As it happened: Breakaway shocks the peloton at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 20th edition of the women’s elite Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Welcome

Race conditions

It’s a cloudy but dry day in Gent with very little wind and temperatures of 7 degrees celsius. 

Last year’s race was won by Marianne Vos in a four-up sprint between the Dutch rider, 2023 winner Lotte Kopecky and the Lidl-Trek duo of Elisa Longo Borghini and Shirin van Anrooij. None of the top-four riders from 2024 will take to the start line today, however. 

While Vos and Kopecky have opted to start their seasons at the inaugural women’s Milano-Sanremo on the 22nd March, Van Anrooij is recovering from iliac artery endofibrosis surgery and Longo Borghini will be back in action at Strade Bianche next weekend after a stellar start to the season at UAE Tour Women. 

We may not have all of 2024’s protagonists racing today but the start list is still packed with top talent. 

Some of the favourites to look out for include 2024 Tour de France Femmes champion Kasia Niewiadoma, Demi Vollering with her new team of FDJ - SUEZ, SD Worx-ProTime's Lorena Wiebes, as well as Marlen Reusser, who moved to Movistar over the winter, and Fenix-Deceuninck's Puck Pieterse. 

Click here to read more about the contenders for the 2025 edition. 

While we wait for the riders to take to the start line why not check out the action from the men's race so far.

During the 137.9km race the peloton will tackle eight climbs, including the Berendries, Muur-Kappelmuur, and Bosberg as well as six cobbled sectors. 

While we wait for the flag to drop, watch as riders pay tribute to former World Champion Chantal van den Broek - Blaak who announced her retirement following the news of her second pregnancy. Van den Broek - Blaak won the 2019 edition of this race.

Neutralised start

The riders are off for the neutral start of the race!

Official start

The official start has been given, the race is underway!

132 km to go

The first cobbled sector of the day is the Paddestraat which comes after 33.1km of racing.

126 km to go

A breakaway of 5 riders has formed. They are:

Elena Pirrone (Roland), Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels Women), Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal), Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) and Mieke Docx (Lotto Ladies). 

The gap to the peloton is currently 1'54".

While we wait for more information on the race situation let's have a closer look at some of the contenders for the win today.

Demi Vollering has spent the past few editions of this race either sharing leadership with or working for teammates Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes. This time she will be leading her new team of FDJ SUEZ assisted by a strong team including Elise Chabbey, can this make the difference and allow her to take her first Omloop victory? 

112 km to go

There are now two chase groups behind the original break. Valerie Demey (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team) and Andrea Casagranda (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni) are 1'58" behind the leading group of five while Giulia Giuliani (Roland) and Beatrice Caudera (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni) are at 2'36". The peloton is now 3'44" behind the leading five.

Reminder of the race situation:

Elena Pirrone (Roland), Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels Women), Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal), Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) and Mieke Docx (Lotto Ladies). 

+ 1'58" 

Valerie Demey (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team) and Andrea Casagranda (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni)

+ 2'35" 

Giulia Giuliani (Roland) and Beatrice Caudera (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni) 

+ 3'43" 

Peloton 

101 km to go

The riders have passed the Padestraat and will soon reach the Lange Munte cobbled sector. 

Crash for Andrea Qasagrande of BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni

94 km to go

The breakaway have reached the Lange Munte cobbled sector.

The peloton behind the leading groups led by Elynor Bäckstedt of UAE Team ADQ.

82 km to go

The lead group led Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels Women)

The breakaway are 16.7km away from the first climb of the day, the Edelareberg. 

72 km to go

Updates are sporadic and difficult to come by as race radio has not been working but the latest time gap to the breakaway is reported to be nine minutes! 

Situation:

Elena Pirrone (Roland), Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels Women), Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal), Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) and Mieke Docx (Lotto Ladies)

+4' 

Giulia Giuliani (Roland), Valerie Demey (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team), and Andrea Caudera (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni)

?

Andrea Casagranda 

+9'

Peloton 

60 km to go

The breakaway are now just 5km away from the foot of the Edelareberg (1.2 km at 4.5%)

While we wait for more information from the race let's keep looking at the favourites for the win...

We mentioned Vollering and her former teammate Lorena Wiebes before. Wiebes is the clear leader for SD Worx and showed sprint form at UAE Tour Women taking three stages but can she translate that to classics? However Wiebes, who is the reigning European Champion, may have to rely on her team keeping the race together for sprint. 

The 25-year-old has made her intentions for the race clear, saying she hopes to take 'another step forward' by winning today. 

52 km to go

The riders have reached the Holloweg cobbled sector 

While we wait for more information from the women's race, the men's is entering the final 15 km. You can follow along here (but be sure to come back!)

As we enter the final 50 km of the race let's take a look at more of the pre-race favourites:

Reigning Tour de France Femmes champion Kasia Niewiadoma will be looking for her first win at this race. Having spent years between wins the 30-year-old Polish rider finally ended her drought at La Fléche Wallonne in 2024 before going on to take the yellow jersey in August. With a strong team behind her can the added confidence from a stellar 2024 buoy her in this Belgian Classic? 

The latest gap to the peloton from the breakaway of five is 12 minutes!

48 km to go

With just 48 km to go it's going to take a lot of work from the teams behind to reel this breakaway back in!

Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) has been dropped from the leading group.

42 km to go

Race situation:

Elena Pirrone (Roland), Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels Women), Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal), and Mieke Docx (Lotto Ladies)

1'

Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team)

+9'

Giulia Giuliani (Roland), Valerie Demey (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team), and Andrea Caudera (BePink - Imatra - Bongioanni)

+11' 10"

Peloton

38 km to go

The gap has fallen slightly to 10'46" 

Despite the huge gap to the breakaway there is very little impetus from the peloton behind to chase.

34 km to go

Lidl-Trek have taken up the chase as they enter the Haaghoek cobbled sector 

The breakaway are on the Berendries climb

31 km to go

It's Ellen van Dijk of Lidl-Trek pushing the pace at the front, the Dutch time trial specialist has brought the gap down to 8'50" already 

After Van Dijjk's turn on the front nobody else took up the chase. It's as if the peloton aren't aware of this breakaway and the huge gap they still maintain with just 30 km of racing remaining.

Attack by Alice Towers (Canyon//SRAM - Zondacrypto) from the peloton

The peloton are on the Berendries climb 

The peloton are spread out across the road

Problem for Susanne Anderson (Uno-X - Mobility) but she is quickly back on her bike 

FDJ SUEZ are leading the peloton on the Berendries with Marlen Reusser in her new team of Movistar not far behind.

Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) is also towards the front

7 and a half minutes for the breakaway now 

Crash by Irish national champion Fiona Mangan of Winspace Orange Seal 

It is still FDJ SUEZ on the front as the gap is steadily coming down, but have the peloton left it too late? 

The gap is now down to seven minutes but the breakaway are still riding well together while it is only FDJ SUEZ who are pulling the peloton behind

Other teams are going to have to help with the chase if the peloton want to bring this breakaway back 

22 km to go

Fenix-Deceuninck are now assisting FDJ SUEZ in the chase. The gap is 6'46". 

Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) who was in the earlier breakaway has been caught by the peloton.

The breakaway are nearing the Muur with a gap of 6 minutes and 12 seconds

Depending on how fast the breakaway are able to climb and whether the peloton behind pick up the pace considerably this may be the best chance the peloton have of catching the leading four. 

Elena Pirrone and Mieke Dockx are struggling already at the bottom of the Muur and have been dropped by Lotte Claes and Aurela Nerlo.

14 km to go

The breakaway are over the top of the Muur with the lead staying steady at around six minutes. Surely it's over now for the peloton? 

It's Movistar on the front of the peloton on the lead into the Muur 

Riders from Canyon//SRAM - Zondacrypto and FDJ SUEZ also coming towards the front 

Juliette Labous (FDJ SUEZ) leads Demi Vollering out as the peloton reach the hardest part of the climb

All of the favourites have been drawn out by the pace set by Labous and FDJ SUEZ but the break still maintains a five minute lead.

Demi Vollering Puck Pieterse, Liane Lippert and Kasia Niewiadoma lead the peloton over the top of the Muur.

Claes and Nerlo are still ahead with the remainder of the peloton now 4'30" behind

10 km to go

Pieterse and Vollering have maintained a gap to the chasers behind after the Muur and are now working together

Kasia Niewiadoma sits 6 seconds behind the pair 

With a five minute deficit to the break, however, it looks like Pieterse and Vollering are racing for minor places.

Vollering and Pieterse are cresting the Bosberg 

3'56" for the leading pair with 8 km to go 

The gap between the two leaders and their former breakaway companions is 1'11" while Pieterse and Vollering remain at 3'45" - the fight for the victory will almost certainly be between Claes and Nerlo now. 

Attack by Lotte Claes! 

Nerlo catches up to her straight away. These two riders are surely exhausted by now having been out front almost the entire race. Claes is clearly not confident in her sprint coming into the final 4 km.

Mieke Docx has been caught by Pieterse and Vollering. The gap between their group and the leading pair is still over three minutes. Nerlo and Claes are heading into the final 2 km. 

2 kilometres to go

It's Claes who leads under the flamme rouge 

Nerlo attacks straight out of the final corner and Claes struggles to hold the wheel 

Nerlo goes long but Lotte Claes comes around as the Polish rider runs out of steam 

Lotte Claes of Arkea B&B Hotels wins Omloop Nieuwsblad! 

Vollering and Pieterse are coming into the finishing straight now 

Vollering is on Pieterse's wheel forcing the younger rider in front 

Vollering opens her sprint first 

Pieterse sits up and it is Vollering who takes third place 

The bunch were not far behind in the end as Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx Protime wins the bunch kick for 6th place.

Interview

Aurela Nerlo, second place:

"I would not say that I am disappointed. I tried to attack with 1km to go and I think I did what I could, it's good to be back on the podium after a few years because last time I was on the podium it was a second category race in 2019 so I'm happy to be here."

"I was very happy that she was with me in the break and worked together in the final two climbs and we did everything we could."

Asked if she started her sprint too early she said: "Maybe, but if i waited longer I think it would have been the same."

"I'm happy. Of course it would be better if I won but if someone told me before the race that I could be on the podium I would not believe in this."

"It was our plan to be in the breakaway but in my head I was expecting the break could go far but the group would catch us around 20 km to the finish and maybe if I had good legs I could be in the front group but I did not expect this finish." 

Interview

Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx - Protime

"The breakaway got quite some minutes and i think it was not quite up to us to chase because we weren't here to come over in the first group at the Muur so we thought it was more up to the other teams." 

Asked if there had been any discussion with other teams she said: "No i think everyone was waiting until someone started to chase and we were not the first ones to start the chase."

"I think everyone was looking at ach other. Maybe it another team started chasing first then maybe other teams would start but I don't know if it was that they waited for us or FDJ or another team." 

"At one point Puck came to us and said 'if you guys start to chase then we will start to chase' but we were like 'yeah but...' it was really looking to each other at that point."

Was she not feeling good and was that the reason behind the team not contributing to the chase?

"I was feeling quite ok but I was not 100% sure to come over in the first group in the Muur, and at the end Puck and Demi stayed in front so anyway if we caught the front group we were sprinting for third place and that's also not what we came for."

"The breakaway got quite some minutes and i think it was not quite up to us to chase because we weren't here to come over in the first group at the Muur so we thought it was more up to the other teams." 

Interview

Demi Vollering (FDJ SUEZ)

"I mean, its not always up to us to chase and I think as a team we did a really strong job today and I'm really proud of my teammates and I really enjoyed today as a race. The places where we wanted to make it hard and show ourselves we did so I think we can be proud of that."