Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 women's race LIVE - Annemiek van Vleuten's opportunity for title defence hat-trick

Thanks for joining us today! Strade Bianche next week...

Lotte Kopecky also won last year's Strade Bianche, do we reckon she'll be able to back up this week's win with a title defence next Saturday? Tune in next week to find out!

Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) takes third. It's a dream start to the season for SD Worx, who turn last year's second and third place to first and second! What a great race for the first time OHN has been included in the women's World tour calendar, and the first year where the men's and women's winners receive equal prize money.

European champion Lorena Wiebes takes second in the sprint with the chasers!

Lotte Kopecky is the first Belgian woman to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad! She wins her first classic of the season!

Kopecky is still ahead battling away! They just can't catch her

Lots of sprinters in the chasing group still 30 seconds behind, they haven't managed to close down Kopecky's attack.

Kopecky is 30 seconds ahead, can she hold on to claim a famous win?! She's about to turn into a head wind...

It doesn't seem to be van Vleuten's day today as she's struggling in the chasing group due to a mechanical. Movistar still have Sierra as a contender in that second group, but SD Worx are looking strong with Kopecky ahead by 39 seconds. Peloton are 1 minute 30 behind the chasers.

Kopecky launches an attack as she rides up the cobbles of the Bosberg, she goes clear as she powers away. Could she be the first Belgian woman to claim the victory?! She certainly knows the course well as a local rider!

Kopecky catches up with Sierra after a powerful ride up the cobbles. Peloton 13 seconds behind. Wiebes and Vollering in the chasing group, SD Worx looking strong.

Sierra begins the climb up the Muur, 32 seconds ahead. Former Belgian champion Kopecky powers up ahead of the group with Georgi close behind.

No change at the moment, experienced Cuban rider Sierra remains at the front with the group 59 seconds behind.

Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) is currently leading with the peloton 10 seconds behind. Can she hold on for the Muur and Bosberg? Her Movistar team mates are grouping together at the front with SD Worx alongside them.

18-year-old Zoe Backstedt (Team EF) is at the back of the peloton, but is riding well for her World tour debut.

Live pictures due to start at 15:30. Hearing that there are 20 or so riders up front, including most of the Movistar riders. AvV, Vollering, Wiebes, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo), Elisa Balsamo (Trek Segafredo) all involved. British rider Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) also in the mix.

The group is roughly 35 seconds away from the peloton.

Not long now until the live pictures begin. Not too much to report here. We're hearing peloton remain together after regrouping following a couple of breakaways.

It seems that Belgian rider Fien Delbaere (Israel Premier Tech Roland) has been injured and is on her way to hospital. Such a shame for her race to finish so early, especially given she's a local rider, coming from Gent. Get well soon Fien!

Along with last year's second and third placed riders, SD Worx also have Belgian rider Lotte Kopecky in their ranks. Supported by Elena Cecchini, Christine Majerus, and Marlen Reusser, will SD Worx be able to overpower their competitors? A win on home soil would definitely be special for Kopecky, who came 27th in the last edition of OHN.

Last year, she won both Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders. Dutch powerhouses Vollering and Wiebes may finish higher up than Kopecky again depending on how the race plays out, but SD Worx will definitely have a point to prove today and podium places firmly in their sights.

It was a triple Dutch podium in 2022 with Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) beating Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) in a sprint finish. Young rider Lorena Wiebes (then Team DSM, now Team SD Worx) came in third. All three are racing today, with Vollering and Wiebes lining up alongside each other for SD Worx. Van Vleuten first won OHN in 2020, and a win today would complete a hat-trick of victories for her in this iconic race. It won't be easy for AvV, with talented riders deployed throughout the peloton.

Good afternoon and welcome to today's live coverage of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2023 women's race! Will the formidable Annemiek van Vleuten be able to win this race for the third time in what's set to be her retirement year, or will another rider take a vital victory early this season? Only time will tell!

Let's have a look at some of the contenders for this afternoon...