Omloop veteran Naesen keeps it simple: "You'll definitely see those 4 names on the Muur"

The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad marks Saturday's start of the Flemish classics season. Oliver Naesen is pretty much Mr. Omloop in the current peloton, having participated eleven times. The Belgian has finished in the top ten five times and never worse than 31st, so it is not a bad idea to give a call to the friendly cyclist from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. IDLProCycling.com did that right before the Omloop.

On the question, "How are things?" Naesen replied, "Fit as a fiddle," which is always a good sign. "Everything went smoothly. I encountered no problems this winter except for a few minor things. But then again, with two children at home, you can't avoid that." So Naesen is ready and communicated that through his team's communications. "The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is a kind of first day of school."

Oliver, what were your first days of school like in the past?
"Gosh, that was a long time ago. I was always very happy when I had a vacation and to see my friends at school again after the vacation. Now it's the same, but there won't be much time to talk to the guys we haven't seen yet."

Will you be ready for action from kilometer 0?
"Not right away. It's 200 kilometers, and the final starts 70 kilometers from the finish, but a lot will have happened before then. You have to watch the preparatory races to catch up, which is not true in the Omloop."

Those preparatory races attract fewer and fewer riders because many men come to the Omloop from altitude training.
"That is a trend that is becoming more established every year. I have also been sleeping in my altitude chamber at home for three weeks. That was more the big tour preparation in the past, but now that also happens in the winter."

Does that make it more difficult to assess where those men stand?
"In the classics, the same riders are often the best year in, year out. If you name ten usual suspects, you won't be far from the top ten. Every year, there is a surprise or two, but it's still hard to predict who will win."

Read more below the photo!

Naesen: "There aren't many riders who can climb the Muur faster than me"

Multiple blocks exist with Visma | Lease a Bike, UAE Emirates-XRG, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, and Lidl-Trek. Is that an advantage or a disadvantage?  
"It doesn't make much difference to me. I know there aren't many riders on the Muur who can climb faster than me. But hey, if you're part of such a strong team, there's a greater chance that the chase won't get going."

Do you have any riders you're explicitly going to keep an eye on?
"Men like Van Aert, Wellens, De Lie and Stuyven. There is a good chance they will be in the top ten. Three out of four are very fast. Wellens will have to be in a smaller group, but you will see those names on the Muur anyway. Someone new may join them, but..."

Names like Vacek, Morgado, and Magnier are also frequently mentioned. Is that all just hype?
"A guy like Morgado is a much better rider than I am, but that doesn't mean he's going to finish ahead of me. They are both fantastic riders. The same goes for Magnier; if he's still there and can ride the race intelligently, he could win on his first attempt. But it's not that simple."

Read more below the photo!

Naesen uses his experience to do well in Omloop

What is your goal?
"If I finished seventh, I wouldn't be too happy or sad. My goal is to finish in the top five. I know there are better riders than me, but experience can get you far. I also have a good sprint and fast equipment, so anything is possible."

In the Ruta del Sol, you seemed to be doing well. Is that a fair assessment?
"Yes, yes. I'm really in good shape. My winter was good, and I now know the ins and outs of training and preparation. I didn't do anything crazy. I tried going uphill once, but that went quite quickly. And I started getting involved in the sprint to get that final feeling back. It all went well, so that gives me confidence."

"Last year, I was fourth in the Omloop, but the build-up was less ideal. In a different way, because my son was born on February 3rd. So you can imagine what those weeks were like. Then I went to the Ruta, but it was canceled. So, in the end, the Omloop was my first race day. You can go far with knowledge of the course and the right strategy, but now I feel stronger even if that doesn't automatically result in a better result. With these legs, a lot is possible."

This is the first time you are racing without the French, but how are roles allocated at Decathlon AG2R?
"There are four of us protected riders. Stefan Bissegger can race aggressively until the final, as can Stan Dewulf and Rasmus Sojberg Pedersen. Rasmus is a young rider, and we expect a lot from him on the team. he also has a free role. I can then take it easy until the Berendries or Muur. I am the man up front, but that does not mean the others cannot race. That would not be necessary because, on paper, we are not strong enough."

Naesen talks about the Visma | Lease a Bike helmet: "Could be a game changer"

And in Kuurne?
"The peloton will determine the course of the race there. I expect Visma to race in the hills, and they could get far ahead, but if the rest of the peloton wants to sprint, there will be a sprint. That is what I expect. If the Milans and Merliers get an entire team at their disposal and race for the sprint... we also have Sam Bennett for that scenario."

You already said in December that you have fast jerseys for those sprints.
(laughs) "Nice outfits are very fast and pay off in the results. So I'm not making a fool of myself with my statements."

Visma now rides around with a kind of Calimero helmet. We hear a lot about cranks, and tire pressure systems have also made a comeback. Is this becoming the trend, or is there a good marketing strategy behind it?
"It's something different every year. We have known for a long time that the head is crucial for the aerodynamic profile, so a fast helmet has a huge effect. If you can save 10 to 15 watts with it, you can't resist. I would wear it myself, but it looks terrible. Too bad, right?"

"But it could be a game changer, and then we'll all be on board. Do you remember Alexander Kristoff's Giro helmet, with which he won Milan-Sanremo and other races? It was precisely like a BMX helmet, impossible to put on. But sooner or later, we all rode with one anyway."

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