The 2023 cobbled classics will get under way on Saturday 25 February with the first race of the opening weekend, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, in Belgium.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad forms part of a two-day weekend of action, with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne following on the Sunday. The race is named after the newspaper that sponsors it, Het Niuewsblad, with Omloop translating roughly to English as loop or lap.
Flanders Classics, the same group responsible for the organisation of the Tour of Flanders, promote both the men’s and women’s versions of the race, which always take place on the same day. The men’s route is typically longer, covering more than 200 kilometres, whereas the women’s race tends to focus on around 120 kilometres.
The race features several iconic cobbled climbs, typical to that region of Belgium, and long associated with cycle racing. It was on one of those climbs, the Bosberg, where Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) launched a stinging attack which would see him ride away solo from his competitors to take an impressive victory at last year’s edition.
Van Aert is set to defend his title this time around, and the race may also feature Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) who has decided to skip the opportunity to defend his cyclocross world title with the aim of a strong start to his classics campaign.
Cycling Weekly will have a full start list for both the men’s and women’s races in the coming weeks.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 route
Cycling Weekly will have all the key information on this years race route in the coming weeks.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 start list
As soon as an official start list is available for the 2023 men's and women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, we'll have it right here on Cycling Weekly.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 TV guide
Full television and broadcast information to follow.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad men's previous winners
2000: Johan Museuw (BEL) Mapei - Quick-Step
2001: Michele Bartoli (ITA) Mapei - Quick-Step
2002: Peter van Petegem (BEL) TVM Farm-Frites
2003: Johan Museeuw (BEL) Quick-Step- Davitamon
2004: No race due to adverse weather
2005: Nick Nuyens (BEL) Quick-Step–Innergetic
2006: Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Française des Jeux
2007: Filippo Pozzato (ITA) Liquigas
2008: Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Française des Jeux
2009: Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervélo TestTeam
2010: Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) Team Sky
2011: Sebastian Langeveld (NED) Rabobank
2012: Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) Garmin–Barracuda
2013: Luca Paolini (ITA) Team Katusha
2014: Ian Stannard (GBR) Team Sky
2015: Ian Stannard (GBR) Team Sky
2016: Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing Team
2017: Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing Team
2018: Michael Valgren (DEN) Astana
2019: Zdeněk Štybar (CZE) Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2020: Jasper Stuyvan (BEL) Trek-Segafredo
2021: Davide Ballerini (ITA) Deceuninck - Quick-Step
2022: Wout van Aert (BEL) Jumbo-Visma
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad women's previous winners
2006: Suzanne de Goede (NED) AA Drink Cycling
2007: Mie Lacota (DEN) Flexipoint
2008: Kirsten Wild (NED) AA Drink Cycling
2009: Suzanne de Goede (NED) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung
2010: Emma Johansson (SWE) Red Sun Cycling Team
2011: Emma Johansson (SWE) Hitec Products-UCK
2012: Loes Gunnewijk (NED) GreenEDGE-AIS
2013: Tiffany Cromwell (AUS) Orica-AIS
2014: Amy Pieters (NED) Skil Koga
2015: Anna van der Breggen (NED) Rabobank-Liv
2016: Lizzie Armitstead (GBR) Boels-Dolmans
2017: Lucinda Brand (NED) Team Sunweb
2018: Christina Malling Siggaard (DEN) Team Virtu Cycling
2019: Chantal Blaak (NED) Boels-Dolmans
2020: Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) Mitchelton-Scott
2021: Anna van der Breggen (NED) Team SD Worx
2022: Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) Movistar
OFFICIAL RACE CHANNELS
Official Twitter channel - @OmloopHNB
Omloop Het Niuewsblad official website
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