McEwen sees Van Aert as the top favorite for Omloop, but one rival will shadow him: "Where Wout goes, he goes too"

No Mathieu van der Poel, no Tadej Pogacar, and no Mads Pedersen—those absences alone make Wout van Aert the top favorite for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. However, the Belgian from Visma | Lease a Bike has yet to show his best form, leaving the door open for plenty of challengers eager to seize their opportunity. Robbie McEwen explains who could surprise the top favorite.

Despite Van Aert's form, the former Australian rider still considers him the man to beat. "For Omloop, I’m going with Wout van Aert," he told Eurosport. "I don’t think he’s at his best yet, but with the Algarve races in his legs and a week of recovery afterward, I think he’ll be strong enough to succeed in Omloop." Earlier this month, Van Aert finished a strong second in the final time trial of the Volta ao Algarve.

"That being said, there are several riders who can be considered major contenders. I’m curious to see how Tom Pidcock will perform—he’s been in great shape since the start of the season. Where Wout goes, he goes too. And he can beat Wout, as we saw in the Ardennes a few years ago." The small British rider shocked many in 2021 by winning Brabantse Pijl, where he outsprinted Van Aert. "It’s going to be thrilling to watch those two battle it out," McEwen eagerly anticipates.

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The millimeter sprint between Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock in the 2021 Amstel Gold Race.

Surprise factor in Omloop: "Rivals know it too"

"But I still pick Wout as the favorite," McEwen remains realistic. "There will be a lot of attention on him, and that can make things difficult. I mean, last year we saw Jan Tratnik win, mainly because all eyes were on the top favorites. That’s what I love about Omloop—unexpected names can take the victory." The Slovenian capitalized on hesitation within the favorites' group in the final kilometers, outsprinting Nils Politt for the win.

Dylan van Baarle claimed victory in 2023 in a similar fashion, seizing the season’s first cobbled classic. Other riders like Davide Ballerini (2021) and Michael Valgren (2018) also managed to surprise the big names. "It’s the first cobbled classic of the season, and everyone knows who the favorites are, but that often works against them. Their rivals know it too. But I’m still sticking with Wout."

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Jan Tratnik was surprisingly the best in last year's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Wuyts sees Pidcock as the clear favorite: "Now he can build up properly"

While the Australian sprinter backs a Belgian, Wuyts is looking elsewhere. He believes Pidcock has turned things around in 2025. After four victories early in the season, the analyst now considers him the top favorite. "He’s going to win Omloop," Wuyts confidently states in his Wuyts & Vlaeminck podcast. "He’s finally showing consistency, whereas before, his performances were all over the place. He’s now fully committed to the road and can hopefully build towards peak moments in a structured way—like it should be, and not just by instinct."

Nathan Van Hooydonck, former teammate of Van Aert, also sees the Brit from Q36.5 Pro Cycling as a major threat. "It was disappointing to see how he rode on the road in recent years because, on paper, everyone considers him one of the six best riders in the world. His arrival has elevated that team as well. They’re lining up on Saturday thinking, ‘We can win this race.’ That’s not something those guys are used to."

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Van Aert tempers expectations after Algarve: "Felt I was getting better every day"

Van Aert himself is keeping his expectations in check. His goals for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad are modest, viewing the classic as a key benchmark for his form. "After the Algarve, it was still too early to evaluate where I stood," he told me earlier. "I think next weekend will be a better indicator. The most important thing is that I felt better each day and took a step forward."

Read also

Wout van Aert let himself get 'fooled' and jokes with stage winner: "He talks slow, but it’s still Dutch"

"Laughable," concludes Wout van Aert amid the chaos: "This just should not happen!"

How can Van der Poel and Van Aert beat Pogacar in the Tour of Flanders? "Attacking before Pogacar is impossible"

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