As it is often the case, Etixx-QuickStep will not have do a course reconnaisaince ahead of Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

"Most of our guys know the region very well. The climbs are still the same as in other years. Some riders have just arrived from Oman and it is not a good idea to immediately go out and check the course," team leader Wilfried Peeters tells Het Nieuwsblad. "Furthermoe, that region is the training area of riders like Iljo Keisse, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck and Stijn Vandenbergh. Only Zdenek Stybar and Matteo Trentin will do the final 70 kilometers on Friday."

"The weather forecast for next Saturday is favorable. It seems it will remain dry," Peeters says.

Most of their rival teams are taking a look at the course today when the weather in Belgium is very bad.