The Spring Classics kicks off annually at 'opening weekend' with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and this year it takes place on February 25. The women race 132.2km between Ghent and the finish in Ninove.
Organisers Flanders Classics currently oversees six of the most popular Spring Classics, beginning with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and continuing with Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl.
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Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women 2023 Start List
Opening Weekend is a two-race show on the women's calendar beginning at the newly upgraded WWT Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, held on February 25 in Belgium and Omloop van het Hageland on February 26. This year marks the 18th edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
The inaugural winner was Suzanne de Goede in 2006, who won again in 2009. The one-day race has seen a host of champions on the top step of the podium, including Mie Lacota, Kirsten Wild, Emma Johansson (twice), Loes Gunnewijk, Tiffany Cromwell, Amy Pieters, Anna van der Breggen (twice), Lizzie Deignan, Lucinda Brand, Christina Siggaard, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and Annemiek van Vleuten (twice).
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women's race route traditionally includes five cobbled sectors and nine climbs, including the final two ascents over the Muur-Kapelmuur and the Bosberg before the finish in Ninove, making it one of the more challenging routes of the Spring Classics.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women 2023 Contenders
In the seventeen previous editions of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women, the race scenario has changed over time from a bunch sprint won by Kirsten Wild to a combination of successful breakaways won by Emma Johansson and Anna van der Breggen and solo victories from the likes of Lizzie Deignan and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak.
