Confession: I don’t really count the Tour Down Under or the Tours of Qatar & Oman as being the season-openers.

I know they’re real, recognized races and I’m in no doubt about the toughness of any of these, nor am I denigrating the performances of, respectively, Tom-Jelte Slagter, ‘Marky Mark’ Cavendish or Chris Froome this year - but…

…for me, the season doesn’t start until men are slicing through the rain over Belgian cobblestones.

Which leads neatly to the fact that this weekend sees both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday.

Omloop (formerly known as Het Volk) is definitely the more prestigious of the two, but I have a personal affinity for KBK, not least because some lunatics race both and, therefore, the Sunday tends to be a bit more of a free-for-all.

So, presented for your viewing pleasure, some highlights from the 2010 edition of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which was run despite the fact that a storm system with a name - the remnants of Cyclone Xynthia, to be precise - was hovering over Northern Europe, and which saw only 26 of the 195 starters finish the race.

My two favourite moments occur between 0:30 and 0:45, namely hardman Tom Boonen giving up and getting in the team car, with fellow flahute Stijn Devolder following suit shortly thereafter (Devolder abandoned after a gust of wind picked up a trashcan, which flew into him, knocking him off his bike).

I’ll be getting up early tomorrow and Sunday to watch crackly internet feeds with Flemish commentary - and so should you.

Especially given that snow is forecast for Sunday in Belgium.