Top ten for Ilse Pluimers in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

The Opening Weekend of the spring classics kicked off on Saturday, March 1, with the 17th edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

The 137.9 km course took the riders from Ghent to Ninove, with the finale really beginning after the cobbled section of Jagerij. At 42 km from the finish, the Molenberg also awaited, followed by the Haaghoek – Leberg duo, and the Muur van Geraardsbergen, with the Bosberg as the final key challenge.

Early in the race, a group of five riders broke away with more than 125 km to go and the peloton allowed them to gain a significant advantage before starting the chase. This was a miscalculation as the main group were unable to reel in all the breakaway riders. Ilse Pluimers was part of the chasing group and managed to secure an impressive ninth place in the sprint.

"I didn’t expect this at all," Ilse said afterward. "My first top ten in a WorldTour race! On the climbs, I have to find my own pace because I just can't quite keep up with the very best, but today I recovered super quickly and was able to get back into the rhythm every time. Jolien advised me to position myself on the inside and start my sprint within 200 meters. Thinking back, I probably went at 250 meters already," she laughed. "But in the end, I finished ninth, and I'm really happy with that!"