This weekend sees the return of one-day racing, with Belgium hosting the first two cobbled semi-Classics of the season.

Saturday will see a field headlined by Classics king Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) bid for victory at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad before Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne returns after snow forced last year’s race to be abandoned.

Sky Sports will be showing highlights of the Omloop, while the latter is to be broadcast live on British Eurosport on Sunday March 2, as pro cycling’s elite tackle the ice-cold cobbled bergs of Belgium.

Boonen will lead a strong OPQS line-up at both races, and will be backed by riders including Tour of Qatar winner, Niki Terpstra, and Stijn Vandenbergh, who produced an impressive performance at last year’s Paris-Roubaix before a spectator stepped in front of him.

World cyclo-cross champion, Zdenek Stybar, another rider who produced a strong performance at last year’s Queen of the Classics, which was almost upset when he swerved to avoid a spectator, will race at the Omloop. Britain’s Andy Fenn will replace Stybar at Kuurne.

Boonen said excitement was building ahead of the Omloop.

“It’s a race a bit different from the other Classics because it’s the first one, but also tactically the teams tend to ride it differently than how they do the other cobbled Classics,” he said.

“There are a lot of riders in good condition and there will be a great fight to stay in the front. But we have a good and balanced team, and we are looking forward to this race to try and get a good result. As usual the wind will be a factor. It will influence the race for sure.”

For those with pre-made plans on Sunday, there will also be regular repeats of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Check out the full television schedule before.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad highlights

Sunday March 2: Sky Sports 4 – 1.00am; Sky Sports 3 – 7.00am

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne live

Sunday March 2: British Eurosport – 1.30pm

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne repeats/highlights

Sunday March 2: Eurosport 2 – 5.30pm, 8.45pm; British Eurosport – 10.00pm
Monday March 3: British Eurosport – 10.30am; Eurosport 2 – 3.00pm