, previously Omloop Het Volk, is a one-day road cycling race in Belgium, held annually in late February. It is the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, as well as the first race of the year in Northwestern Europe, and holds significant prestige because of it. Since 2017, the race has been part of the UCI World Tour, cycling's top-tier professional events.
The race starts in Ghent, Flanders, and finishes in Ninove, Flanders. The race route covers the hills in the Flemish Ardennes, marking the start of the cobbled classics season in Europe. Due to its early calendar date, it is characterized by often cold weather, coming as a contrast to the early-season stage races in the Middle East and Southern Europe. The day after the , Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne completes the opening weekend. The race is named after the newspaper sponsoring the event – Het Volk from 1947 to 2009, and Het Nieuwsblad from 2009 to present.
Since 1950, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad U23, a race for under-23 men, has been held on the same day as the men's race.
Since 2006, a women's edition of is held on the same day as the men's race, also starting in Ghent and finishing in Ninove, approximately 130 kilometres in distance. Both events are organized by Flanders Classics. Since 2023, the race is part of the UCI Women's World Tour. The Germans not only allowed and enjoyed the race but helped police the route as well. This led to accusations of collaboration with Nazi Germany. The Ronde's organizers protested that the name was too close to their own – there is little semantic difference between "Ronde" and "Omloop". The Belgian cycling federation demanded Het Volk to change the name of the event, prompting Het Volk to serve as title sponsor of their own race.
In 2009 the former rival newspapers Het Volk and Het Nieuwsblad merged, causing the event to be renamed Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for its 64th edition. Since 2010, the race has been organised by Flanders Classics. Until 2016, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was ranked as a 1.HC event of the UCI Europe Tour; since 2017, it is included in the UCI World Tour. In modern times, organizers rely heavily on weather forecasts and adjust the course if some sectors are deemed unsafe. Unrelated to the weather, the 1960 race was cancelled following a disagreement between the organizers and cycling's ruling body UCI.
Belgian opening race
Traditionally the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, the race holds particular importance for Belgian cyclists. Throughout its history, Belgian riders, comfortable with cold weather and aided by large, supportive crowds, have dominated the race. Belgians have won 56 editions, although, exemplary for the growing international status of the race, they have only won four of the last ten editions. In 1948 Italian cycling icon Fausto Coppi won the race, but was disqualified for receiving an illegal wheel-change.
The record for wins is three, shared by Joseph Bruyère, Ernest Sterckx and Peter van Petegem. Bruyère holds the fastest average (43.35 km/h) for his 1975 win. Other notable winners include Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens, Johan Museeuw, Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd.
Route
thumb|180px|left|Route of the [[2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad|2015 edition]]
starts in Ghent, East Flanders, and addresses the Flemish Ardennes in the south of the province, featuring numerous short climbs.
At 200 kilometres and with 13 climbs in the hill zone, the course is challenging and arduous. Additionally, there are several flat stretches of cobbles. This was reversed for the 2017 race.
Both the official start and finish were traditionally on Ghent's largest square, Sint-Pietersplein. Every seven years however, when Easter comes early in the year, the square is booked for the annual Mid-Lent fair and organizers need to find different locations. In 2016 and 2017, the Citadel city park, next to the Kuipke velodrome, served as start location. The finish was on the Emile Clauslaan thoroughfare, near the starting place. The finish in Ninove is on the Elisabethlaan, which gradually slopes uphill.
thumb|Podium of the [[2008 Omloop Het Volk: Nick Nuyens, Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd.]]
thumb|Podium of the [[2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad|2015 event: Niki Terpstra, winner Ian Stannard and Tom Boonen.]]
thumb|[[2016 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad|2016 podium: Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet and Tiesj Benoot.]]
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|↓ "Omloop van Vlaanderen" ↓
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|↓ "Omloop Het Volk" ↓
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|↓ "Omloop Het Nieuwsblad" ↓
Multiple winners
Riders in italics are active
{| class="wikitable"
! Wins
! Rider
! Editions
|-
| align=center rowspan= 3 | 3 || || 1952, 1953, 1956
|-
| || 1974, 1975, 1980
|-
| || 1997, 1998, 2002
|-
| align=center rowspan= 14 | 2 || || 1945, 1951
|-
| || 1949, 1950
|-
| || 1970, 1972
|-
| || 1971, 1973
|-
| || 1977, 1978
|-
| || 1969, 1979
|-
| || 1982, 1983
|-
| || 1984, 1985
|-
| || 1990, 1992
|-
| || 1993, 1994
|-
| || 2000, 2003
|-
| || 2006, 2008
|-
| || 2014, 2015
|-
| || 2016, 2017
|}
Wins per country
{| class="wikitable"
! Wins|| Country
|-
| 58 ||
|-
| 6 ||
|-
| 5 ||
|-
| rowspan = 2 | 2 ||
|-
|
|-
| rowspan= 6 | 1 ||
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|}
Women
Since 2006, there has been a women's version of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Held on the same day as the men's event, it uses much of the same roads and equally opens the women's cycling season in Northern Europe. Recent editions of the race have been around to in length, featuring eight climbs and six sections of cobbles. In 2021, the race became part of the UCI Women's ProSeries, before being promoted to the UCI Women's WorldTour in 2023.
, Dutch riders Suzanne de Goede, Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten and Sweden's Emma Johansson have won the race twice.