Tom Boonen, Greg Van Avermaet and friends hit the cobblestones of Belgium to warm up for Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Tom Boonen
Boonen will be hoping for a better result than last year’s Het Nieuwsblad, when he and Etixx-QuickStep team-mates Niki Terpstra and Stijn Vandenbergh were overhauled by Sky’s Ian Stannard.
Credit: Graham Watson
Greg Van Avermaet
BMC leader Van Avermaet chats to Preben Van Hecke as they ride along a smoother part of the route. Van Avermaet was sixth last year, and second in 2014.
Credit: Graham Watson
Wrap up
Having spent the preceding weeks racing in the likes of Qatar, Oman and Australia, it may be a shock to the system for some riders to return to the cold conditions of northern Europe.
Credit: Graham Watson
Team mix
Belgian riders from various teams meet up for a friendly ride on the cobbles: rivalries will only surface when the racing gets underway.
Credit: Graham Watson
Etixx-QuickStep
The Belgian WorldTour outfit will field a full-strength team at Het Nieuwsblad, including Tom Boonen, Niki Terpstra and Tony Martin
Credit: Graham Watson
Stark scenery
When the wind blows in Belgium, it can split a race to pieces. Bad weather plays as much of a part in how the race may unfold as the cobbles and hills, and the lack of shelter along the route can make it a bleak experience.
Credit: Graham Watson
Taking on the cobbles
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is not only a prestigious race in its own right, but also serves as a warm-up to later races such as the Tour of Flanders.
Credit: Graham Watson
Lotto-Soudal
Lotto-Soudal has undertaken a couple of reconnaissance runs on the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad route, as they seek to overturn the dominance of fellow Belgian team Etixx-QuickStep. The team may have to do without André Greipel, as the German fractured a rib in the Volta ao Algarve.
Credit: Graham Watson
