These days, the road cycling calendar is packed with competitive racing during February, with events from all across the globe filling the airwaves. But for traditionalists, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad still is, and always will be, the proper start to the season. This Saturday will see many of the best one-day riders in the world assemble in Flanders to take part in the 78th edition of the race as they embark on their cobbled Classics campaigns.
Unlike the Monuments it’s building up towards, when the creme tends to rise to the top, and only a select handful of elites are capable of winning, this is one of the most open and unpredictable races of the spring – as reflected by the fact that the last eight editions have been won by different riders.
That’s partly because the form of these riders is more of an unknown quantity this early into the season, as riders build up to the major races at different rates. In some ways, the big favourites for the Monuments don’t want to be too strong here in fear of peaking too soon and becoming the latest rider to fall short at the Tour of Flanders after triumphing at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
The route, too, factors into the race’s openness. Despite featuring the fan-favourite Muur van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg duo as its final two climbs, it’s not as selective as many of the later cobbled Classics, so tactics and luck can play more of a role than strength.
Consequently, there are several riders in the running for the win. Here’s our take on which riders we consider the favourites.
WOUT VAN AERT
Three years ago, Wout van Aert began the season in sensational fashion as he stormed to a solo victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on what was his first race of the year. Perhaps fearful of peaking too soon (in 2022, he failed to follow that victory later in the spring in the Monuments), his 2025 start has been more subdued, but second place on the final day time trial at Volta ao Algarve suggests he’s coming into form. Even if short of his best, he’s still the biggest star on the start list, and with the absence of Mathieu van der Poel, the man everyone will be watching — which could have the consequence of providing Visma-Lease a Bike teammates Matteo Jorgenson and Tiesj Benoot opportunities to slip away, as the team attempt to make it four wins in four years here.
TOM PIDCOCK
It’s been a successful start to life post-Ineos for Tom Pidcock, who already has four wins for his new team, Q36.5 Pro Cycling (two stages and the overall at the AlUla Tour, plus a stage win at Vuelta a Andalucia). In fact, no rider has won more races than he has so far this season, suggesting his much-discussed move to the second tier may well have been the right call. He isn’t planning on riding any other cobbled Classics this spring focussing on the Ardennes instead, but his prolific start to the season, plus an impressive record at Het Nieuwsblad, which includes 5th place in 2023 and 8th last year, makes him a top contender regardless.
JASPER PHILIPSEN
ARNAUD DE LIE
NILS POLITT
UAE Team Emirates has been the team of 2025 so far, racking up a dozen victories already. They’ve mostly come in stage races, but these days, the team has a very strong Classics line-up, too — as evidenced by the fact they had riders place third, fourth and fifth at the Tour of Flanders last year. Nils Politt, Mikkel Bjerg and António Morgado were those three riders, and all are set to compete at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, along with new signing Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens, and Tour Down Under winner Jhonatan Narváez, in what might be the strongest team here. Any of them looks capable of winning, but Politt is the senior rider and will want to go one better here after being defeated in a two-up sprint by Jan Tratnik at last year’s edition.
OTHER CONTENDERS
Het Nieuwsblad this year will see many of the biggest one-day stars make their cobbled Classics debut for new teams. The winner of last year’s race, Jan Tratnik, will lead the Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe line-up (also including another new signing, Oier Lazkano) after moving from Visma-Lease a Bike with the perk of more chances to ride for himself, Dylan Teuns is seeking to revive his career at Cofidis; one of the most impressive riders of last spring, Alberto Bettiol, will be relied upon to lead the XDS Astana Team; and replacing Bettiol at EF Education-EasyPost is Kasper Asgreen, hoping to rediscover his old form at a new team.
Asgreen’s departure leaves the experienced Yves Lampaert as the main man of a much-diminished Soudal–Quick-Step line-up that looks a far cry from their past glory. Although young sprinting prodigy Paul Magner could give them a new option depending on how well he can survive the climbs. By contrast, Lidl-Trek looks to have a very strong line-up, even in the absence of Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan. Jasper Stuyven will likely lead them, hoping to repeat his win here in 2020, but they also have Toms Skujiņš and Mathias Vacek as other options.
Familiar faces Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious) and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) will begin yet another Classics campaign in their illustrious careers at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the latter making his ninth start in as many years at this race. For Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), by contrast, this will be a second-ever appearance at the race, as he sets out to do a full Classics programme this spring. Twenty-one-year-old time trial sensation Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) will make his debut here with an eye on the cobbed monuments coming up in April.
*Cover image by James Startt
