Tom Pidcock is taken into account one of many favourites for Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, even when he personally doesn’t suppose the Flemish race fits him.
The Briton is on kind and upbeat after his transfer from Ineos Grenadiers to Q36.5 and gained two levels and the general classification on the Saudi Tour after which gained a stage eventually week’s Vuelta a Andalucia from a breakaway and completed third total.
Pidcock will face Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), 2024 winner Jan Tratnik (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto).
2025 marks the eightieth version of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, with the race once more beginning contained in the ‘t Kuipke velodrome in Gent with a rock live performance model group presentation earlier than racing for 197km over 11 Flemish climbs and eight sections of cobblestone roads en path to the end in Ninove. The ultimate contains the enduring Muur van Geraardsbergen, also called the Kapelmuur, earlier than the paved climb of the Bosberg, simply 12km from the end in Ninove.
With the Tour of Flanders solely 5 weeks and Strade Bianche every week away, the season steps up massively at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
Pidcock completed eighth in 2024, within the chase group simply behind Tratnik and was fifth in 2023, in an analogous group behind solo winner Dylan van Baarle. He is fascinated to see what he can obtain this yr however can be cautious.
“Omloop Nieuwsblad is all the time an fascinating race. It’s the primary one-day race the place everybody can actually gauge how they got here out the winter,” Pidcock mentioned when Q36.5 confirmed their ultimate line-up.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, opinions and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“I’ve by no means been on the rostrum within the Omloop. If I may handle that I might be very completely happy as a result of I don’t suppose it fits me completely. However, I do know my form is nice and it’s vital to maintain constructing on the momentum I’ve created with the group.”
Supporting Pidcock within the Q36.5 roster are Rory Townsend, Jannik Steimle, Frederik Frison, Nick Zukowsky, Kamil Małecki and Fabio Christen.
Like among the massive favourites, Pidcock won’t race Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne which is extra suited to the sprinters. He will as a substitute get better and relaxation up for a busy block of racing in Italy that features Strade Bianche, Torino-Adriatico and MIlan-San Remo.
Q36.5 have chosen sprinters Matteo Moschetti and Giacomo Nizzolo for Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, with assist from Nicoló Parisini, Rory Townsend, Frederik Frison, Kamil Małecki and Jannik Steimle.
Another Q36,5 squad will race in southern France on the Faun-Ardèche Classic on Saturday and the Faun Drome Classic because the struggle for very important UCI rating factors continues.
Xabier Mikel Azparren, Matteo Badilatti, Walter Calzoni, Sjoerd Bax, Marcel Camprubí, Milan Vader and Harm Vanhoucke will trip each races.