Tom Pidcock is regarded as one of the crucial favourites for Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, even supposing he in my view does now not suppose the Flemish race fits him.
The Briton is on shape and upbeat after his transfer from Ineos Grenadiers to Q36.5 and received two levels and the whole classification on the Saudi Excursion after which received a level eventually week’s Vuelta a Andalucia from a breakaway and completed 3rd total.
Pidcock will face Wout van Aert (Visma-Rent a Motorcycle), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), 2024 winner Jan Tratnik (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Nils Politt (UAE Group Emirates-XRG) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto).
2025 marks the eightieth version of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, with the race once more beginning within the ‘t Kuipke velodrome in Gent with a rock live performance taste staff presentation sooner than racing for 197km over 11 Flemish climbs and 8 sections of cobblestone roads en path to the end in Ninove. The overall comprises the long-lasting Muur van Geraardsbergen, often referred to as the Kapelmuur, sooner than the paved climb of the Bosberg, simply 12km from the end in Ninove.
With the Excursion of Flanders most effective 5 weeks and Strade Bianche per week away, the season steps up hugely at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
Pidcock completed 8th in 2024, within the chase staff simply in the back of Tratnik and was once 5th in 2023, in a equivalent staff in the back of solo winner Dylan van Baarle. He’s fascinated to peer what he can do so 12 months however could also be wary.
“Omloop Nieuwsblad is always an interesting race. It’s the first one-day race where everyone can really gauge how they came out the winter,” Pidcock mentioned when Q36.5 showed their ultimate line-up.
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“I’ve never been on the podium in the Omloop. If I could manage that I would be very happy because I don’t think it suits me perfectly. However, I know my shape is good and it’s important to keep building on the momentum I have created with the team.”
Supporting Pidcock in the Q36.5 roster are Rory Townsend, Jannik Steimle, Frederik Frison, Nick Zukowsky, Kamil Małecki and Fabio Christen.
Like some of the big favourites, Pidcock will not race Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne which is more suited to the sprinters. He will instead recover and rest up for a busy block of racing in Italy that includes Strade Bianche, Torino-Adriatico and MIlan-San Remo.
Q36.5 have selected sprinters Matteo Moschetti and Giacomo Nizzolo for Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, with support from Nicoló Parisini, Rory Townsend, Frederik Frison, Kamil Małecki and Jannik Steimle.
Another Q36,5 squad will race in southern France at the Faun-Ardèche Classic on Saturday and the Faun Drome Classic as the fight for vital UCI ranking points continues.
Xabier Mikel Azparren, Matteo Badilatti, Walter Calzoni, Sjoerd Bax, Marcel Camprubí, Milan Vader and Hurt Vanhoucke will experience each races.
