Van der Poel decides to race the Omloop Nieuwsblad

Three days out from the race, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has decided to make his 2026 road racing debut at the Omloop Nieuwsblad. "As announced after the Cyclo-cross World Championships, @mathieuvanderpoel waited to complete his first training block before making a final decision on his road return," his team wrote on Instagram. "After a few solid weeks on the bike, he feels race-ready and will line up at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad." Van der Poel will face his longtime rival Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the first race of Opening Weekend, and then his next planned start is at Tirreno-Adriatico. From there it's on to Milan-San Remo, the E3 Saxo Classic, Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix.