Mohorič and Wright lead Bahrain in Omloop and Kuurne, young talent Van Mechelen also gets his chance

Bahrain Victorious will rely on familiar names for the opening weekend of the classics. Matej Mohorič will be the team leader for both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, but Fred Wright will also get the opportunity to chase his own success. The team is banking on its collective strength and hopes for a tough weekend of racing.

Team director Michal Golas outlined the plans for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in a press statement. “For Omloop, Matej and Fred will be our leaders,” said the Pole. “They have already shown they work well together, and I hope they can deliver a strong result on Saturday.” So far this season, it has been a case of near-misses for Mohorič and Wright, with the Slovenian finishing second and the Brit placing fourth in the overall standings at the Tour de la Provence.

Without a superstar like Wout van Aert or Tom Pidcock in their ranks, Bahrain Victorious is aiming for a hard race where multiple riders can play a role. “As the first classic of the season, it will be a tough and stressful race with extra tension in the peloton, so we need to stay focused. The final selection will likely happen on the Muur and the Bosberg, where we expect Matej, Fred, and Robert (Stannard, ed.) to be in contention for a strong result.” The team will also include Andrea Pasqualon, Kamil Gradek, Matevz Govekar, and Roman Ermakov.

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(Flemish) youth get the chance in Kuurne

In Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Bahrain Victorious makes two changes. Gradek and Ermakov make way for young sprinters Alberto Bruttomesso and Vlad Van Mechelen. "It's a different scenario for Kuurne because we have a rider who will ride his first classic. Vlad Van Mechelen will start for the first time, and he is extremely motivated to prove his talent." For the sprint, the team can count on Govekar. "But we anticipate a tricky middle section, where many teams want to force something."

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Van Aert, Tratnik and De Lie, but no Van der Poel, Pedersen, or Pogacar: This is the preliminary start list for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

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