Mathieu van der Poel explores key sections of the Omloop with familiar face

Mathieu van der Poel is back in Belgium after a few weeks of training under the Spanish sun. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider will make his debut in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, so it’s a good idea to preview the course. Van der Poel did just that on Thursday with an old friend: Greg Van Avermaet.

Van der Poel and Van Avermaet know each other well, not only from their shared years in the pro peloton. They often ride together in Spain, and also frequently go for running or even swimming sessions.

For example, during the winter months Van der Poel joined Van Avermaet in the water, and there was a reason for that. The Olympic champion from Rio was then preparing for the Triathlon World Championships in Marbella. The former pro cyclist even got the Dutchman to swim a bit alongside him.

The two cycling friends were seen on the Flemish (cobblestone) roads on Thursday, scouting the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad route. With Van Avermaet, Van der Poel had a great companion on the ride, as the now 40-year-old Belgian won the Flemish season opener in 2015 and 2016. For Van der Poel, this will be his first participation in the WorldTour race.

It was unclear for a long time whether he would take part in the Omloop, but on Wednesday morning, good news arrived. "After a few solid weeks on the bike, Mathieu feels race-ready and will line up at the start of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad," his team announced the decisive news.