Mathieu van der Poel considers debut in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Will we see Mathieu van der Poel on Saturday, February 28, in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad? It’s a possibility. The leader of Alpecin–Premier Tech told our camera on Sunday (after his victory in the Benidorm World Cup) that participating in the Flemish season opener is an option.

"It’s in the back of my mind, but I haven’t made any decision yet," said Van der Poel, who has never raced the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad before. If he chooses to include the race in his program this year, he will definitely face his eternal rival Wout van Aert. The Belgian from Team Jumbo–Visma | Lease a Bike has already confirmed that he will kick off his season with the Omloop.

Van der Poel’s road race schedule for 2026 has not yet been revealed. The Dutchman, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Monday, still has three cyclo-cross races to go. Next weekend, he will start in the last World Cups of the season, in Maasmechelen (January 24) and Hoogerheide (January 25). On February 1 comes his major goal of this winter: the World Championships in Hulst.