Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024: Strong Politt storms to second place in the Classics opener

On the 202-kilometre route from Ghent to Ninove, Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) and Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike) nine kilometres from the finish and saved their lead just ahead of the chasing group. The Slovenian then had the necessary punch for victory in the final sprint. A few seconds behind the two riders, there was a bunch sprint, which was won by superstar Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), who finished third.

Group of favourites fail to bring their lead to the finish

For a long time, it looked as if the day's winner would emerge from a group of six around the favourites. Wout van AertChristophe Laporte, Matteo Jorgenson (all Visma | Lease a Bike), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny), Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers). With 15 kilometres to go, however, the peloton caught up with the leading group, allowing Tratnik and Politt to break away a short time later. After the two riders had broken away, no rider managed to take up the chase so that the two escapees were able to bring their advantage to the finish. Tratnik often used the German as a locomotive and spent a lot of time in his slipstream. Shortly before the finish, however, the Slovenian then launched a decisive attack, which the rider from Cologne was unable to counter.

I was able to take a more relaxed approach in the chasing group. Once we had caught up with the leading group, I was able to launch a counter-attack. I believed in victory and won in the end. - Jan Tratnik in the winner interview

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Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024 - Results: The top 10

1. Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike) 4:31:28
2. Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) +0:03
3. Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:08
4. Oliver Naesen (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +0:08
5. Christophe Laporte (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:08
6. Laurenz Rex (Intermarche-Wanty) +0:08
7. Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) +0:08
8. Thomas Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:08
9. Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) +0:08
10. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) +0:08

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How Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024 went

There was immediate fire in the Belgian classic - nine riders around Samuele Battistella (Astana Qazaqstan Team) broke away quickly after the start of the race. The breakaway group had a maximum lead of five minutes at one point. With 150 kilometres to go, however, Visma | Lease a Bike and Ineos Grenadiers got serious, setting the pace in the peloton and quickly reducing the breakaway's lead.

With 120 kilometres to go, a 23-man group broke away from the peloton. Among them were many of the favourites for victory, including Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte from Visma | Lease a Bike, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny). A short time later, the chasing group caught up with the leading group, so that from now on a fairly large field of over 30 riders was briefly at the front.

Six-strong group of favourites pull away

On the Wolvenberg 53 kilometres before the finish, an increase in pace, especially from Team Visma | Lease a Bike, ensured that seven riders were able to take the lead and break away from the rest of the leading group. Three riders from the Dutch team were among them: Wout van Aert, Christophe Laport and Matteo Jorgenson, while Tom Pidock, Arnaud De Lie, Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) and Gianni Moscon (Soudal -Quick Step) were also able to follow. However, the latter had to break away a short time later, leaving six riders at the front.

Jorgenson's attempt as a soloist fails

With 21 kilometres to go, it was Matteo Jorgenson who took off on flat terrain. The remaining riders looked around and did not follow the young American, who now tried his luck on his own.

With 16 kilometres to go, the first riders in the peloton, which was always around a minute behind the leaders, were able to catch up with Jorgenson's chasing group. Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) was the first to make it into this group, and other riders also smelled the chance of a top position. Jorgenson was now caught up again and a large group formed at the front.

Politt and Tratnik launch a decisive attack

Nine kilometres before the finish, it was Jan Tratnik and Nils Politt who were able to break away from the larger leading group. As no one followed, the two riders quickly extended their lead and saved it for the finish. In a direct duel, Tratnik then proved to have the fresher legs and took victory at Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024.