Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women 2026

Fierce fight between Demi Vollering vs Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney ends in a maiden victory for European champion

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the first time, out-sprinting Polish champion Kasia NIewiadoma-Phinney after the pair escaped on the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

A crash in the peloton just before the climb foiled the chase, and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-ProTime) had to settle for third in the sprint.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women Information

The Spring Classics kicks off annually at Belgium's 'Opening weekend' with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and this year, it takes place on Saturday, February 28.

Now in its 21st edition, the race was upgraded from UCI ProSeries level to the Women's WorldTour in 2023.

Organisers Flanders Classics currently oversees six of the most popular Spring Classics, beginning with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and continuing with Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders, Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl.

Lotte Claes (Arkea-B&B Hotels) won the 2025 women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, outsprinting Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal) in the streets of Ninove after a day-long breakaway. She was a surprise but deserved winner.

Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) beat Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) in the sprint for third, three minutes behind Claes and just ahead of what remained of the peloton.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women History

Opening Weekend is a two-race weekend on the women's calendar beginning at the top-tier Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women, held on Saturday in Belgium and Omloop van het Hageland on the Sunday.

This year marks the 21st edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women. The inaugural winner was Suzanne de Goede in 2006, who won again in 2009.

The one-day race has seen a host of champions on the top step of the podium, including Mie Lacota, Kirsten Wild, Emma Johansson (twice), Loes Gunnewijk, Tiffany Cromwell, Amy Pieters, Anna van der Breggen (twice), Lizzie Deignan, Lucinda Brand, Christina Siggaard, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and Annemiek van Vleuten (twice) and Lotte Kopecky.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite Women Route

This year's route for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women adds two climbs in the decisive second half of the race.

The women's peloton will start in the 't Kuipke velodrome in Gent then take on 137.6km across the challenging cobbles and bergs of Flanders for the finish in Ninove.

Check out the 2026 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women's route map and profile plus the list of all the climbs.

Omloop het Nieuwsblad Women 2026 start list

Data powered by FirstCycling