Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, previously Omloop Het Volk, is a one-day road cycling race in Belgium, held annually in late February. 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. Since 2017, the race is part of the UCI World Tour, cycling's top-tier professional events.
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Late February |
| Region | Flanders, Belgium |
| Local name(s) | Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Dutch) |
| Nickname(s) | The Omloop The Opening Classic |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI World Tour |
| Type | One-day |
| Organiser | Flanders Classics |
| Race director | Wim Van Herreweghe |
| Web site | www |
| Men's history | |
| First edition | 1945 |
| Editions | 76 (as of 2023) |
| First winner | Jean Bogaerts (BEL) |
| Most wins | Joseph Bruyère (BEL) Ernest Sterckx (BEL) Peter Van Petegem (BEL) (3 wins each) |
| Most recent | Dylan van Baarle (NED) |
| Women's history | |
| First edition | 2006 |
| Editions | 18 (as of 2023) |
| First winner | Suzanne de Goede (NED) |
| Most wins | Suzanne de Goede (NED) Emma Johansson (SWE) Anna van der Breggen (NED) Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) (2 wins each) |
| Most recent | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) |
The race starts in Ghent, Flanders and finishes in Ninove, Flanders. 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. The day after the Omloop, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne completes the opening weekend.
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.