As it happened: Solo attack claims victory at incident-filled men’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Van der Poel wins the 2026 Omloop Nieuwsblad.

2026-02-28T15:13:44.874Z

Up ahead though, Van der Poel is closing in on victory…

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Behind Van Dijke is looking anxious, gesturing for Vermeersch to take a turn.

Van der Poel goes under the flamme rouge, nearing victory.

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As well as Red Bull’s Meeus Pithie and Gianni Vermeersch, other riders in the peloton include: Politt, Abramasen, Trentin, Laporte and Teuns.

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Van Dijke and Vermeersch are looking good for the peloton – they’re 40 seconds up on the peloton.

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There are still about 20 riders in the peloton, who are currently racing for fourth.

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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.

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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.

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The peloton is being interrupted by multiple attacks and a lack of cohesion.

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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.

37 seconds is Van der Poel’s lead. Not long now until he’ll be crowned victor of yet another classic.

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Van der Poel, flying up the Muur.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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.

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Vermeersch and Van Dijke are battling on up this climb, but are 35 seconds adrift as Van der Poel goes over the top.

Van der Poel is on the Bosberg, and increasing his lead.

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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.

Van der Poel’s lead is growing, now up to 25 seconds.

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Trentin, Pithie and Meeus also among those up towards the front.

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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.

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Here’s the peloton, being led by Laporte.

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Van der Poel crests the climb, and he’s already about 20 seconds ahead of the other two.

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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.

Van der Poel’s gone solo!

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Already the three from the original break have been dropped, leaving just Vermeersh and Van Dijke with Van der Poel.

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Van der Poel leads the group. Is this where he strikes out for victory, or will he wait for the Bosberg?

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Up ahead the race goes on, and the leaders are on the Muur!

Crash in the peloton, including De Lie, whose Lotto team have done so much work.

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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.

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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.

Van der Poel leads the group onto the Parikeberg climb, but still isn’t going too hard, wanting to keep this group together for now.

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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.

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The leaders are over the top. Just three more climbs to complete: the Parikberg, Bosberg, and, in between, the famous Muur.

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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.

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The leaders are climbing again, this time up the Tenbosse.

Van Dijke is also taking a turn at the front of the group, which enters the final 30km with a lead of 1:05.

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Up ahead, Vermeersch is taking turns in the group, and not just leaving everything to Van der Poel.

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Lotto are back leading the peloton following the climb. Their leader Arnaud De Lie must be in this group.

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Here’s Van der Poel making his move on the Molenberg.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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The 6 leads crest Berendries together.

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Back in the peloton, just over a minute behind, Oliver Naesen leads onto the foot of the climb.

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He’s not going too hard just just, though. Even the three riders left from the day’s break are able to hang on.

Van der Poel leads the front group onto the Berendries climb.

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Magnier and Pidcock are among those to have rejoined the peloton, which is being led by Lotto Intermarché.

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Brunel has been dropped out of the lead group.

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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.

They’re on the climb, and Van der Poel is accelerating.

The Van der Poel group still leads by about 30 seconds, ahead of chasing group which is swelling.

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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?

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The leading seven are about 30 seconds up on the next group of chasers.

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The Van der Poel trio have caught the day’s break.

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Tim van Dijke has joined Van der Poel and Vermeersch, who are maintaining their gap over the peloton.

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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.

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Trentin was the rider to fall on the climb, sliding on the mood.

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Van der Poel crests the climb with Vermeersch, a group of about 10 a few seconds behind.

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Here comes Van der Poel! He’s closing down on Vermeersch.

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The man second-in line has crashed, leaving a Florian Vermeersch with a gap at the front

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UAE lead the peloton onto the super-narrow climb.

The break are on the Molenberg, the peloton fast approaching behind.

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Lidl-Trek lead the peloton as they approach the Molenberg, one of the most important parts of the race.

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Tom Pidcock, adrift somehere far down the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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They’re all up on their feet but only gingerly.

Another crash in the peloton, and it’s a heavy hall for four riders, Stefan Küng is one of them.

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UAE Team Emirates XRG have taken control at the front of the peloton, and are pressing on.

The break is 1:05 ahead of the peloton, and the Philipsen/Magner group is 45 seconds behind it.

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Asgreen is about to be caught, by a peloton where the speed is up.

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This could be curtains already for Philipsen and Magnier, both of whom were among the pre-race favourites.

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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.

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Asgreen’s caught up to and passed Clément Alleno, as they ride the cobbled sector of Kerkgate.

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Nobody went with Asgreen, but he’s committing to this move. He’s 20 seconds ahead of the peloton.

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Clément Alleno has been dropped out of the front group, leaving four riders leading.

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Another crash in the peloton, and this time Magnus Sheffield is down.

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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.

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We have a first attack from the peloton, and it’s from a big name – Kasper Asgreen!

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Jasper Philipsen needed a bike change, but is back in the back of the peloton already.

The climbs come thick and fast from here on in. The break is now on the Wolvenberg.

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It’s still a big peloton, which wasn’t broken up much on the Eikenberg.

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Back at the front of the peloton, UAE and Visma are now leading.

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He’s got one now, and is making his way through the convoy.

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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.

The break are over the climb, and lead the peloton by 1:45.

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Pidcock is out the back of the peloton! He seems to have been one of the riders held up by the crash.

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That crash happened just before the Eikenberg, which the peloton is now on now, being led by Van der Poel’s Alpecin team.

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A number of riders held up, but not so many fallers.

Another crash in the peloton, this time close to the front.

The breakaway riders are climbing again, beginning the Eikenberg just under two minutes ahead of the peloton.

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Both riders are up on their feet again.

Two UAE riders down – Rui Oliveira and Rune Herregodts.

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Rain could also be a factor – just look how ominous these grey clouds look.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T13:45:42.375Z

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.

This could majorly affect the outcome of the race – a tailwind to the finish would aid any attackers going clear on the Muur, while a headwind puts things in favour of a group sprint.

That injection of pace in the peloton has seen the break’s lead drop to 2:10.

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The race is very much on, though, and the Eikenberg is less than 10km away.

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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.

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Still Soudal-QuickStep lead the peloton as they also begin the Leberd, 2:30 behind the peloton.

Ahead, the break are off the cobbles and onto the Leberg climb again.

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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.

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The facial expressions in the peloton are becoming more focussed and strained as the race intensifies.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

They’re on the cobbles!

The gap between the peloton and leaders has come down some more, to 2:30.

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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.

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Crash in the peloton, with Kaden Groves involved.

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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.

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Before the Leberg is the Haaghoek cobbled sector, ahead of which the fight for position is already happening in the peloton.

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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.

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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 peloton are finished with the cobbled section, now just under three minutes behind the five leaders.

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The pace is steady on these cobbles, with no team wanting to lay the hammer down so early in the race.

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NSN are leading the peloton, in service of their leader Biniam Girmay.

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Crash for Matej Mohorič. After such a tough 2025 season, that is not the start to his campaign the Slovenian would have wanted.

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.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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.

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A second DNF to report – Dylan Vandenstorme of Team Flanders – Baloise.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

We’re into the second half of the race, and things have calmed a little, with the gap allowed to grow back up to over 2:30.

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Another angle of the riders ascending the Eikenberg earlier.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The pace is up in the peloton, and the gap down – now to just below two minutes.

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Vergaerde had to abandon because of a crash.

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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.

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The peloton going up the Eikenberg earlier. They’ll take the climb on again later in the day.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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.

The pace has calmed down during this long section in between climbs. As a result, the break’s lead is up to over four minutes.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Mathias Vacek in the peloton, who impressed at last year’s edition and is an outsider for the win today.

“I’m good, feeling good, I spent some days at a training camp and building up the shape towards the Classics and building up towards the Classics,” Vacek told Cyclingnews. “I’m in good shape so we’ll see what happens.”

As for the presence of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) in Omloop, and how much that changes things, Vacek said, “Well the start list is always strong and full and if it’s not Mathieu it’s someone else. So I will try to follow and take my chance.”

The wind is always a big factor in Nieuwsblad and particularly if it’s a tailwind, that will help form the breaks. “We can expect a big fight there and for sure we have to be attentive to the wind and just focus because anything can happen anywhere and probably the race will open a bit earlier than usual.”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Still the gap between the five leaders and the peloton remains at just under four minutes.

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.

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Gianni Vermeersch in the peloton, one of the representatives of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team.

“We’ve got Jordi [Meeus, fast finisher and allrounder], we’ve got Gianni Vermeersch who’s moved across with us [from Alpecin] the Van Dijke brothers (Mick and Tim) doing their first race, and I think everyone’s fit and healthy,” their DS Oli Cookson told Cyclingnews before the start.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve got the favourite but we’ve got a strong team and I think we’ve seen over the last 10 to 15 years the winners of this race have been, not a surprise, but probably not the actual favourites. So that’s where using the strength and depth of the team and communicating come into play.”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Still the break’s lead remains healthy, now up to about 3:50.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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 riders are over the first uphill obstacle of the day, the Leberg.

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Wet cobblestones, grizzled-looking cyclists – the Spring Classics are well and truly upon us!

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The lead remains round 3:30, as they near the second cobbled sector, and the first climb of the day – the Leberg.

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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.”

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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.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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It’s begun to drizzle out there! The rain that was forecasted is materialising.

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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.