Team Sky out on the cobbles ahead of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

The first semi-Classic of the season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad kicks-off on Saturday, and defending champion Ian Stannard was out on a route reconnaissance on Thursday with Team Sky teammate Luke Rowe.

Former British National Road Race champion Stannard was the first Brit to win the race, which is historically dominated by Belgians, with 54 of the 69 editions of Het Nieuwsblad won by home riders.

Bradley Wiggins will also be on the startline to ride in support of Stannard, as he continues his build-up to Paris-Roubaix.

>>> Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2015 preview

Rowe and Stannard were out training just east of Oudenaarde on the Haaghoek sector of Pavé, which features three times on the course at 59, 110 and 157km, with seven other sectors to take on along the route as well.

They weren't the only ones out training either, as Sep Vanmarcke lead his Lotto.NL-Jumbo out on a recon as he eyes a second win in Het Nieuwsblad after winning the race in 2012.

The Belgian will be hoping for a victory in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix later in the year as well, having already come close to a monument with a second place in Roubaix in 2013 and third in Flanders last year.