Two climbs celebrate their comeback at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and change the finale of the first World Tour race in Europe: Tenbosse and Parikeberg. After a break, the two steep sections will once again be part of the race route for both the men and the women at the next edition on 28 February. They were placed by the organiser Flanders Classics after the ride over the Berendries and the actual finale with the wall of Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg, before the last kilometre to the finish in Ninove. The final section corresponds to the earlier course of the Tour of Flanders, the highlight of the Classics season in Belgium. The Omloop starts at the t'Kuipke cycling stadium in Ghent and covers a total of 207 kilometres for the men and 137 kilometres for the women. Last year, the Norwegian Søren Wærenskjold (Uno X) won the men's race on the old course, while the Belgian Lotte Claes from Equipe Arkéa was the surprise breakaway winner in the women's race.
Are big sprints becoming more likely?
What do the pros say about the slightly altered route? "The result of the route change is that the part around the Molenberg will become more important again, just like the sequence of Mauer and Bosberg at the end. But in any case, the probability of a larger field coming to Ninove is greater on this course," says Oliver Naesen on www.nieuwsblad.be. The men's race is already in its 81st edition. It is the start of the Opening Weekend, which will be completed the following day (Sunday, 1 March) with the 78th edition of the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race.
Andreas Kublik
Editor
