Image 1 of 41 Philippe Gilbert (BMC) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 2 of 41 Defending champion Sebastiaan Langeveld (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 3 of 41 Manuel Quinziato (BMC) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 4 of 41 Sylvain Chavanel (Omega-Pharma-QuickStep) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 5 of 41 Former world champion Thor Hushovd (BMC) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 6 of 41 Home talent Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Barracuda) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 7 of 41 Matti Breschel (Rabobank) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 8 of 41 Matti Breschel (Rabobank) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 9 of 41 Taylor Phinney (BMC) before the race (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 10 of 41 Tomas Vaitkus (GreedEdge) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 11 of 41 (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 12 of 41 Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 13 of 41 Matt Wilson and David Millar catch up at the start (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 14 of 41 The bunch begins to gather on the startline (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 15 of 41 Zachary Bell straight from the Track World Cup (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 16 of 41 American Taylor Phinney (BMC) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 17 of 41 2010 winner Juan Antonio Flecha (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 18 of 41 The start line in Gent (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 19 of 41 Van Summeren (Garmin-Barracuda) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 20 of 41 Bernhard Eisel (Sky) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 21 of 41 2010 winner Juan Antonio Flecha (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 22 of 41 Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda team have hearts on their jerseys (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 23 of 41 Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 24 of 41 Bert De Backer (Project 1t4i) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 25 of 41 Bert De Backer (Project 1t4i) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 26 of 41 The Europcar team on the podium (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 27 of 41 Sky's Pinarellos (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 28 of 41 Project 1t4i will be riding Felts (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 29 of 41 Rabobank are on Giant again this year (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 30 of 41 Team Type 1 have a busy European schedule ahead of them (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 31 of 41 John Degenkolb (Project 1t4i) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 32 of 41 Dominic Klemme in his new team kit (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 33 of 41 Leif Hoste (Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 34 of 41 Vansummeren's feet (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 35 of 41 Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Barracuda) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 36 of 41 Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Barracuda) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 37 of 41 Johan Vansummeren's Cervelo (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 38 of 41 (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 39 of 41 Rabobank's Lars Boom (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 40 of 41 Carlos Barredo (Rabobank) (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) Image 41 of 41 Vegard Stake Laengen's Colnago (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com) We’ve had the Tours of Oman and Qatar but for many of the real traditionalists the road season really begins this weekend with the double header of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne .
Omloop is the first race on the menu, starting in the picturesque setting of Gent, Belgium. In the last few years the race has begun in typically Belgian spring weather of rain, cold and gusty winds..
However Saturday’s race set off under clear blue skies, warm temperatures and huge degree of anticipation.
