#omloop

[inrng]

Omloop on Saturday

[velovelo]

[marcelskittels]

Marianne Vos of The Netherlands and Team Visma | Lease A Bike celebrates at finish line during the 16th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024, Women's Elite a 127.1km one day race from Ghent to Ninove on February 24, 2024 in Ninove, Belgium. (Photos by Jasper Jacobs/Getty Images)

[etapereine]

[womensworldtour]

Full disclosure: we always cheer for the break.

Sure, the sprint teams and the GC teams usually spoil the fun, and the list of long-range attacks that don't pan out is too long to even catalogue. But we still love a good break, and take perverse satisfaction when the teams behind miscalculate and or when the riders out front cooperate well and ride so hard that the chasers can't bring them back.

But we're not sure if last Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is what we had in mind, a day defined by negative tactics, massive group-two syndrome, and maybe some race radio issues and inaccurate time gaps. Whatever the case, the break went immediately, and got a 15-minute gap. And no one (other than maybe Ellen van Dijk of Lidl-Trek, who brought it back to 7 minutes at one point) seemed motivated to do anything about it for far too long.

The gap went out again, and though a few break riders were dropped, the surviving two riders—Lotte Claes of Arkéa-B&B Hotels and Aurela Nerlo of Winspace Orange Seal—had more than 3 minutes when they crossed the line. Kudos to both riders, and the long-range drag to the finish was a real battle between the two, with Claes winning out in the end. That expression at the line is definitely exhaustion, and maybe surprise as well. What was even going on in this race, could Claes and Nerlo even tell? Regardless, they put on a great show, and this was fun to watch.

More than four minutes behind, when the group hit the Bosborg, Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) launched her attack, and only Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) could go with her, with Niewiadoma getting dropped shortly thereafter. Vollering and Pieterse cooperated until the final sprint, which Vollering won handily, showcasing her form and the strategy that should have been enough to get her the win, if her team had rode more to bring back the break. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won the sprint about 10 seconds back from Vollering and Pieterse, showcasing what she could have done if her team had worked on the front. Very puzzling stuff, and I guess the Vollering-SD Worx beef is alive and well.

We do like to see under-the-radar talent sharing the podium with the big-named riders, and Vollering was all smiles with Claes and Nerlo. We also loved to see Claes' teammates celebrating with her, the team bus must have been a happy scene that evening. Kudos to Claes and Arkéa-B&B Hotels!

[daughtersofyesterday]

💀

[madeofhistory]

I just realized I have never heard Tarling talk before this is wild. His voice is deeper than I thought 👀👀

[sportsallover]

All of us to Visma: So, who’s your leader?

Visma: Yes

[inrng]

[velovelo]

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Legendary Muur Kapelmuur (📸: mr.pinko)

[marcelskittels]

JAN TRATNIK Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024 📸 by Luc Claessen/Getty Images

[fruitiermetrostation]

Wereld Vol Kleuren - Laura Omloop (2011)

[etapereine]

did anyone else just completely lose tiz

[womensworldtour]

After the weird dynamics of Omloop het Nieuwsblad, the following day's race of Omloop van het Hageland was a completely different story.

It was, arguably, the Anna van der Breggen show, as AvdB took control of the race early and often. Attacking repeatedly and eventually splitting the group, AvdB then took huge turns on the front to keep the seven-rider group clear to the finish, backing her teammate Femke Gerritse.

Gerritse, who just joined SD Worx-Protime last season, is a punchy rider who can climb, but also apparently hold her own in a reduced sprint. She edged out Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) for the win in a bike throw, with Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility) taking third.

We look forward to seeing what else Gerritse can do, and she may be a good domestique to have when AvdB has transitioned from super-domestique to GC contender later in the season.

[a-sportygoldfish]

WOW Jan Tratnik, what a race WOW 🐝💛👏

[thesteeplechasefangirl]

Did not get to actually watch it cause evil corperations and tiz was down but happy for Puck that she came 4th!! And Pfeiffer Georgi coming 7th