Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 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 Omloop, 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 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 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]
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.[a][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.[b][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.[c]
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.[d]
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 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, 20km east of Ghent. Since 2018, the race has finished in Ninove, a city around 40km 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 Omloop 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]
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 125 kilometres (78mi) to 135 kilometres (84mi) 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]
An edition of the race for under-23 men has been held since 1950.
Notes
↑ The Tour of Flanders is the only cycling classic in Europe that was organized on German-occupied territory during the Second World War and in full agreement with the German command.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000012-QINU`"' The Germans not only allowed and enjoyed the race but helped police the route as well.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000013-QINU`"' This led to accusations of collaboration with Nazi Germany.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000014-QINU`"'
↑ Het Nieuwsblad, as the bigger newspaper, became the name-bearer of the merge.
↑ UCI had given better calendar dates to other Belgian races, prompting Het Volk to call off the race in protest.
↑ Belgian Walschott had given Coppi his wheel, but rules allowed assistance only from team-mates
References and footnotes
European Cycling – The 20 Greatest Races by Noel Henderson (1989) ISBN0-941950-20-4.
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Jean Bogaerts (BEL)
Søren Wærenskjold (NOR)
Suzanne de Goede (NED)
Emma Johansson (SWE)
