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Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Milram riders open Classics Season in Belgium by VeloNation Press at 12:04 PM EST   comments Categories: Pro Cycling, Spring Classics, Press Release   Team Milram is opening the Spring Classics season this coming weekend with two one-day races in the Belgian region of Flanders. On Saturday is the 64th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (UCI 1.HC), formerly the "Omloop Het Volk". The next day the MILRAM Classics specialists will start in the 62nd Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (UCI 1.1). "We are happy that the Classics seson is finally starting," said Christian Henn, MILRAM's Directeur Sportif. "Servais Knaven, who won Paris-Roubaix in 2001, knows the Classics and will lead our team this weekend. Martin Velits showed his good form in Andalucia and with Gerald Ciolek we have a fast man there, who showed once more in the Mallorca Challenge that he can win on challenging courses." Omloop Het Niuewsblad is being run for the 64th time this year, but for the first time under this name. The traditional race, formerly known as "Omloop Het Volk", runs over a 199 kilometer course from Gent to Lokeren, 20 kilometers away. A total of 11 so-called "hillingen", those short but steep climbs in the heart of the Belgian Classics region, including the Muur van Geraardsbergen, will have to be conquered before the riders come to the finish line. On Sunday, March 1, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne runs over 193 kilometers. Also here are a number of cobblestone passages as well as eight "hillinge". Team MILRAM for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad und Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne: Gerald Ciolek (GER/Ermatingen,SUI), Markus Eichler (GER/Mönchengladbach), Thomas Fothen (GER/Kaarst), Servais Knaven (NED/Meerlen,BEL), Martin Müller (GER/Berlin), Niki Terpstra (NED/Haarlem), Martin Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Peter Wrolich (AUT/Klagenfurt) Directeur Sportif: Christian Henn (GER)       comments Follow @Pro_Cycling Tweet Subscribe via RSS or daily email Contact the editor about this article