The peloton explored the Omloop het Nieuwsblad track and saw one of the all-time favorites: “He’s in the mood to win”

Soudal-Quick-Step will face fierce competition from Jumbo-Visma and Eneos Grenadiers, among others, Lambert admits. “But individually you can pit a lot of good riders against that. It’s hard to predict how the race will go and how dominant a team can be. They don’t drive everyone home every year, do they? Our dream scenario is an open, tough track in bad weather. With Davide Ballerini and Casper Pedersen, we also have two fast guys, so they can go in all directions for us. My expectation is Pedersen, Philipsen and then Laporte.”

Lie, lie, lie

Jasper Stuffen He won the Omloop het Nieuwsblad in 2020. “I didn’t really learn much, it was more like a refresher. It’s always good to get back on the cobblestones. I didn’t remember us driving in Eikenmolen these days. (He laughs) I think Omloop is a great race, last year I kept training and was sorry I had to succumb to racing so much. Hope I can share more now. My favorite is Arnaud De Lie, if the wind doesn’t change. At the moment we are in a headwind and that will ensure a closed final. I don’t think I’ve ever run a race against Di Li, but he’s in the mood to win.”

Tim Wellens He wants to score for his new team, Emirates. “I didn’t race here last year, but it’s as bad as ever. The finish is now much better. It was weird with those corners, and now it can be a sprint. But if I could choose, I’d rather arrive alone. De Lai Ho My favourite. Getting him off isn’t that easy, and if you go to the line with him, there’s a good chance of winning.”

Also the leader of Ineos Tom Pidcock De Lai presented himself as the man to beat. “Polling has taught me nothing new compared to last year. This opening weekend isn’t heavy. If it were, it would suit me better. Some people make this race a goal, so it’s going to be hard.”(hc, sfj)