Mathieu van der Poel will begin his 2026 road season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, marking the official start of his spring campaign with Alpecin-Premier Tech.

Following the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Van der Poel indicated that he would first complete his initial training block before making a final decision on his road return. After a few focused weeks of preparation, he now feels race-ready and confident to line up at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the opening race in Belgium.

His programme for the remainder of the spring mirrors last season’s successful structure. Tirreno-Adriatico once again serves as the key stage race in preparation for Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the year. The Italian one-day classic traditionally opens the Monument season and remains one of Van der Poel’s major objectives.

After Sanremo, the focus shifts fully to the cobbled Classics. E3 Saxo Classic and In Flanders Fields form the final build-up towards Ronde van Vlaanderen, the second Monument of the spring.

The campaign concludes with Paris-Roubaix, the final Monument of the cobbled season and one of the most prestigious one-day races on the calendar.

The Classics season starts now.