The Flemish classics kick off this Saturday with the 74th running of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

While Omloop may not carry the prestige of the Tour of Flanders, its position as the first cobbled classic on the calendar means it draws a top field of classics racers—and foreshadows what we can expect to see about a month later at De Ronde.

In 2018 the route of Omloop was reconfigured to include the ascent of the Muur van Geraardsbergen as its penultimate climb. For hardcore fans who think the Tour of Flanders has never been the same since the relocation of the Muur in 2012, then Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is the race for you. The race finishes outside of Meerbeke, just as Flanders once did.

For 2019, the Omloop route was slightly reconfigured once again, and now boasts 14 cobblestone sections (in comparison to 11 in 2018). Last year Dane Michael Valgren attacked from an elite split of riders and soloed in ahead of a hard charging field. 

Will the extra sections of pavé produce a more select finale? Find out on Saturday.

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