Bahrain Victorious head into the start of the UCI WorldTour calendar in Europe this weekend with the 81st edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on 28 February, with the 78th edition of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne following the next day, marking the traditional Opening Weekend of the Classics season.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad covers 207 kilometres from Gent to Ninove and provides the first true test on the cobbles for the peloton in 2026. The race signals the beginning of the Classics campaign and sets the tone for the weeks ahead.
Matej Mohorič will lead Bahrain Victorious’ ambitions, supported by new signings Attila Valter and Pau Miquel, alongside local Belgian Alec Segaert. Vlad Van Mechelen offers another protected option within the line-up, while Kamil Gradek will serve as road captain in a race where positioning and experience are critical.

Sports Director Michał Gołaś said:
“We are very excited. We’ve been planning this weekend for a couple of months already and I just hope everything is ready. The boys are doing well and I think the whole group is in good shape, so we go there with high hopes.
The race is quite similar to previous years. It will be decided on the loop with Haaghoek, Leberg, later Berendries and then the final on the Muur and Bosberg, which has already proven to be the key moment in previous editions, and I think that will again be decisive.
Matej will be our leader and he will be protected. We will do everything so that he can ride smoothly through the middle part of the race and be able to follow the attacks in the final. We also have Vlad as another protected rider. He is in great shape and I think we might see some good things from him.
Alec Segaert gives something extra to our team with his local knowledge and I think he can be a key guy for us in the final. Robert Stannard is coming back in good shape after Australia, this weekend was one of his goals, and he always rides aggressively, so we would like to use him in an offensive way during the race. Kamil Gradek, as our road captain, will make sure we are always in the right place and will give full support to the leaders.
We need to ride smart, use our experience, have numbers in the final and then, based on the situation, decide how to approach the last part of the race.”

The following day presents a different challenge in the 194.9-kilometre race from Kortrijk to Kuurne. Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne traditionally offers opportunities for both aggressive Classics riders and sprinters, with weather conditions often determining whether the race finishes in a reduced group or a larger bunch sprint.
For Kuurne, Phil Bauhaus, Alessandro Borgo and Matevž Govekar join Mohorič, Miquel, Gradek and Segaert to form a versatile line-up capable of adapting to multiple race scenarios.

Gołaś added:
“It’s a different race. Usually it’s a big fight between strong Classics riders and sprinters. The weather plays a big role. If the weather is good, the chances for a bunch sprint are bigger. If it’s windy, the race becomes more selective.
From around kilometre 90 we have a very hard section with climbs which can really shape the race. We need to see what the situation is after that and then decide on our tactics.
We have a balanced team. Phil, Matevz and Pau are our fast guys and we need to see how they survive the climbs, because it’s a big test for them at this point in the season. But I really believe that from this group we can have at least one rider fighting for a result in a sprint. At the same time, we have riders like Matej and Alec who can follow the bigger moves on the hard part of the parcour, so they don’t need to be afraid to go with the strongest guys. Again, Kamil as road captain will be crucial in positioning and support. Finally, Borgo is a real racer and can be up there in the final to play an important role for us.”

Matej Mohorič added:
“Opening Weekend is always a very important goal for me. It’s the start of the Classics season and especially Omloop, where we have done really well in the past. Sonny finished second just behind Wout van Aert one year, and another time I was in a good move but got caught on the finishing straight. So we have good memories there and it’s always nice to start with a strong result.
This winter has gone really, really well. I managed to stay healthy, stay strong and train well, and the same goes for my teammates. We have a really good team spirit. We connected well in the training camps and also in the first races in Spain. I think everyone is very motivated and very strong, and we are ready to fight for a good result in Belgium.”