The stakes continued to get higher and higher and the contenders for the upcoming major events continued to come into focus over the past weekend with the introduction of the Cobbled Classics via Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne, while the GC contenders continued their buildup at the UAE Tour and O Gran Camiño.

After a long winter without cobblestone-laden racing, the Spring Classics roared back this weekend with Jumbo-Visma tearing the field to shreds in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne. The rest of the Spring Classics teams have their work cut out for them if they want to challenge Jumbo.

Dylan van Baarle won the 2023 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Dutchman of Jumbo-Visma set up a leading group 40 kilometres from the finish, then went solo at the foot of the Muur van Geraardsbergen to finish alone on the Elisabethlaan in Ninove. Arnaud De Lie was second, Christophe Laporte third.

Feb 23, 2023: As we get ready for Het Nieuwsblad, we find out that Remco Evenepoel can ride in an echelon. Race reports and video from the UAE Tour. Rider news: Big ride for Van Aert, Museeuw on Van Aert, Boonen split, Hermans struggling and Debusschere starts a team. Team news. Race news and E3 Saxo Classic unveils poster.

After the excitement of the first races of the season in warmer climes, the professional peloton moves north and the Belgian cobbles for the first of the Classics. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad starts in Gent on Saturday - Here is the PEZ 'Race Preview'.