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Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: Routes, how to watch and and start lists
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is the first cobbled Classic of the year and for many marks the true start of the cycling season. Previously run under the names Omloop van Vlaanderen and Omloop Het Volk, the one-day race in Belgium was first held in 1945. It originated when Flemish newspaper Het Volk wished to rival fellow paper Het Nieuwsblad’s Tour of Flanders, however the merging of the two newspapers caused its eventual rename of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
Some of the biggest names in the sport have taken victory at the race since its inception, with Joseph Bruyère, Ernest Sterckx and Peter van Petegem achieving three wins for the men, and Suzanne de Goede, Emma Johansson, Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten being the race’s most successful winners for the women’s field with two wins apiece.
Last year’s edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was won by Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx). In the men’s race, Van Baarle made it into the front group in the final 40km, which slowly began to shed as the finish line grew closer. It was on the slopes of the Muur van Geraardsbergen that he dispatched himself from the only other rider remaining of Matis Louvel (Arkéa-Samsic) for his first win in Jumbo-Visma colours. Behind, Arnaud De Lie of Lotto-Dstny and Van Baarle’s teammate Christophe Laporte completed the podium.
It was on the Bosberg with 12km remaining that Kopecky left breakaway companion Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) behind to solo away for victory, becoming the first Belgian victor for the women. Her teammate Lorena Wiebes finished second with UAE Team ADQ’s Marta Bastianelli third.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: Key information
- Date: Saturday 24th February 2024
- Start: Ghent, Flanders
- Finish: Ninove, Flanders
- Distance: Men’s – 202km; Women’s – 127.1km
- Climbs: Men’s – Leberg, Kattenberg, Leberg, Hostellerie, Valkenberg, Wolvenberg, Molenberg, Leberg, Berendries, Elverenberg-Vossenhol, Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg; Women’s – Edelareberg, Wolvenberg, Molenberg, Leberg, Berendries, Elverenberg-Vossenhol, Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg
- UK television coverage: Men’s – Discovery+, Eurosport; Women’s – Discovery+, Eurosport
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: Men’s route
Both the men’s and women’s routes are very similar to the 2023 races, including the classic ascents of the Muur van Geraardsbergen (also known as Muur-Kapelmuur or just the Muur) and Bosberg, though are a couple of kilometres shorter.
The 2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad men’s race is 202km long, tackling 12 helligen (climbs) and nine sections of cobbled roads. The final run to the line harks back to previous Tour of Flanders races with the two final ascents of the race taking place on the cobbled Muur van Geraardsbergen – also known as Kapelmuur or Muur-Kapelmuur – and Bosberg before a flat and fast 12km into Ninove.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: Women’s route
The 2024 women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is 127.1km long, and like the men’s race it starts in Gent and finishes in Ninove. The peloton will tackle eight climbs and five cobbled sections throughout the course of the day.
The women’s race also finishes with the ascents of Muur van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg before the 12km final push to the line.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: How to watch
The men’s edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad begins at 11am local time, with a rough finishing time just before 4pm.
The women’s peloton will begin their race at 1:35pm local time, scheduled to finish just after 5pm.
UK coverage is available on Discovery+ and Eurosport, viewers in the US, Canada and Australia can catch the action on Flobikes, in New Zealand the race will be broadcast live on Sky Sport 7.
If Omloop isn’t being broadcast in your country, or you are travelling abroad and want to log in to your Discovery account to watch it, a VPN will allow you to hide your device’s location to access content that is normally geo-blocked. The racing will be free to watch on Belgian network Sporza.
One such VPN provider is ExpressVPN, which is very well reviewed, helps users to find way to watch cycling without having to pay for broadcasters services, and costs £5.36 per month, with three months free.
- Check out ExpressVPN.com
UK TV times
Men’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Discovery+ 12:30-15:30; Eurosport 12:45-15:00
Women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Discovery+ 15:30-16:45; Eurosport 15:00-16:45
- Read more: How to watch pro cycling post-GCN+
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024: Start lists
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad previous winners
2023: Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx)
2022: Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar)
2021: Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx)
2020: Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott)
2019: Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Chantal Blaak (Boels-Dolmans)
2018: Michael Valgren (Astana), Christina Siggaard (Team Virtu)
2017: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb)
2016: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Lizzie Deignan (Boels-Dolmans)
2015: Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Anna van der Breggen (Rabobank-Liv)
2014: Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Amy Pieters (Giant-Shimano)
2013: Luca Paolini (Katusha), Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS)
2012: Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Barracuda), Loes Gunnewijk (Orica-AIS)
2011: Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank), Emma Johansson (Hitec Products Uck)
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