Team LottoNL-Jumbo is heading into the opening classics weekend in Belgium with Lars Boom and Dylan Groenewegen as its leaders. Both will race the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday.

72nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

This year the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad steps up into the WorldTour and takes on more importance considering the points on offer as well as the usual prestige associated with the classic cobbled race starting and ending in Ghent.

The race, formerly Omloop Het Volk, takes in many of Belgium’s famous cobbled sectors and climbs. It will mark the first battle together for many of the big classic stars.

Boom, back in the team after racing with Astana in past years, hopes to score quickly. If it should come to a good-sized group sprint then Groenewegen will take control. He has shown in the past that he can handle the Flemish roads. In 2014, the sprinter won the under 23 Tour of Flanders.

Saturday 25 february - 72nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Riders:

Lars Boom

Jos van Emden

Dylan Groenewegen

Gijs Van Hoecke

Tom Leezer

Timo Roosen

Bram Tankink

Maarten Wynants

Sports Director: Jan Boven and Nico Verhoeven

Mechanics: Vincent Hendriks, Ruud Beurskens, Tony Arts

Soigneurs: Dries Bos, Dimitri Van Boxstael, Maarten Mimpen, Stefaan Lauwaert

Busdriver: Piet de Vos

Doctor: Gert Wielink

Osteopath: Bjorn Vanmelkebeke

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

The day after, February 26, many of the same cyclists will head to Kuurne for the 200-kilometre Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. It is traditionally one for the sprinters, so Groenewegen will lead the eight-man team.

In 2016, Groenewegen finished fourth behind the breakaway that gobbled up the top spots. This year, he hopes to sprint for the win.

Boom and Groenewegen both start in this UCI 1.HC race. The preliminary selection consists of eleven riders. The final selection will be decided after the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Sunday 26 february - Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (UCI 1.HC)

Riders:

Amund Grøndahl Jansen

Robert Wagner

Lars Boom

Twan Castelijns

Jos van Emden

Gijs Van Hoecke

Tom Leezer

Bram Tankink

Maarten Wynants

Dylan Groenewegen

Timo Roosen

Sports Director: Jan Boven and Nico Verhoeven

Mechanics: Vincent Hendriks, Ruud Beurskens, Tony Arts

Soigneurs: Dries Bos, Dimitri Van Boxstael, Maarten Mimpen, Stefaan Lauwaert

Busdriver: Piet de Vos

Doctor: Gert Wielink

Osteopath: Bjorn Vanmelkebeke