The opening weekend marks an important moment in our season. Our riders, led by the tireless Dominique Arnould across most Belgian classics, will benefit from a strong calendar during this Flemish spring campaign.
The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will be the first WorldTour race of the 2026 season, the one that will draw all eyes. For this event, the sporting directorate made a bold choice: the inclusion of five debutants. Thomas Bonnet, Alexys Brunel, Thomas Gachignard, Samuel Leroux, and Baptiste Vadic will discover the circuit, while Sandy Dujardin already raced here in 2023.
They will, however, be able to rely on a seasoned campaigner in Anthony Turgis. With seven previous participations, he is one of the most experienced riders on the start line. His experience will be a major asset in guiding his teammates.
Opening weekend is always a special moment. You really feel the season kicking off. These are races I love—intense and with a strong focus on positioning. I will line up at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with determination. The goal is to be active, always in the mix, and ready to fight for the win at the line. The team is fortunate to contest great classics throughout the spring. These are demanding races, but we have strong cards to play to chase solid results. We will race with ambition.
The following day, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne will offer a beautiful Sunday on Flemish soil. The roster will be partly reshuffled, notably with the return of Emilien Jeannière to Belgium. He will be supported by his Breton lead-out men Florian Dauphin and Pierre Thierry in the event of a sprint finish.
Strong rouleurs like Alexys Brunel, Samuel Leroux, or Rayan Boulahoite could also try their luck in the break. Baptiste Vadic will focus on supporting his teammates through the few cobbled sections of the course.
The opening weekend will also mark the season start for the U19 riders of CREF. For their first outing of the season, Robin Brugier, Lucas Bulteau, Timothée Joyez, Axel Roy, Amael Tarou, and Tom Gazeau—already notable in the 2025 edition—will contest the 131 km junior race of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
