OPENING THE SPRING AT OMLOOP NIEUWSBLAD

After gradually building speed through early-season training blocks and racing, the 2026 cycling season hits full velocity this weekend as competition returns to Belgium, and the revered Spring Classics begin. 

Omloop Nieuwsblad on February 28 stands as the true ‘season-opening race’ for the purists, and will be contested by a diverse and powerful CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto squad: Zoe Bäckstedt, Chiara Consonni, Tiffany Cromwell, Nastya Kolesava, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka.

After changing tact this season by starting with a debut at UAE Tour Women, Kasia is pleased to be getting back into classics rhythm at her 10th Omloop Nieuwsblad.

“I like starting my classics season with Omloop Nieuwsblad because it’s a great race to get a reminder of what the spring classics feel like. Of course, it’s about being strong, but also about being super sharp and mentally ready to fight for positioning. You have to be turned on from the start and keep fighting for your place in the peloton; it’s something that’s really easy to lose over the winter because you’re just comfortably training on your own or with a small group. For me personally, Strade is the first big goal, so I just want to make sure that I have an opener before then.”

Even with her usual early-season focus on Strade Bianche, Kasia still has strong ambitions for Omloop Nieuwsblad.

“A successful Nieuwsblad for me would definitely be finishing with a podium spot. I would say that a successful race is when I feel like I can take my chance by creating a group or attacking. I’m not only following, but I’m actually making the race. When you feel like you are powerful enough to do something in the race, that can give you a lot of confidence and readiness for the future.”

Lining up for her 13th Omloop Nieuwsblad, Tiffany is one of the race’s most experienced riders. Victorious in 2013 and 3rd in 2016, she shares her thoughts on a classic that she knows better than most.

“We have a strong team with many cards to play, and we also know the classics well – they’re a very different kettle of fish. There’s always a bit of luck involved, and with Nieuwsblad, it’s a race that normally kicks off in the second half. The first half is about conserving energy, staying out of trouble, and then when it starts, it’s normally super hard and bam, bam, bam. There’s an extra road climb in the lead-in to the Muur this year, which could shake things up. It means you could do a two-pronged attack where maybe someone like Kasia could try something a little earlier, but Aga’s [Agnieszka] a wildcard that we can use too. Zoe also showed that she’s in super good form right now, even on climbs, so she’s going to be a good card for the back-end, especially with the challenging sprint. With Conso [Chiara], we know that she’s fast, but it just depends on how she gets through the race and if we can use her for the sprint. Zoe could be the better option if it comes down to a reduced bunch sprint, depending on how many other options we have.”

Tiffany echoes Kasia’s thoughts on aggressive, opportunistic racing.

“I think overall, it’s a really dynamic group where we have the experience, the strength, and the different types of riders. I’d like to see us be more at the forefront instead of being followers, as we so often do. It’s this mentality that we want to change in the team. With this kind of group, I feel like we would have the motivation to do that.”

Last year’s Omloop Nieuwsblad proved a frustrating affair for much of the women’s peloton, decided by an unflinching breakaway that amassed a staggering advantage of more than 13 minutes at its peak. A tactical stalemate followed, sealing the fate of the main bunch, which struggled to organise and was ultimately left to contest only the minor placings.

Rolf Aldag, guiding CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto from the team car, remains pragmatic about how this year’s edition could unfold.

“I think in these races, every bigger group has to be taken seriously, because you do get really far in a break. It has a different rhythm; you don’t have to sprint to every corner and you can ride more steady. It’s looking like it could go that way this year – a lot of cross tailwind so it will be fast and not that draining if you’re in the breakaway. I think last year was a very special situation though – the bunch thought that there were clear leaders who should control the race with their teams, but the leaders didn’t think it was up to them waste their whole team.

I would be surprised if that happens again, but if it does, you’re better on the front foot than on the back foot, just sitting and waiting. I think it’s going to be really interesting. The race conditions seem to be fine [as of Monday] – steady wind but nothing crazy, and no rain. The course will be ridden before the race, so we will do all the key moments on the bike and from then on, we can fine-tune the strategy.”

This year’s course is all but identical in length to last season at 137.9 kilometres, with a slight reduction in elevation. As ever, the race departs from the iconic ’t Kuipke velodrome in Ghent where team presentation gives off concert-like energy. From there, the route winds through unassuming, semi-rural Belgian roads before reaching the Flemish cycling epicentre of Oudenaarde. This opening 70-80km often encourages the formation of a breakaway, letting the peloton settle into the rhythm of racing while also building tension for the decisive second half.

From Oudenaarde, a recognisable sequence of tough climbs and cobbled sectors will dictate the race narrative. As in previous editions, riders face the bottleneck of the Molenberg (0.5km at 6.2%), the tarmac pairing of Leberg (0.5km at 5.2%) and Berendries (0.8km at 7.2%), and a smooth new duo of Tenbosse (0.4km at 6%) and Parikberg (0.7km at 5.3%). In total, 11 sectors – some hilly, some cobbled, some both – chip away at rider reserves and reduce the peloton.

The race then charges straight through Geraardsbergen to a cornerstone of Flemish cycling folklore: the Muur (1.1km at 7.5%). A thrilling final 15km follows, where the demanding cobbles splinter the peloton and the race repeatedly swings between groups forming and splitting once more. The last rise, the Bosberg, often confirms one final selection, before roughly 15 minutes of sharp, tactical racing on fast-rolling roads carry the remaining contenders to the finish.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Omloop Nieuwsblad | 1.WWT | February 28 | 137.9km | 1119m elevation | Start 13:35 CET – fastest finish 17:40.

Live coverage of the women’s race will be from 16:00 CET on TNT Sports, Eurosport, Discovery+, Flobikes, Sporza, VRT and other regional broadcasters. Updates will also be available on X via #OHN26 and #OHNwomen, and through CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto social channels.