The international cycling season has been underway for almost two months, but for many cycling fans, the season only really began this past weekend as the men’s and women’s pelotons headed to northern Europe for the first Belgian races of the season.
For the men’s peloton it was Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. For the women’s, it was Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then Omloop van het Hageland. As is customary for this time of year, the riders faced cold and soggy conditions. But as is also customary, they delivered some exciting racing that gave us a taste of what we can expect at the Spring Classics.
With that in mind, we hope you enjoy the gallery below from Belgian ‘Opening Weekend’, with photos courtesy of Kristof Ramon, Rhode van Elsen and Cor Vos.
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- Plenty of fans turned up to the start of “Omloop”.
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- The men’s and women’s teams were presented together.
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- The women’s OHN covered 122.9 km from Ghent to Ninove.
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- Chantal Blaak won last year’s edition but would have to settle for fourth in 2020.
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- Gracie Elvin battles up the Molenberg.
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- It wasn’t Lorena Wiebes’ day but the Dutch champ would get her chance 24 hours later.
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- World champ Annemiek van Vleuten attacked on the famous “Muur” and rode away to win solo.
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- Van Vleuten’s mother is never far away at the big races.
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- Mackaij (right) was third at Het Nieuwsblad.
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- The men’s OHN started in Ghent and finished in Ninove as well, but covered 200 km.
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- The early breakaway was stopped at a train crossing.
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- Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet went on the attack …
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- … but it ultimately wasn’t his day. He’d go on to finish 13th.
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- Filthy.
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- Heinrich Haussler was the best Australian finisher in 22nd place. Note that, as usual, he is without gloves even in such unfriendly conditions.
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- Jasper Stuyven leads the race up the Molenberg.
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- Wout van Aert (rear) showed some promising signs as he continues his return from injury at last year’s Tour de France.
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- Philippe Gilbert finished the day in eighth in what was his first one-day race back with Lotto Soudal.
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- Race leaders Stuyven and Yves Lampaert hit the Muur van Geraadsbergen.
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- The race came to a two-up sprint where Stuyven beat Lampaert.
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- Stuyven first, Lampaert second, Soren Kragh Andersen third.
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- The women’s ‘Opening Weekend’ continued with the Omloop van het Hageland on Sunday.
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- While the race featured five short climbs, it would end in a reduced bunch sprint …
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- … where Lorena Wiebes took her first win of the year.
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- Two second-place finishes in two days for Marta Bastianelli. She’s now done three races for the year: one win, two second-place finishes. Emma Cecilie Norsgaard was third.
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- Wiebes did say she wanted out of Parkhotel Valkenburg colours this year …
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- The men’s peloton concluded ‘Opening Weekend’ with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
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- Positioning is vital on such narrow roads.
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- Alexander Kristoff has had a promising start to the year. With a podium finish on Sunday, he now has six top-four finishes in 2020 already. He’s still looking for his first win though.
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- Gianni Moscon was turfed out of the race for throwing his bike at a fellow rider.
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- Kasper Asgreen attacked with 30 km to go, bridged to the breakaway, then shed them one by one.
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- With the peloton closing in from behind, Asgreen managed to hold on to win by three seconds. Deceuninck-QuickStep has 14 victories for the year already.
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- There is a lot going on in this photo.
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- Giacomo Nizzolo (left) led the bunch in for second, ahead of Kristoff.
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