Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Race Report: After a day of cat-and-mouse, with Visma ! Lease a Bike sending riders up the highway, the primary BIG Traditional of 2024 went to the Dutch group, however not who we anticipated. It was Jan Tratnik who out-sprinted Nils Politt (UAE Crew Emirates) after a late break. Wout van Aert was third on the head of the chasers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQSibNE26qg
Jan Tratnik gained the 2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. For a very long time, a number one group of six, with three males from Visma | Lease a Bike, combating for victory, however a big group got here again to the entrance within the finale. Tratnik escaped with Nils Politt and beat the German within the dash. Wout van Aert sprinted to 3rd place.
A giant win for Jan tratnik
Parcours:
After the groups are offered in Gent’s Kuipke velodrome, the riders make their technique to the official begin in Merelbeke. The peloton could have greater than 200 kilometres forward of them, 5 kilometres lower than final 12 months. Within the first 100 kilometres of the Omloop, the riders cross by means of the Zwalmstreek and Oudenaarde. The Leberg and the Lange Munte are the one difficulties on this first a part of the race. After 100 kilometres the climbs come one after the opposite, about each 10 kilometres the riders can be confronted with a troublesome climb. The Katteberg and the cobbles of the Holleweg are the primary on the menu, then the Haaghoek-Leberg, Paddestraat, Hostellerie and Valkenberg are on the route.
Omloop Het Nieusblad’24 map
With 45 kilometres to go, the finale begins. The Wolvenberg comes first, it doesn’t have cobbles, so it isn’t too tough, subsequent is the cobbles of the Holleweg after which after the Wolvenberg the cobbles of the Kerkgate and Jagerij observe. The Molenberg has been lacking lately however it’s again once more. Then it’s the Haaghoek, Leberg and Berendries. From the highest of the steep Berendries there may be solely 27.5 kilometres to the end in Ninove. A number of kilometres later there may be the Vossenhol, after which there’s a brief break earlier than probably the most well-known climb in Flanders: the Muur van Geraardsbergen. This iconic cobbled climb is simply 16 kilometres from the end. If the race has not been selected the Muur, there may be nonetheless the Bosberg and the 12 kilometres to the marginally uphill end line of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Elisabethlaan in Ninove.
Omloop Het Nieusblad’24 profile
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024 Climbs:
Leberg (162.8km)
Kattenberg (98.6km)
Leberg (89km)
Hostellerie (72km)
Valkenberg (64.1 km)
Wolvenberg (53.6 km)
Molenberg (41.2 km)
Leberg (one other 33.7km)
Berendries (29.6km)
Vossenhol (27.km)
Muur van Geraardsbergen – Kapelmuur (15.7km)
Bosberg (11.8km).
Cobbled Sections:
Haaghoek (165.8 km)
Lange Munte (114.1 km)
Holleweg (97.8 km)
Haaghoek (92.1 km)
Paddestraat (82.9 km)
Holleweg (56.2 km)
Kerkgate (50 km)
Jagerij (47.4 km)
Haaghoek (36.7 km).
Prime favorite, Wout van Aert, initially with the household
Wout van Aert was prepared for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad initially: “I’m not afraid of the unhealthy climate situations. After all you favor to race in good situations. These circumstances will be sure that at the moment can be an actual battle of attrition. It’s a particular race. Now it actually begins. I can not wait. There’ll after all be many greater races after this race, however as a Belgian that is very particular. I’m 100% targeted on going for it. Will we try this once more (dominate the race)? Let’s hope so. In any case, we’re nicely ready. We’re additionally very robust when it comes to width. Now we have now created the luxurious of getting a robust group initially of each race.”
The farmers the place initially – Lets hope they aren’t on the route
The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad began in Gent and the season actually obtained going for a lot of biking followers. Lastly we might see the celebrities driving over the cobbles once more, with the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg as the ultimate pleasure within the final 20 kilometres. Arnaud De Lie, Jasper Philipsen, Christophe Laporte, Wout van Aert and final 12 months’s winner, Dylan van Baarle had been on the star-line for the primary ‘actual’ race of the 12 months.
The primary break of the day
Not lengthy after the riders left ‘t Kuipke, a number one group of 9 fashioned. Lars Boven (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Frank van den Broek & Sean Flynn (each dsm-firmenich PostNL), Jelle Vermoote (Bingoal-WB), Sander De Pestel (Decathlon-AG2R), Elias Maris (Flanders-Baloise), Samuele Battistella (Astana), Alexis Gougeard (Cofidis) and Manlio Moro (Movistar) constructed up a lead of 5 minutes. Because of the excessive pace set by Visma | Lease a Bike’s males the peloton obtained nearer to the 9 escapees and a few riders had been in bother. A gaggle of 23 riders break up within the chase for the main group.
The peloton retaining their eye on the escape
At 130 kilometres from the end, there have been 32 riders within the lead, together with Arnaud De Lie, Kasper Asgreen, Jonathan Milan, Jasper Philipsen, Tom Pidcock and Wout van Aert. Wout had 4 teammates with him: Eduardo Affini, Matteo Jorgenson, Christophe Laporte and Tiesj Benoot, however Dylan van Baarle had missed the transfer. Matej Mohorič, Julian Alaphilippe, Tim Wellens and Stefan Küng had been additionally no within the entrance group. Küng’s Groupama-FDJ group led the chase, however they couldn’t cease the hole from steadily growing. Seventy kilometres from the end, the main group, Affini had a puncture and was now lacking, had 40 seconds. The lead elevated even additional, earlier than the motion on the Wolvenberg.
Visma in management on the cobbles
It was Matteo Jorgenson who attacked, which brought about fairly a couple of issues. It was then Laporte’s flip to placed on the strain. There was now solely Pidcock, Toms Skujiņš, Gianni Moscon, De Lie and Van Aert off the entrance with Jorgenson and Laporte. Van Aert made it exhausting on the Jagerij and it was Moscon who was dropped. He dropped again to the second group, which included Asgreen, Philipsen and Milan, however they had been finally swallowed up by the peloton.
Tim Declercq and Van Aert on the entrance
There have been extra accelerations from the Visma | Lease a Bike males on the entrance. Simply after the Molenberg, 40 kilometres from the end, Laporte escaped with Pidcock. It was Skujiņš who closed the hole with the opposite three on his wheel. There was additionally some assaults within the peloton. First Victor Campenaerts tried to get away, then Mike Teunissen had a go. Neither might get away. The distinction to the leaders had elevated to greater than 1 minute.
It must be Flanders!
When the leaders began to climb the Berendries, it was Skujiņš who made a transfer. Van Aert tried to leap with him, however couldn’t catch the Latvian and dropped again to Laporte, Jorgenson, De Lie and struggling Pidcock. Skujiņš had 30 kilometres to go to the end.
Benoot, De Lie, Van Aert and Affini
The Lidl-Trek rider will need to have determined it was an excessive amount of and eased again on the high of the Berendries. The 5 pursuers joined him and the six of crossed the summit of the Vossenhol collectively. Laporte briefly tried once more with Skujiņš, however Pidcock pulled them again. Van Aert was subsequent. As soon as once more it was Skujiņš who was instantly on the wheel of van Aert.
European champ Christophe Laporte
Twenty-one kilometres from the end, there was a crash within the peloton with Florian Sénechal, Asgreen and Alaphilippe. On the entrance, Matteo Jorgenson attacked from the rear of the group and Pidcock, Skujiņš and De Lie had been all too gradual to react. Jorgenson opened an enormous hole very quickly. He had almost 30 seconds initially of the Muur van Geraardsbergen.
Soudal had been there, however not their day
Simply behind the leaders, the peloton, led a robust Tim Wellens, nearly caught the escape group. Pidcock at that time was being dropped. On the foot of the Bosberg, the final climb of the day, Jorgenson had a 15 second lead over Van Aert, Laporte, De Lie, Skujiņš and Wellens. The peloton adopted lower than 10 seconds. From the peloton, Iván García Cortina was the primary to affix Van Aert’s group and it was additionally the Spaniard who closed the hole to Jorgenson.
Matteo Jorgenson Matteo went solo
Van Aert then tried to get away, however he couldn’t. An try by Wellens additionally failed as a consequence of Laporte’s chase work. Tratnik, who returned with a gaggle of riders, together with Van Baarle, jumped away with Nils Politt. Behind them there was no fast chase and the 2 pulled away with a pleasant lead. Lotto Dstny returned to the chase group to take the lead for De Lie. At 3 kilometres from the end the lead was 15 seconds.
De Lie put the strain on Van Aert Wout going up the Muur
That 15 seconds turned out to be sufficient and it was Politt pulled the pair away within the last kilometres. He had Tratnik on his wheel into the ultimate straight. The Slovenian took full benefit and sprinted to victory by 3 full seconds. Politt settled for second place. Behind; it was Wout van Aert who gained the dash within the peloton for Visma | Lease a Bike to take first and third.
The profitable transfer – Jan Tratnik and Nils Politt
2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner, Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I didn’t count on to come back again. We all know we’ve got a robust group. Up to now I’ve raced much less classics. At this time I used to be additionally right here in additional of a serving position. I definitely didn’t count on it myself. The lads did very nicely midway by means of the race. I sat just a little from the again so I might loosen up as a lot as potential. It wasn’t actually a managed chase. It was accelerating on a regular basis after which stalling once more. Nonetheless, I needed to proceed to imagine in it. Then we grabbed them again and I used to be in a position to counter. Sure, that is my greatest victory of my profession. Though I used to be a bit afraid whether or not I might win the dash. Nils Politt began very early after which I began to imagine in it. It is rather good to be on the rostrum.” Will he get extra probabilities now? “You must ask the group DS’s that.”
Jan Tratnik – Not the Visma | Lease A Bike rider we had been anticipating
Second, Nils Politt (UAE Crew Emirates): “It’s now the second time I’ve completed second like this. The Vismas had been very robust at the moment. They instantly solidified the course. On the finish I knew there have been some quick guys behind us. So I’m completely happy that I might take second place for our group. Our plan was that Wellens would strive one thing across the Muur. He managed to cross over to the main group. I got here from behind and noticed Tratnik go. Visma had quite a lot of males within the group, so I knew I needed to go together with considered one of them. We needed to push, as a result of the race was for De Lie. Tratnik was enjoying with me a bit. He mentioned he couldn’t actually proceed and that I needed to take the lead. I used to be already badly demolished, however a second place was higher than nothing. So I fell quick on the end. At this time I felt superb. It’s very good to begin the season like this in an enormous race. Now I hope I can proceed this within the coming weeks.”
Wout van Aert regarded proud of third place
Third, Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I’m glad with my very own feeling, however I nonetheless assume it may be so much higher. I used to be on the restrict a couple of instances. It was actually powerful, particularly on the Berendries and the Muur. Progress can nonetheless be made there, however I rode a really good race and loved myself. I’m very proud of how we had been in a position to clear up it as a group. It was a superb day and it is rather good that we had been in a position to end it. There was no panic at that second. The boys got here again, however apart from Eduardo (Affini) everybody was nonetheless within the first group. With so many riders on the entrance we had a bonus. We rapidly switched to a different plan and attacked once more. This makes me most proud: how nicely we perceive one another through the race. It was the correct time to assault. It will have been very tough to regulate it from there. And with guys like De Lie I wasn’t a hundred percent positive that I might win the dash. It was one of the best tactic to proceed racing offensively.” The winner of the Omloop by no means wins De Ronde: “I’m now beginning to imagine in that statistic. If I had gained, I’d have wished to show the other. However now I hope you’re proper.”
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Consequence:
1. Jan Tratnik (Slo) Visma | Lease a Bike in 4:31:37
2. Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Crew Emirates at 0:03
3. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:08
4. Oliver Naesen (Bel) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
5. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Visma | Lease a Bike
6. Laurenz Rex (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty
7. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Lidl-Trek
8. Thomas Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
9. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor
10. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto Dstny.
# All of the weekend biking information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
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