68th Gent-Wevelgem - PT

Belgium, April 5, 2006

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

Fighting for position along the coast
Jose Cayetano Julia (Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears) along the coast
The back is not a good place to be
Racing through the fields
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) sitting back
Russian champion Serguei Ivanov glides along
Carlos Zarate (Saunier Duval) was one of the early attackers
Assan Bazayev (Liberty Seguros)
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) looking comfy
Fumiyuku Beppu (Discovery Channel)
Marco Serpellini (Unibet.com) cranks along
The essence of Belgian racing
Through West Flemish fields Christophe Riblon leads Sébastien Hinault and Serguei Ivanov
Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel) powers up the Kemmelberg
Hincapie leads Hushovd on the first descent of the Kemmelberg
Bert Roesems (Davitamon-Lotto) on the descent of the Kemmelberg
Damn, this hurts!
Wim Vansevenant (Davitamon) on the second descent of the Kemmelberg
The lead peloton hammers along, led by Rabobank
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) in the Davitamon-led chase group
Bert Roesems (Davitamon-Lotto) put in a massive attack with 12 km to go
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) was better in the sprint than David Kopp (R) and Alessandro Petacchi (L)
The podium (L to R): David Kopp (2nd), Thor Hushovd (1st) and Alessandro Petacchi (3rd)
The podium (L to R): David Kopp (2nd), Thor Hushovd (1st) and Alessandro Petacchi (3rd)
ProTour leader Tom Boonen (Quick.Step)

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Erik Zabel (Milram) sits behind Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) doing some training
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) working hard early on in the race
One of the dangerous sections of Gent-Wevelgem is the trip along the coast
The peloton rides along the west coast of Belgium
Echelons, or waaiers form along the west coast
Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel) on the first lap of the Kemmelberg
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) suffers a bit
Andreas Klier (T-Mobile) on the Kemmelberg
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) looked comfy on the Kemmelberg the first time
Watching the action on the Kemmelberg
Riding up the Kemmelberg
Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel) leads Hushovd on the first descent of the Kemmelberg
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) on the first descent of the Kemmelberg
Petacchi, Cooke and Nuyens descend the Kemmelberg
Bidons were flying as the riders descended the Kemmelberg
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) on the descent of the Kemmelberg
Filippo Pozzato (Quick.Step) looked good today
Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) leads Flecha and Dekker on the descent of the Kemmelberg
An FDJ rider takes the Kemmelberg descent alone
In the hill zone watch for low flying helicopters
Baden Cooke (Unibet.com) keeping himself in contention
2003 winner Andreas Klier (T-Mobile)
The Milram team pours on the pace
Dekker and Flecha tried to split it up for Rabobank
Fighting the crosswinds
Petacchi keeps his cool
The tension is apparent on everyone's faces
Erik Zabel (Milram) keeping Petacchi out of the wind
Erik Zabel (Milram) shelters Petacchi
The Milram team did a fantastic job for Petacchi
Pozzato looks back but he knows he's lost
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) wins Gent-Wevelgem
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) celebrates as he wins
Disappointment for Petacchi after the race
A happy viking Thor Hushovd
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) raises his trophy
Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) was not happy with third
The podium (L to R): David Kopp (2nd), Thor Hushovd (1st) and Alessandro Petacchi (3rd)
The podium (L to R): David Kopp (2nd), Thor Hushovd (1st) and Alessandro Petacchi (3rd)
Tom Boonen (Quick.Step) kept the ProTour lead

Pre-race

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com

Waiting for Boonen
Fabrizio Guidi's BMC
Guidi decided that a little more training was in order
Phonak is riding on spoked Ambriosio tubular rims
The top tub of the Phonak BMC
Phonak has the Continental competition tubulars
A comfy saddle for this Phonak rider
This Colnago belongs to Mathew Hayman
Like most teams Rabobank uses spoked wheels for the classics
Luke Roberts' bike
Team CSC is riding Zipp wheels shod with Vittoria Pave Evo CG tubs
The Zipp 303s favoured by CSC
Team CSC obviously kept training to a minimum yesterday. Unless it was this morning.
Food bags for Unibet.com
Marco Serpellini (Unibet.com)
The jenever stand was busy. Just the thing for a late breakfast on the go. Not that we would ever drink on the job.
A CSC soigneur fills a bidon with energy drink
Glen Chadwick (Navigators) smiles at the start
Dura-Ace carbon wheels for FDJ
Francaise des Jeux is riding Vittoria Corsa Evo CX tubs
Christophe Mengin's (Francaise des Jeux) Lapierre stands ready
Eric Berthou (Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears) in a hurry
The Pinarello of Florent Brard (Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears)
This brass band from nearby Machelen kept the crowds entertained while they waited for a glimpse of Tom Boonen
You think they liked it?
So where's the start?
I really don't want to be here
Seasoned Rabobank pro Marc Wauters
Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel) is mobbed
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) would like to make amends for last year
Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) anxious to get going
Martin Elmiger (Phonak) is the Swiss champ
Aurelien Clerc (Phonak) is one of the team's main sprinters
Michiel Elijzen (Cofidis) wondering where the start is
JP Nazon (AG2R) might have a chance today
Matt Wilson (Unibet.com) has been riding with an injured hand
Jonas Ljungblad (Unibet.com) is the Swedish champion, in case you didn't realise
If you caught one of these bottles you won a prize. If you didn't, you might get a sore head.

Tom Boonen's press conference

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jeff Jones/Cyclingnews.com

Boonen talks to the press
Tom Boonen is Quick.Step's man of the hour
The media was in full force at the Tom Boonen/Quick.Step press conference in Gent today
Boonen fields another question with manager Lefevere looking on
Tom Boonen was happy to answer questions, while Patrick Lefevere was maybe showing the signs of too many press conferences
The combined World Champion/ProTour jersey that Tom Boonen will wear in Gent-Wevelgem tomorrow, with permission of the UCI
Lefevere and Boonen have a laugh at one of the questions
Boonen shows off his new jersey