It's nearly here, one of the most anticipated points on the racing calendar: Opening Weekend. Kicking off with the WorldTour Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and then the lower-level Omloop van het Hageland and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, this weekend marks the start of the major Classics season, and the first big cobbled tests of the spring.
As much as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is very clearly the opener, and an early test in some ways, it is also a major Classic, and a race many, many riders want to win. There are still weeks to go until the Tour of Flanders, but Omloop isn't solely a precursor; it's a big event in itself.
