Omloop Het Nieuwsblad men LIVE

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

2026-02-28T14:14:39.104Z

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

2026-02-28T14:14:08.344Z

Tom Pidcock, adrift somehere far down the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T14:11:23.280Z

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.

2026-02-28T14:10:15.387Z

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.

2026-02-28T14:08:16.007Z

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

2026-02-28T14:06:25.697Z

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

2026-02-28T14:05:53.638Z

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.

2026-02-28T14:05:12.516Z

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

2026-02-28T14:04:30.100Z

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

2026-02-28T14:04:01.831Z

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

2026-02-28T14:03:02.636Z

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

2026-02-28T14:00:53.898Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:59:41.708Z

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

2026-02-28T13:59:11.677Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:57:17.375Z

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

2026-02-28T13:56:50.023Z

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

2026-02-28T13:56:33.146Z

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

2026-02-28T13:56:12.772Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:54:17.766Z

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

2026-02-28T13:52:33.576Z

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

2026-02-28T13:51:39.821Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:49:18.106Z

Both riders are up on their feet again.

Two UAE riders down – Rui Oliveira and Rune Herregodts.

2026-02-28T13:48:03.391Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:37:18.564Z

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

2026-02-28T13:36:44.727Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:33:59.293Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:31:42.641Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:30:57.597Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:28:18.612Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:27:00.890Z

Crash in the peloton, with Kaden Groves involved.

2026-02-28T13:25:33.907Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:21:54.753Z

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

2026-02-28T13:14:57.336Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:13:29.195Z

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.

2026-02-28T13:06:39.883Z

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

2026-02-28T13:05:18.650Z

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

2026-02-28T13:03:59.478Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:57:36.691Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T12:53:56.501Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:49:11.780Z

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

2026-02-28T12:48:35.194Z

(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.

2026-02-28T12:41:05.037Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:36:43.597Z

Vergaerde had to abandon because of a crash.

2026-02-28T12:35:31.653Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:31:00.674Z

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

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T12:28:22.324Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:17:50.884Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T12:12:52.207Z

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.

2026-02-28T12:05:25.808Z

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.

2026-02-28T11:57:30.432Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T11:54:27.345Z

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.

2026-02-28T11:43:33.958Z

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.

2026-02-28T11:36:57.782Z

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.”

2026-02-28T11:34:46.485Z

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.

2026-02-28T11:31:48.714Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-02-28T11:30:28.588Z

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

2026-02-28T11:27:39.867Z

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.