Arnaud De Lie on Omloop route tweaks: “Tactically, that changes quite a bit”

“We’ve had a good recon,” De Lie begins. “It was useful to actually ride those changes in the course, even though I know the Omloop finale perfectly by heart. Maybe the new course suits me even better. In the past we went right after the Berendries, now we go left. That makes it easier for us to organise ourselves.”

“Tactically, that changes quite a bit,” he continues. “We have to race smart. Everyone is looking at one rider, who often attacks on instinct.” De Lie is pointing to Mathieu van der Poel, a rider he was able to match at times last summer. “I have the ability to follow him — I showed that last summer — but you also have to be sensible and not waste everything.”

“The goal is to win, not to finish second or third,” De Lie says bluntly. “If we’re left with two riders with 80 kilometres to go, I know it will be difficult, even if it would reassure me about my form (laughs). I want to try to be there at the decisive moments, when the race turns. If we race intelligently and as one block, we can achieve a lot with this team.”

Berckmoes adds that Opening Weekend brings a different kind of tension, especially with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as his first race of the season. “That the Omloop is immediately my first race does create some healthy tension. The first race is always a benchmark. I think I’m ready. Arnaud and I have already ridden quite a few races together and they’ve always gone well. Who takes on which role will depend on how the race unfolds. But if a decisive group forms, I’d of course prefer that both of us are in it.”

Performance manager Aike Visbeek is also looking forward to Saturday. “Both Jenno and Arnaud haven’t had the easiest winter, but they are at a good level now. This is a first real test and they will keep improving race by race. Today we were able to recon Saturday’s course under perfect conditions and I saw what I needed to see.”

“We’re starting with a stable team,” Visbeek concludes, “with Sébastien Grignard and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk responsible for keeping De Lie and Berckmoes well positioned until the first climb. Then we have the block of Vito Braet, Luca Van Boven and Cédric Beullens to control things before the finale. I think we start this Opening Weekend as outsiders, and we’re looking forward to it.”