Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Template:Short description Template:Infobox cycling race Script error: No such module "Lang"., previously Omloop Het Volk, is a one-day road cycling race in Belgium, held annually in late February.^[1] It is the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, as well as the first race of the year in Northwestern Europe, and holds significant prestige because of it.^[2] Since 2017, the race has been part of the UCI World Tour, cycling's top-tier professional events.^[3]^[4]

The race starts in Ghent, Flanders and finishes in Ninove, Flanders.^[5] The race route covers the hills in the Flemish Ardennes, marking the start of the cobbled classics season in Europe. Due to its early calendar date, it is characterized by often cold weather, coming as a contrast to the early-season stage races in the Middle East and Southern Europe.^[6] The day after the Script error: No such module "Lang"., Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne completes the opening weekend. The race is named after the newspaper sponsoring the event – Het Volk from 1947 to 2009, and Het Nieuwsblad from 2009 to present.

Since 1950, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad U23, a race for under-23 men has been held on the same day as the men's race.

Since 2006, a women's edition of Script error: No such module "Lang". is held on the same day as the men's race, also starting in Ghent and finishing in Ninove, approximately 130 kilometres in distance. Both events are organized by Flanders Classics.^[7] Since 2023, the race is part of the UCI Women's World Tour.^[3]^[4]

File:Tom Boonen 28-02-2009 11-29-17.JPG

Tom Boonen at the start of the 2009 event

History

Omloop Het Volk

First held in 1945, the race was called Omloop van Vlaanderen ("Circuit of Flanders"). The event was initiated by Flemish newspaper Het Volk, in response to rivaling newspaper Het Nieuwsblad's classic, the Tour of Flanders. Het Volk, of left-leaning publication, wanted to start a new cycling event in Flanders as a rival race to what it saw as the Tour of Flanders' closeness to the Nazis during World War II.Template:Efn^[8] The Ronde's organizers protested that the name was too close to their own – there is little semantic difference between "Ronde" and "Omloop". The Belgian cycling federation demanded Het Volk to change the name of the event, prompting Het Volk to serve as title sponsor of their own race.^[9]^[10]

In 2009 the former rival newspapers Het Volk and Het Nieuwsblad merged, causing the event to be renamed Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for its 64th edition.Template:Efn^[11] Since 2010, the race has been organised by Flanders Classics. Until 2016, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was ranked as a 1.HC event of the UCI Europe Tour; since 2017, it is included in the UCI World Tour.^[3]

Winter race

Due to its early-season calendar date, the race has occasionally been affected by cold and wintry conditions, with three editions of the event having been cancelled.^[6] The 1971 race was postponed due to snow and run three weeks later. In 1986 and 2004 organizers were forced to cancel the race, as snow and freezing temperatures had made the route too dangerous and riders' safety could not be guaranteed.^[12]^[13]^[14] In modern times, organizers rely heavily on weather forecasts and adjust the course if some sectors are deemed unsafe. Unrelated to the weather, the 1960 race was cancelled following a disagreement between the organizers and cycling's ruling body UCI.Template:Efn

Belgian opening race

Traditionally the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, the race holds particular importance for Belgian cyclists. Throughout its history, Belgian riders, comfortable with cold weather and aided by large, supportive crowds, have dominated the race. Belgians have won 56 editions, although, exemplary for the growing international status of the race, they have only won four of the last ten editions. In 1948 Italian cycling icon Fausto Coppi won the race, but was disqualified for receiving an illegal wheel-change.Template:Efn

The record for wins is three, shared by Joseph Bruyère, Ernest Sterckx and Peter van Petegem. Bruyère holds the fastest average (43.35 km/h) for his 1975 win. Other notable winners include Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens, Johan Museeuw, Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd.

Route

File:Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2015.jpg

Route of the 2015 edition

Script error: No such module "Lang". starts in Ghent, East Flanders, and addresses the Flemish Ardennes in the south of the province, featuring numerous short climbs.^[15] The race traditionally finished in Ghent, but different finish locations in the region have been used since the 1990s. From 1996 until 2007 the finish was in Lokeren, 20 km east of Ghent. Since 2018, the race has finished in Ninove, a city around 40 km southeast of Ghent. This will remain the case until at least 2028.^[16]^[17]

At 200 kilometres and with 13 climbs in the hill zone, the course is challenging and arduous. Additionally, there are several flat stretches of cobbles.^[6] Despite annual changes, some of the regular climbs in the Script error: No such module "Lang". are the Leberg, Berendries, Taaienberg, Muur van Geraardsbergen, Eikenberg and Molenberg. Due to its hilly course in the Flemish Ardennes, the race is similar in nature to the Tour of Flanders, and is often used in preparation for the bigger event five weeks later. The 2016 race featured one new climb, Boembekeberg, as a replacement for the Molenberg, which was skipped because of road works.^[15] This was reversed for the 2017 race.

Both the official start and finish were traditionally on Ghent's largest square, Sint-Pietersplein. Every seven years however, when Easter comes early in the year, the square is booked for the annual Mid-Lent fair and organizers need to find different locations. In 2016 and 2017, the Citadel city park, next to the Kuipke velodrome, served as start location. The finish was on the Emile Clauslaan thoroughfare, near the starting place.^[18] The finish in Ninove is on the Elisabethlaan, which gradually slopes uphill.^[17]

Men's winners

The following riders have won the race:^[19]

File:PodiumHetVolk2008.jpg

Podium of the 2008 Omloop Het Volk: Nick Nuyens, Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd.

File:Gent - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 28 februari 2015 (E16).JPG

Podium of the 2015 event: Niki Terpstra, winner Ian Stannard and Tom Boonen.

File:Gent - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 27 februari 2016 (E18).JPG

2016 podium: Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet and Tiesj Benoot.

Multiple winners

Riders in italics are active

Wins	Rider	Editions
3	Template:Flagathlete	1952, 1953, 1956
	Template:Flagathlete	1974, 1975, 1980
	Template:Flagathlete	1997, 1998, 2002
2	Template:Flagathlete	1945, 1951
	Template:Flagathlete	1949, 1950
	Template:Flagathlete	1970, 1972
	Template:Flagathlete	1971, 1973
	Template:Flagathlete	1977, 1978
	Template:Flagathlete	1969, 1979
	Template:Flagathlete	1982, 1983
	Template:Flagathlete	1984, 1985
	Template:Flagathlete	1990, 1992
	Template:Flagathlete	1993, 1994
	Template:Flagathlete	2000, 2003
	Template:Flagathlete	2006, 2008
	Template:Flagathlete	2014, 2015
	Template:Flagathlete	2016, 2017

Wins per country

Wins	Country
58	Script error: No such module "flag".
5	Script error: No such module "flag".
5	Script error: No such module "flag".
2	Template:GBR2
2	Script error: No such module "flag".
1	Script error: No such module "flag".
	Script error: No such module "flag".
	Template:GER
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	Script error: No such module "flag".
	Script error: No such module "flag".

Women

Since 2006, there has been a women's version of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Held on the same day as the men's event, it uses much of the same roads and equally opens the women's cycling season in Northern Europe. Recent editions of the race have been around Template:Convert to Template:Convert in length, featuring eight climbs and six sections of cobbles.^[20]^[21] In 2021, the race became part of the UCI Women's ProSeries, before being promoted to the UCI Women's WorldTour in 2023.^[22]

Template:Asof, Dutch riders Suzanne de Goede, Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten and Sweden's Emma Johansson have won the race twice.^[22]

Edition	Winner	Second	Third
"Omloop Het Volk"
2006	Template:Flagicon Suzanne de Goede	Template:Flagicon Mirjam Melchers	Template:Flagicon Tanja Hennes
2007	Template:Flagicon Mie Lacota	Template:Flagicon Monica Holler	Template:Flagicon Jaccolien Wallaard
2008	Template:Flagicon Kirsten Wild	Template:Flagicon Angela Brodtka	Template:Flagicon Emma Johansson
"Omloop Het Nieuwsblad"
2009	Template:Flagicon Suzanne de Goede	Template:Flagicon Noemi Cantele	Template:Flagicon Kelly Druyts
2010	Template:Flagicon Emma Johansson	Template:Flagicon Liesbet De Vocht	Template:Flagicon Grace Verbeke
2011	Template:Flagicon Emma Johansson	Template:Flagicon Andrea Bosman	Template:Flagicon Chantal Blaak
2012	Template:Flagicon Loes Gunnewijk	Template:Flagicon Ellen van Dijk	Template:Flagicon Trixi Worrack
2013	Template:Flagicon Tiffany Cromwell	Template:Flagicon Megan Guarnier	Template:Flagicon Emma Johansson
2014	Template:Flagicon Amy Pieters	Template:Flagicon Emma Johansson	Template:Flagicon Lizzie Armitstead
2015	Template:Flagicon Anna van der Breggen	Template:Flagicon Ellen van Dijk	Template:Flagicon Lizzie Armitstead
2016	Template:Flagicon Lizzie Armitstead	Template:Flagicon Chantal Blaak	Template:Flagicon Tiffany Cromwell
2017	Template:Flagicon Lucinda Brand	Template:Flagicon Chantal Blaak	Template:Flagicon Annemiek van Vleuten
2018	Template:Flagicon Christina Siggaard	Template:Flagicon Alexis Ryan	Template:Flagicon Maria Giulia Confalonieri
2019	Template:Flagicon Chantal Blaak	Template:Flagicon Marta Bastianelli	Template:Flagicon Jip van den Bos
2020	Template:Flagicon Annemiek van Vleuten	Template:Flagicon Marta Bastianelli	Template:Flagicon Floortje Mackaij
2021	Template:Flagicon Anna van der Breggen	Template:Flagicon Emma Norsgaard Jørgensen	Template:Flagicon Amy Pieters
2022	Template:Flagicon Annemiek van Vleuten	Template:Flagicon Demi Vollering	Template:Flagicon Lorena Wiebes
2023	Template:Flagicon Lotte Kopecky	Template:Flagicon Lorena Wiebes	Template:Flagicon Marta Bastianelli
2024	Template:Flagicon Marianne Vos	Template:Flagicon Lotte Kopecky	Template:Flagicon Elisa Longo Borghini
2025	Template:Flagicon Lotte Claes	Template:Flagicon Aurela Nerlo	Template:Flagicon Demi Vollering

Multiple winners

Wins	Rider	Editions
2	Template:Flagathlete	2006, 2009
	Template:Flagathlete	2010, 2011
	Template:Flagathlete	2015, 2021
	Template:Flagathlete	2020, 2022

Wins per country

Wins	Country
12	Script error: No such module "flag".
2	Script error: No such module "flag".
	Script error: No such module "flag".
	Script error: No such module "flag".
1	Script error: No such module "flag".
1	Template:GBR2