Former road race world champion Mathieu van der Poel will start his season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium this weekend, his Alpecin–Premier Tech team announced on Wednesday.
One-day expert Van der Poel ended his winter cyclo-cross campaign unbeaten earlier this month before turning his focus to the road, starting on Saturday with the maiden Classic of the campaign.
After Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the 31-year-old will also ride at Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, 3 Saxo Classic, In Flanders Fields (previously known as Gent-Wevelgem), Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix.
"After a few focused weeks of preparation, he now feels race-ready and confident to line up at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the opening race in Belgium," Alpecin-Premier Tech said.
"His programme for the remainder of the spring mirrors last season's successful structure," they added.
Van der Poel, a Tour de France and Giro d'Italia stage winner, is among the leading contenders for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.