WaowDeals Pro Cycling is on the brink of the opening of the road season in Europe. Jeroen Blijlevens’ team starts on Saturday in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. “I hope to show as a team that we have been making progress.”

WaowDeals Pro Cycling returned on Monday from a training camp in Spain. The riders completed in 10 days a series of endurance and interval trainings in excellent weather conditions and the Spanish downhill specialist Oscar Saiz improved the team’s downhill skills. There was also an opportunity for teambuilding.

Level improved
Jeroen Blijlevens looks back on a successful training camp where the last groundwork for the European spring races has been carried out. “It is now the big question where we stand which is always difficult to predict, not only for our team, but also for the competition. We have in any case been able to do the preparations which we wanted to do.”

His confidence in the team is big. “The names in the peloton are largely the same as last season. I notice that several of our riders have progressed which became apparent during our preparation in Australia and Spain. The level has increased across the width”, says Jeroen Blijlevens.

New final
With the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (122 kilometres), the riders await a known classic (13th edition) with a completely new final, yet very familiar for most. The organisation dusted off the previous final of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. The finish is now in Meerbeke, the start has been moved to ‘t Kuipke in Ghent.

“We didn’t get to do a recon due to our training camp during the past 2 weeks. Normally we would do this a week prior. Jeanne Korevaar individually scouted the new final”, says Jeroen Blijlevens who supports the choices of the Belgian organisation.

Climbs
The riders can rely on their experiences in the Lotto Belgium Tour of 2017. The last 7 kilometres of the 2nd stage, won by Marianne Vos, are identical to the final of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, while the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg were part of the last stage, won by Anouska Koster.

The riders will complete a total of 8 climbs. “I expect the race to open on the Molenberg, a nice, small cobbled climb.  It is important to be at the front there”, says Jeroen Blijlevens. “Furthermore, I hope Anouska Koster has a good day.  She has more progressed than last year.  But also Jeanne Korevaar and Dani Rowe should be able to do this.”

The line-up for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Rotem Gafinovitz, Jeanne Korevaar, Anouska Koster, Riejanne Markus, Dani Rowe, Monique van de Ree.