usually, after Berendries, there is a quieter phase, but this year the organizers have made the route even more challenging. With the climbs of Tenbosse and Parikeberg after 181 and 184 kilometers, there will no longer be a moment of calm in the finale.

Just seven kilometers from the top of Parikeberg, comes one of the symbols of the Flemish Classics: the Muur van Geraardsbergen (Wall of Geraardsbergen). Once at the top, riders will still have sixteen kilometers to go to reach the finish. If the race is not decided after the Muur, there is always the Bosberg to act as judge. After the Bosberg, there will be only twelve kilometers left to the finish. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad finish line is located on Elisabethlaan, just like last year. This will guarantee a slightly wider finish and a slight uphill gradient towards the end, which could also make a possible sprint finish a bit more difficult.

THE FAVORITES. The most anticipated name is that of Mathieu Van der Poel who, after winning his eighth cyclocross world title, arrives at the start of the Belgian classic that he has never raced before. "After a few weeks of bike training, Mathieu feels ready to race," was the message from his team, Alpecin-Premier Tech. And if Van der Poel feels ready, then watch out. The competition will need to be fierce to prevent the classics phenomenon from winning at the Ninove finish line.

On Friday the Dutchman was smiling on the Belgian cobblestones while doing a reconnaissance lap of the route. And when the motorcycle cameraman, approaching him, asked how it was going, he smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Van der Poel can count on a strong team, so much so that Alpecin even has an extra leader, Jasper Philipsen. The Belgian sprinter is always a threat in this type of race and we must not forget that last year he finished third behind Norwegian Waerenskjold and Frenchman Magnier. The results of recent weeks, between Spain and Portugal, tell us that Magnier starts in the front row. The Soudal-Quick Step Frenchman has started the new season strongly, with two sprint victories in the Algarve. Soudal-Quick Step will support him with Dylan Van Baarle, who has already shown he is in excellent form.

Watch out for Tim Wellens and Tom Pidcock. The Flemish rider from Uae Emirates has already won the Clasica Jaen in Spain with a long breakaway and has shown in several stages of the Ruta del Sol that he is in excellent form. In this very race, Pidcock won the final stage with an attack on the Alto de la Primera Cruz. And then there's Biniam Girmay, the lightning-fast Eritrean who with Nsn has won twice this year at the Valenciana and in Almeria.

Wout Van Aert will not be there, who had managed to recover after the ankle microfracture at the Mol cyclocross, but was stopped by the flu: he will be replaced by Pietro Mattio. Without the Flemish rider, Matthew Brennan's odds are rising at Visma-Lease a Bike: the twenty-year-old Briton won the final stage of the Tour Down Under. There will also be Christophe Laporte, who had raced a good Ruta del Sol before abandoning due to a crash. And what about Arnaud De Lie? The Belgian had a disappointing Volta Algarve, but often excels at the Omloop and wants to start well right away. Ben Turner will be the leader of Ineos Grenadiers, Uno-X will seek a repeat of 2025 with Norwegian Søren Waerenskjold, while Unibet Rose Rockets aims for another strong result with Lukas Kubis. Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe hopes to compete with Jordi Meeus and the Van Dijke brothers, and Tudor fields Rick Pluimers and Stefan Küng. The Swiss team has excellent cards to play on many terrains this year and can count on the experience of team founder Fabian Cancellara, who in terms of Classics is one of the most experienced men in the cycling landscape.