The modern Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is a race that, just as much as the hills and cobbles, can be defined by the weather, and more specifically, the wind.
In recent years, we've seen long-range solo breakaway victories, and we've seen almost full-on bunch sprints. What kind of racing we're going to get on Saturday depends to a significant extent on which way the wind is blowing and how strongly it's blowing.
The good news for fans of open, attacking racing is that Flanders is forecast to receive a brisk south-westerly, which crucially would make for a tailwind finale.
The final climbs of both the men's and women's Omloops are the Muur Van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg, the latter of which tops out over 10km from the line in Ninove. The route from the Bosberg runs in a north-easterly direction until the final 5km, when it turns a little more to the north.
Some recent editions have seen headwinds that have stifled attacks and even brought a bunch back together on the run-in, such as when Davide Ballerini won the men's race in 2021. A decent tailwind, however, gives the splits and selections that may have occurred over the Muur and Bosberg – and indeed before that – a much greater chance of staying away.
The forecasts suggest winds of 30kph blowing from the southwest, with gusts much stronger. What's more, there's a high chance of rain in the afternoon, which makes things that little bit tougher, especially when it comes to grip on the cobblestones.
Temperatures are in the single digits, but the high single digits, so not the Arctic conditions we've seen at Opening Weekend over the years.
"Those who thought it would be a beautiful ride will be disappointed," local weather expert Frank Deboosere told Het Nieuwsblad.
"It will take a strong Flandrian to triumph in Ninove. I expect a real spectacle."
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