ProTeam Lotto Soudal ready for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

The Flemish spring Classics will traditionally be kicked off this weekend with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday. For the Lotto Soudal Ladies, the Omloop is even the first race of the new cycling season. On the eve of the Opening Weekend, Tim Wellens, Philippe Gilbert and Lotto Soudal Lady Jesse Vandenbulcke share their pre-race thoughts.

In 2019, Tim Wellens was already on the podium of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. With an overall victory at the Etoile de Bessèges a couple of weeks ago, the 29-year-old Lotto Soudal rider showed to be in good shape. The Belgian targets another great result at the Omloop.

“For sure, I have marked the Omloop in my agenda”, starts Tim Wellens. “It’s a really nice race and it’s an important one for the team as well. Leaving the Tour de la Provence was more of a precaution because I didn’t want to take any risks towards the Omloop. It turned out to be the right choice, because the slight sore throat didn’t turn into illness. I’ve prepared well and did everything I could to be ready for the Opening Weekend. I will certainly be at the start with good legs.”

“Together with Philippe Gilbert, I will spearhead the team on Saturday. We both have a good chance to get a nice result, but in the end the legs will do the talking. Also with teammates Van Moer, Frison - who was one of the strongest in last year’s Omloop - and Vermeersch, we still have some other trump cards. Guys like Andreas Kron and Stefano Oldani will have their first taste of the cobbles, but they’ve made a really strong impression the past weeks.”

“Designating the main favourite is difficult. There will be a lot of riders without any racing kilometres at the start, so it’s hard to know who’s going well and who’s not. But also the riders without any competition in the legs definitely have a chance of winning. So in my opinion, there are a lot of contenders”, Wellens concludes.

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Philippe Gilbert knows the Omloop all too well, as the Lotto Soudal rider has already won the race twice (2006 and 2008). Also in his 15^th participation, Gilbert starts with healthy ambitions.

“The pain in my knee is getting better and better every week, which gives me some peace of mind”, begins Philippe Gilbert. “Not only is the Omloop an important race for Lotto Soudal, it is also an important appointment for me. I am not yet in top shape as my real goals are situated a little later in the season. The basic level of fitness is definitely there, but you have to be 100% to go for the victory in the Omloop. I am not at my best just yet. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be riding for the best result possible. We have a very strong team at the start and Tim has already shown his good form at Etoile de Bessèges. So we can start the race with healthy ambitions. It’s - due to the various cancellations - hard to predict who’s in good shape, but I think that Alaphilippe is definitely one of the main favourites.”

“My first Omloop victory dates from fifteen years ago. With the finish in Lokeren, it was a completely different race, but of course these are some fantastic moments to look back on. The course has changed a lot over the years, but it is and always will be a beautiful race to win”, concludes Philippe Gilbert. 

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Last Saturday, the Lotto Soudal Ladies did a recon of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad course under a bright February sun. Former Belgian champion Jesse Vandenbulcke will act as the road captain.

“I really look forward to the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad”, says Jesse Vandenbulcke. “First of all, because it is the first race of the year and also because it is so close to my home. I could literally go to the start on foot. After my injury last year, which made me miss the Omloop, I am even more happy now to be at the start in Ghent.”

“One year ago, I was wearing a neck brace because I broke a cervical vertebra due to a crash at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana. That was quite tough. I saw my spring season – which I would ride in the Belgian champion’s jersey - go up in smoke. On the other hand, that crash and the lockdown last year made me realise how much I love racing and what cycling means to me. I try to get something positive out of every difficult situation.”

“I know the roads of the Omloop like the back of my hand. I know when it’s important to be in front and which will be the crucial points on the course. On Saturday, it will be very important to be at the front of the race and to lose as little energy as possible, because there is a chance that echelons will be formed. There will be no waiting until the hill zone, so it will be important to be attentive from the start”, concludes Jesse Vandenbulcke.

Line-up Lotto Soudal Ladies: Lone Meertens, Hanna Nilsson, Abby-Mae Parkinson, Anna Plichta, Jesse Vandenbulcke and Elise Vander Sande.

Line-up Lotto Soudal WorldTeam: Frederik Frison, Philippe Gilbert, Andreas Kron, Stefano Oldani, Brent Van Moer, Florian Vermeersch and Tim Wellens.

Photo credit: Photo News