The favourites and outsiders ahead of Opening Weekend
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Newly upgraded to the Women's WorldTour this year, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad upholds its tradition of kicking off the Spring Classics during 'opening weekend' on February 25.
The women's field will race 132.2km between Ghent and the finish in Ninove, Belgium, along a challenging route that includes five cobbled sectors and nine climbs, including the final two ascents over the Muur-Kapelmuur and the Bosberg, set to test the best of the Spring Classics contenders.
Cyclingnews highlights five riders to watch for the women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
World Champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Image credit: Getty Images)
Lining up as the reigning World Champion, all eyes will be on Annemiek van Vleuten as she tries to win a third title at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
She is the defending champion who surged on the back-to-back ascents of the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg, last year, and only rival Demi Vollering could match the efforts.
Van Vleuten then launched her sprint through the penultimate corner, and although Vollering came alongside, she faltered on the last 100 metres, and Van Vleuten took the win.
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Van Vleuten recently kicked off her season at Setmana Valenciana, where she said she was not strong enough on the uphill of the queen stage 3, where she finished third.
However, her relentlessly aggressive style of racing could see her off the front again on the run-in to Ninove.
This is a tough choice given that SD Worx has several potential winners, but if we can only choose one rider per team, it must be Demi Vollering.
Second to Van Vleuten last year, Vollering is probably one of the only riders to match the world champion on the late-race hills.
The pair battled it out on several occasions last year, including at the Tour de France Femmes, where Vollering was also second.
This year, SD Worx have several cards to play with Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes, who was third at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last year, so the team's tactics could play out in their favour this year.
If it comes down to a two-up sprint against Van Vleuten again, Vollering will have to learn from her mistake last year.
A great start to the season saw Grace Brown win the time trial title at Australian Nationals and win the overall title at Tour Down Under.
Omloop Net Nieuwsblad marks her first race in Europe, after just completing the UAE Tour, but she will undoubtedly want to bring her Australian summer racing form into the Spring Classics.
The team has several cards to play, too, like SD Worx, with Loes Adegeest, who won Cadel Evan's Road Race, Marta Cavalli, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Marie Le Net and Vittoria Guazzini, and a key rider for almost any race scenario.
Winner of the UAE Tour after securing the mountain stage atop Jebel Hafeet, Elisa Longo Borghini is off to a flying start.
Her early-season form bodes well for a promising Spring Classics campaign, and why not start off with a win during the opening weekend?
Her climbing form could rival that of Van Vleuten and Vollering, but if the race comes down to a select group, watch for Longo Borghini to use the element of surprise and attack on the run-in to Ninove.
Our outsider pick is all-rounder, Pfeiffer Georgi comes into opening weekend after a strong start at the UAE Tour where she played the role of primary lead-out for sprinter Charlotte Kool, who won two stages.
If Omloop Het Nieuwsblad comes down to a rare bunch sprint, watch for Georgi to guide Kool into the finale.
However, chances of a bunch sprint are slim, traditionally speaking, and Georgi will likely become a key breakaway contender over the five cobblestone sectors and eight steep pitches the end with the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg double.
A powerful time triallist, too, watch Georgi create and make a breakaway stick to the end.
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
