35th Omloop van het Waasland, NE

1998 Results     Kemzeke, 170 kms: Winner Geert Omloop said after the race: "For our team, this race is a top classic. Team leader Gaspard Van Peteghem told us at the start that we had to do our best in this race. He said for us this is "our" Ronde van Vlaanderen. It is not as important a race as at Nokere, Waragem and Harelbeke but it it still very important for us." Geert Omloop was considered to be a very lucky winner. "In the early attack with 13 other riders I was with teammate Berry Hoedemakers. I tried to get clear of the peloton twice. But each time the pressure from the TVM team made it impossible for anyone to go clear. But I maintained my hope. It was clear that we had a chance when the fast riders teamed well together - Niko Eeckhout, John Talen and Bart Heirewegh made it possible. I then prepared myself for the final stage of the race. Hoedemakers was doing a lot of work. In the finale, I had luck with my 4th attack. The first 3 attacks were countered by Carl Pauwels who was working for his top rider Niko Eeckhout. The 4th time I went I took Trouve and Ypenburg. There was still 2 kms to go. I gave it everything and saw that everyone except Pauwels was reacting. But I managed to maintain a small lead. It was good enough to take the prize." Shortly after the start of the race 13 riders went clear of the peloton with amateur Luc De Moor attacking that group off the front. The gap grew to more than 5.00 but then strong work by TVM brought the gap down to 3.00 then with 20 kms to go it was less than 30 seconds. There still were 12 riders in the chasing bunch. Results: 1. Geert Omloop (Bel) Spar-RDM 3.12.00 2. Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 0.10 3. Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Ipso-Euroclean 4. John Talen (Ned) Batavus 5. Ronny Assez (Bel) Home Market-Charleroi 6. Kris Gerits (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 2002 7. Berry Hoedemakers (Ned) Spar-RDM 8. Hans De Meester (Bel) Team Gerolsteiner 9. Renger Ypenburg (Ned) Batavus 10. Kristof Trouvé (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 2.00 11. Karl Pauwels (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 12. Darius Strole (Lit) Palmans-Ideal 13. Kurt Van Landeghem (Bel) Elite 14. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) Spar-RDM 15. Nico Renders (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 16. Rik Reinerink (Ned) Batavus 17. Jan Van Velzen (Ned) Batavus 18. Jurgen Vermeersch (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 19. Andy De Smet (Bel) Ipso-Euroclean 20. Hans De Clercq (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 21. Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites 22. Karel Vereecke (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 23. Philip Vereecke (Bel) Ipso-Euroclean 24. Davy Daniëls (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 25. Roger Hammond (Gbr) Palmans-Ideal 26. Andy Vidts (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 27. Jurgen Van Roosbroeck (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 28. Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus 29. Remco Van der Ven (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites 30. Tim Lenaers (Bel) Ipso-Euroclean 2.00 Started: 90 starters