Omloop het Nieuwsblad is one of the most anticipated races on the 2024 cycling calendar as it marks the end of winter and the official start of the season. The riders will all be chomping at the bit to hit the Flandrien cobbles and claim the first classic of the year.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch the Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024 live streams from anywhere with a VPN, and potentially for FREE.
The 2024 Omloop het Nieuwsblad live stream takes place on Saturday (Feb. 24).
► Start time: 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT / 12.30 p.m. GMT / 11:30 p.m. AEDT / 13.30 p.m. CET
• FREE STREAMS — Sporza / RTBF (Belgium)
• U.S. — FloBikes
• U.K. — Discovery+
• Watch anywhere — Try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
Although the peloton has been racing since January 12th at the Tour Down Under, everything up to this point has been practice. Omloop het Nieuwsblad is where the season really starts as the first race of what is known as ‘Opening Weekend’. Set on the same terrain that will play host later in the spring to races such as the E3 Harelbeke, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, this is the first chance for the cobble specialists to test their 2024 legs.
Starting in Ghent and finishing in Ninove the 79th edition will cover 202 kilometres and see the riders tackle many of the famous 'Hellingen' including the Leberg, Kattenberg, Wolvenberg, Molenberg before the run in to the finish. The climbs then come thick and fast towards the end with the Berendries, Elverenberg and finally the famous Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg standing between the riders and the line.
Last year, Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma) soloed to victory ahead of Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) and his teammate Christophe Laporte. This year all eyes will be on another Team Visma - Lease a bike rider, Wout Van Aert. After a strong showing in the Volta ao Algarve he will start as favourite but will face stiff competition from the mountain of talent that will also line up all eager to add this race to their palmarès.
Other big name riders taking to the start line include Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious). Read on for where to watch Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024 online and for free.
The weather is cold at around 6 degrees but set fair so the cobble stones should be dry which will be good news to all those riding.
FREE Omloop het Nieuwsblad live streams
If you live in Belgium then you can look forward to a FREE Omloop het Nieuwsblad live stream in 2024.
Belgium's Sporza and RTBF are both set to serve up a free stream of this one-day UCI World Tour event.
But what if you're based in one of those countries but aren't at home to catch that free Omloop coverage? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?
Don't worry — you can watch via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below.
Omloop het Nieuwsblad 2024 live streams around the world
It's only natural that you might want to watch a 2024 Omloop het Nieuwsblad live stream from your home country, but what if you're not there when the race is on?
Look no further than a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN makes it look as if you're surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you're in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
They're totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We've tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on loads of devices and even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a Belgian service, you'd select Belgium from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Sporza or another streaming service and watch the action.
U.S. Omloop het Nieuwsblad live streams
How to watch the 2024 Omloop het Nieuwsblad live streams in the U.S.
Cycling fans in the U.S. can watch the 2024 Omloop het Nieuwsblad on FloBikes. A subscription will set you back US$149.99 for the year or US$29.99 on a monthly basis.
And if you're currently out of the U.S. but still want to watch the race, then don't forget to explore the ExpressVPN option set out above.
Stream Omloop het Nieuwsblad live in the U.K.
How to watch Omloop het Nieuwsblad live streams in the U.K.
Live coverage of the Omloop het Nieuwsblad will be broadcast on Eurosport and Discovery+.
A 'standard' subscription to Discovery+ which includes Eurosport's cycling coverage will set you back £6.99 per month or £59.99 per year. The package includes year-round cycling streams as well as other live sports including snooker, tennis, motorsports, the Paris Olympic Games, and more.
A premium subscription, which includes all that plus TNT Sports (Premier League, Champions League and Europa League football plus rugby, wrestling, UFC, and MotoGP) costs an additional £29.99 per month.
If you're currently traveling overseas, don't worry, as you can use ExpressVPN to watch from abroad.
How to watch Omloop het Nieuwsblad in Canada
How to watch Omloop het Nieuwsblad live streams in Canada
Cycling fans in the Canada. can watch the 2024 Omloop het Nieuwsblad on FloBikes. A subscription will set you back CAN$150 for the year or CAN$29.99 on a monthly basis.
Not at home right now? Use ExpressVPN or another VPN service to trick your device into thinking you're still in Canada.
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