Philipsen but no Van der Poel on latest start list for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Alpecin-Fenix at the 2021 UAE Tour
Alpecin-Fenix at the 2021 UAE Tour (Image credit: Getty Images)

The provisional start list for Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad has been updated, with Jasper Philipsen drafted for Alpecin-Fenix after leaving the UAE Tour, but not Mathieu van der Poel.

The pair had to abandon the UAE Tour after stage 1 when a team staff member tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus. Neither were considered close contacts and were quickly allowed to return home, sparking speculation over possible appearances this weekend.

Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.