As it happened: solo attacks claims victory at incident-filled Omloop Het Nieuwsblad men
The elite men tackle 12 climbs, including the back-to-back Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg in 207.6km Spring Classics opener
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Van der Poel at the finish, looking more tired than he did at any point during the race.
Third-place is also an excellent start to the spring for Florian Vermeersch. Having placed fifth at Paris-Roubaix last year, the Belgian is looking more and more like the man who shocked everyone to finish runner-up at Parsi-Roubaix back in 2021.
Van Dijke used the team’s numbers in the group behind him to his advantage, too, forcing Veemeresch to lead him out without taking a turn in the final, then beating him in the sprint for second.
Aside from Van der Poel, one of the stories of the day was the blossoming of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe as a force in the spring classics. Much was expected of them in these races last year, after significant investment in many specialists, but they fell well short of expectations. Today, however, they were excellent, and have a rider on the podium in runner-up Tim Van Dijke.
The men’s race has finished, but the women’s is just heating up - be sure to follow all the action with us.
Here's Van der Poel alone on the Muur, against the iconic backdrop of the church at the top.
What an imperious ride by Van der Poel, who dispels any doubt that he might have needed more racing to get up to speed.
Aimé De Gendt also went clear with Laporte to take 5th while Tobias Lund Andersen won the sprint for 6th ahead of Meeus, Turgis, Renard and Lamperti.
Laporte takes fourth, having slipped clear in the final few kilometres.
Van Dijke takes second, outsprinting Vermeersch.
Up ahead though, Van der Poel is closing in on victory...
Behind Van Dijke is looking anxious, gesturing for Vermeersch to take a turn.
As well as Red Bull's Meeus Pithie and Gianni Vermeersch, other riders in the peloton include: Politt, Abramasen, Trentin, Laporte and Teuns.
Van Dijke and Vermeersch are looking good for the peloton - they're 40 seconds up on the peloton.
There are still about 20 riders in the peloton, who are currently racing for fourth.
Van der Poel’s lead is holding steady at 35 seconds, rather than growing any bigger - but looking at Van der Poel, it’s as if he’s holding back and barely even trying.
Red Bull have done a great race. Not only do they have Van Dijke up the road, Meeus and Pithie are in the chase group, and helping to cover moves and disrupt the chase for him.
The peloton is being interrupted by multiple attacks and a lack of cohesion.
Van Dijke and Vermeersch might not be able to catch Van der Poel, but if they dig deep then the final podium spots are their's. The chasing group is still 30 seconds behind them.
Van der Poel, flying up the Muur.
Now the peloton charge up it, led by Trentin. They’re about to catch the three from the day’s original break, who have all done a great ride to survive this long.
Vermeersch and Van Dijke are battling on up this climb, but are 35 seconds adrift as Van der Poel goes over the top.
Van Dijke and Vermeersch are still riding together, but there’s nothing they can do to stop the express train that is Mathieu van der Poel.
Trentin, Pithie and Meeus also among those up towards the front.
The peloton are going over the top but haven't really broken up. There's at least 20 riders still together, with nobody attacking off the front.
Here's the peloton, being led by Laporte.
Van der Poel crests the climb, and he's already about 20 seconds ahead of the other two.
It was more of an acceleration than an attack, but it’s done the damage. There’s daylight between himself and the other two already.
Already the three from the original break have been dropped, leaving just Vermeersh and Van Dijke with Van der Poel.
Van der Poel leads the group. Is this where he strikes out for victory, or will he wait for the Bosberg?
Up ahead the race goes on, and the leaders are on the Muur!
MUUR - KAPELMUUR
A Visma rider went down, and it looks like it might have been Matt Brennan.
Unfortunately De Lie is just one of several down. The crash happened near the front of the peloton.
There’s sure to be a raucous atmosphere on the Muur, where fans from all over the world have assembled and been waiting all day to greet the race.
We're on the flat run-in to the all-important Muur now. The leaders are 55 seconds ahead of the peloton, where a huge battle is imminent for the prime position at the front.
20KM TO GO
Lotto Intermarché are back on the front of the peloton as they start the climb, still just under a minute beind the lead group.
The chasing Visma-led peloton is still very large, with most of the major favourites apparently present, including the likes of Magnier and Pidcock who were dropped earlier.
The leaders are over the top. Just three more climbs to complete: the Parikberg, Bosberg, and, in between, the famous Muur.
Visma’s work in the peloton has been enough to bring the gap down, but only by a bit. It’s now at 58 seconds as they start the climb.
The leaders are climbing again, this time up the Tenbosse.
TENBOSSE
Florian Vermeersch was the first to go clear on the Molenberg, after the crash of Trentin behind him.
Visma-Lease a Bike have taken over at the front of the peloton, and upped the pace in a desperate attempt to starting bringing the Van der Poel group back.
Vermeersch has a tear in his shorts, indicating he must have had a crash earlier. It doesn't seem to have affected his legs, however.
It's diffiult to see how Van der Poel doesn't win from here. Lotto are working hard in the peloton, but not making any inroads.
Up ahead, Vermeersch is taking turns in the group, and not just leaving everything to Van der Poel.
Lotto are back leading the peloton following the climb. Their leader Arnaud De Lie must be in this group.
Here's Van der Poel making his move on the Molenberg.
The 6 leads crest Berendries together.
Back in the peloton, just over a minute behind, Oliver Naesen leads onto the foot of the climb.
He's not going too hard just just, though. Even the three riders left from the day's break are able to hang on.
Magnier and Pidcock are among those to have rejoined the peloton, which is being led by Lotto Intermarché.
Brunel has been dropped out of the lead group.
The gap between the lead group and the chasing peloton is actually much bigger - the latter are only just on the Leberg now a whole minute behind.
So Van der Poel is already at the front of the race, with over 40km still to ride. He's looking strong, and most of his main rivals are already some way behind him. Will the other riders in this group work with him however?
The leading seven are about 30 seconds up on the next group of chasers.
The Van der Poel trio have caught the day's break.
Tim van Dijke has joined Van der Poel and Vermeersch, who are maintaining their gap over the peloton.
Van der Poel called upon is sublime bike-handling skills to avoid falling himself. Despite the loss of momentum, he still managed to go clear from the rest on the climb.
Trentin was the rider to fall on the climb, sliding on the mood.
Van der Poel crests the climb with Vermeersch, a group of about 10 a few seconds behind.
Here comes Van der Poel! He's closing down on Vermeersch.
The man second-in line has crashed, leaving a Florian Vermeersch with a gap at the front
UAE lead the peloton onto the super-narrow climb.
Lidl-Trek lead the peloton as they approach the Molenberg, one of the most important parts of the race.
Tom Pidcock, adrift somehere far down the race.
They're all up on their feet but only gingerly.
CRASH
Another crash in the peloton, and it's a heavy hall for four riders, Stefan Küng is one of them.
UAE Team Emirates XRG have taken control at the front of the peloton, and are pressing on.
Asgreen is about to be caught, by a peloton where the speed is up.
This could be curtains already for Philipsen and Magnier, both of whom were among the pre-race favourites.
It seems Philipsen didn't make it way back to the peloton - he's in a small group of about 4 or 5 along with Magnier, who are some way back from the peloton.
Asgreen's caught up to and passed Clément Alleno, as they ride the cobbled sector of Kerkgate.
Nobody went with Asgreen, but he's committing to this move. He's 20 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Clément Alleno has been dropped out of the front group, leaving four riders leading.
Another crash in the peloton, and this time Magnus Sheffield is down.
Asgreen’s stock might have fallen in recent years with sub-par form, but as a former winner of the Tour of Flanders he remains a dangerous rider, and loves a long-range attack like this.
We have a first attack from the peloton, and it’s from a big name - Kasper Asgreen!
Jasper Philipsen needed a bike change, but is back in the back of the peloton already.
It's still a big peloton, which wasn't broken up much on the Eikenberg.
Back at the front of the peloton, UAE and Visma are now leading.
He's got one now, and is making his way through the convoy.
Paul Magnier has been held up - and he's having to wait for a long time! He needs to change his bike, and much to his frustration he's not getting one quickly.
Pidcock is out the back of the peloton! He seems to have been one of the riders held up by the crash.
That crash happened just before the Eikenberg, which the peloton is now on now, being led by Van der Poel's Alpecin team.
A number of riders held up, but not so many fallers.
Both riders are up on their feet again.
Rain could also be a factor - just look how ominous these grey clouds look.
The wind is howling on the course today, which was apparent in the flat section after the Leberg where riders were struggling to hold the wheels of those in front of them.
The race is very much on, though, and the Eikenberg is less than 10km away.
Soudal have strung the peloton into one very long line, but didn't go hard enough to split the group up. It's still early for that.
Still Soudal-QuickStep lead the peloton as they also begin the Leberd, 2:30 behind the peloton.
And now the peloton are onto the cobbles Soudal-QuickStep acceleration to make sure they lead Further back, Groves and Pidcock are at the back of the peloton after being held up earlier.
The facial expressions in the peloton are becoming more focussed and strained as the race intensifies.
Groves was one of several riders to go down towards the back of the peloton, but nobody seems to be too hurt. It seems everyone is up and racing again.
Crash in the peloton, with Kaden Groves involved.
Tom Pidcock is having to make his way through the cars in the convoy behind the peloton. He’ll want to be back as soon as possible ahead of the coming cobble sector.
Before the Leberg is the Haaghoek cobbled sector, ahead of which the fight for position is already happening in the peloton.
The pace is still slow enough for some of the riders to take nature breaks, but that’s set to change soon as they approach the Leberg climb for the second time.
A reminder that the women's Omloop is also taking place as we speak, and that you can follow all the action with us.
The pace is steady on these cobbles, with no team wanting to lay the hammer down so early in the race.
NSN are leading the peloton, in service of their leader Biniam Girmay.
Crash for Matej Mohorič. After such a tough 2025 season, that is not the start to his campaign the Slovenian would have wanted.
COBBLES: LANGE MUNTE
The tranquillity has been briefly interrupted by a cobbled sector, the Lange Munte. It’s an isolated one, however, and the next isn’t for another 15km.
There’s a lot of wind out there. With plenty of changes of direction to come once they enter the twists and turns of the finale, that could play a big factor in how this race unfolds.
A second DNF to report - Dylan Vandenstorme of Team Flanders - Baloise.
Another angle of the riders ascending the Eikenberg earlier.
Vergaerde had to abandon because of a crash.
We have a first abandon of the day to announce - Lidl-Trek's Otto Vergaerde. The team has already been ravaged by injury, with star man Mads Pedersen missing the start of the spring.
The peloton going up the Eikenberg earlier. They'll take the climb on again later in the day.
This edition is unique in Omloop Nieuwsbald, in that it is the first to feature Mathieu van der Poel - arguably now the greatest classics rider of all time. We looked at how his presence in the race changes everything.
Not long until the women's Het Nieuwsblad gets going. Be sure to have two tabs on the go and follow all the action along with us!
Mathias Vacek in the peloton, who impressed at last year’s edition and is an outsider for the win today.
EIKENBERG
The riders are over the Eikenberg without incident. There’s now a long flat stretch before the next time they have to take on the cobbles.
Gianni Vermeersch in the peloton, one of the representatives of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team.
Arnaud De Lie is a rider who has long promised to win a Spring Classic, ever since his star-making debut at Omloop Nieuwusbald three years ago, when he finished runner-up behind Dylan Van Baarle. A series of injury problems has curtailed his progress since then. Could this be the year he claims his first?
The scene at the level crossing.
In a familiar sight in racing in this part of the world, the peloton were forced to stop briefly at a level crossing. The break was therefore also told to stop so that the gap remains the same. Thankfully things are relatively calm out there so none of the chaotic scenes we’ve seen at level crossings in the past - as at the 2016 Paris-Roubaix.
Wet cobblestones, grizzled-looking cyclists - the Spring Classics are well and truly upon us!
This is a rare race where UAE Team Emirates XRG aren’t the top favourites, but they still fancy their chances.
“Today we go for a hard race with Tim [Wellens], Florian [Vermeersch] and Nils [Politt]”, their rider Rune Herregodts said before the race. “These guys are our main men and we'll try to support them and help them to make a hard race. They're in form, so for us it'll be good if it's an attritional race and we get a small group at the finish."
Alpecin-Premier Tech and Soudal-QuickStep are the teams riding at the front of the peloton, staking their claims as favorites for the race for their respective leaders Van der Poel and Paul Magnier.
It’s begun to drizzle out there! The rain that was forecasted is materialising.
3:30 now for the break, who, at this early stage of the race, the peloton is happy to let lead by a considerable margin.
160KM TO GO
While Van der Poel is the top favourite for victory today, his Alpecin-Premier Tech have more than just his card to play. Also lining up is Jasper Philipsen, who will have the luxury of being able to ride passively, while trying to preserve energy in the event that Van der Poel doesn’t manage to go clear and the race comes down to a group sprint.
The riders are negotiating the first of the day's cobbled sectors, the Padeestraat. The rain has held off for now, but the later sectors could get very lairy if the heavens open before then.
COBBLES: PADDESTRAAT
The peloton evidently don't feel threatened by anyone in that group - they've allowed them a lead of over three minutes.
Here are the five riders up the road.
Alexys Brunel, Alexis Renard,Vincent Van Hemelen and Clément Alleno are the four riders with Krijnsen.
Krijnsen is now with four other riders, and it seems the peloton is happy to sit up and let them up the road.
While the second half of the race is dense with cobbled sections and climbs, this first half less so. The first cobbled sector doesn’t come until 41km into the stage, and then there’s just the climbs of the Leberg and Eikenberg between then and when things start to kick off just under 100km from the finish.
Krijnsen's lead over the peloton is neither growing nor falling, remaining steady at 18 seconds.
180KM TO GO
The aforementioned Matt Brennan out on the road.
Still Krijnsen remains the only rider out in front. It seems Lambrecht and De Jon might have been absorbed into the peloton after their fall.
One rider who many are looking out for today is Matthew Brennan, the 20-year-old talent whose performances last year sent ripples through the peloton, and looks set to become a superstar.
In the absence of the ill Wout van Aert, he’s one of Visma-Lease a Bike’s best hopes of claiming what would be a fourth win here in five years, but the team are eager not to put too much pressure on their young star.
Here was Van der Poel with Tom Pidcock at the start this morning. Pidcock is set to be one of Van der Poel's main challengers today, on what will be one of only a few outings on the cobbles this spring, as he targets Strade Bianche and the Ardennes Classics coming up later.
Jelte Krijnsen leads the peloton by 20 seconds, with Lambrecht and De Jong in between.
190KM TO GO
That leaves Krijnsen in front alone, though it seems the two fallers are back and chasing him.
Crash in the breakaway, Lambrecht and De Jong have gone down. It’s unclear what happened exactly, they’re in the relative safety outside of the peloton, and we’re not even at the cobblestone yet.
Perhaps not - the gap is now being reported as only 20 seconds.
That trio already looks like it might be the break of the day, the peloton having allowed them about a minute's lead already
200KM TO GO
Time De Jong has been joined by two other riders at the front of the race - Michiel Lambrecht and Jelte Krijnsen.
The riders at the unofficial start.
As expected multiple more attacks are flying out of the peloton, which is yet to settle down.
Arnaud De Lie and Dylan Van Baarle wrapped up warm at the start.
There's an attack right from the flag, by Picnic PostNL's Timo de Jong.
And they're off! The classics season is at last underway.
OFFICIAL START
As for the all-important weather forecast: it’s cold out there, but the rain has yet to materialise - for now. That could change later in the day, and could seriously alter the dynamic of the race.
The official start looks set to be delayed a little as Van der Poel is making his way back up to the peloton from the convoy. Tension is building.
Be sure to have a read of our preview and run-down of contenders before racing gets underway.
The riders are in the neutralised zone. The Spring Classics season is almost upon us!
One rider for whom this race is the first race of the season is Mathieu van der Poel (pictured here at the team presentation), whose debut here is being eagerly anticipated. Having announced his intention to ride just a few days ago, Van der Poel’s presence changes the whole dynamic of how this race will be shaped.
Welcome especially to the more traditional cycling fans, who will be tuning in today for the first time for what they believe is the ‘real’ start of the season.
While there’s been plenty of great racing throughout the globe already this season, there’s nothing quite like the cobbled classics.
Hello and welcome to the 2026 Omloop Nieuwsblad!
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