3rd Eneco Tour of Benelux - ProT

Netherlands & Belgium, August 22-29, 2007

Photography

Stage 7 - August 29: Sittard (Ned) - Geleen (Ned) ITT, 29.6km

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Images by AFP

• David Miller of Saunier Duval - Prodir races the time trial's final stage.
• Sebastien Rosseler of Quickstep Innergetic celebrates on the podium after winning.
• Spaniard Jose Ivan Guttierez of Caisse d'Epargne celebrates his overall win.
• The GC podium: British David Millar of Saunier Duval - Prodir, Spanish Jose Ivan Guttierez of Caisse d'Epargne and Swedish Gustav Erik Larsson of Unibet,
• Thomas Dekker of Rabobank makes his way toward the finish.

Images by Elmar Krings

• Alessandro Ballan (Lampre - Fondital) , turned up in an unusual race outfit.
• Bram Tankink was the first Dutchman today in 13th, he finished 7th overall on GC.
• Mark Cavendish had no fears of losing the points jersey today, there were no points on offer.
• Thomas Dekker had a bad day after his crash yesterday and dropped to 5th overall.
• Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Rabobank) ended up 11th overall.
• Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) rode strongly, 7th in the stage 6th overall.
• José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) 2nd on the stage 2seconds down but won the overall.
• Leif Hoste (Predictor - Lotto) Belgian TT champion finished 8th.
• Hoste and Van Summeren warming up.
• A huge crowd turned out to see the final stage.
• Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner) looks comfortable.
• The Gerolsteiner boys warm-up before the start.
• Pablo Lastras Garcia (Caisse d'Epargne).
• Paul Martens (Skil - Shimano) looking fast.
• David Millar would finish 4th today, but made the final podium finishing 2nd.
• The final podium (l-r) Millar, Gutierrez and Larsson.
• Gutierrez was happy with the win.
• Franck Renier (Bouygues Telecom) out on the road.
• Sébastien Rosseler (Quickstep - Innergetic) never expected the win today.
• Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).
• Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) top CA rider in 20th overall.
• Maarten Tjallingii (Skil - Shimano) in his home tour.
• Johan Van Summeren (Predictor - Lotto) possibly the tallest rider in the field.
• Leon Van Bon (Rabobank).
• Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone).

Stage 6 - August 28: Beek (Ned) - Landgraaf (Ned), 177.4km

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

• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) crashed while leading the overall classification.
• The most painful way to end a bike race is to have to abandon while in the lead.
• Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) was also involved in the crash but at least could continue and even became the new leader.
• Wilfried Cretskens (Quick.Step Innergetic) gets medical attention following the mass crash.
• Nuyens follows the tradition that at the Eneco tour the leader crash out of potential overall wins.
• Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne) survived his solo effort to win the stage.
• Lastras celebrates as the chasers came close but not close enough.
• Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) took over the lead but would have preferred to do it in a less controversial way.
• Dekker came to the podium but his face reveals that he would have liked to win in the time trial rather than take advantage of a crash.
• Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne) was really happy on the podium on the other hand.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) continues to lead the points classification

Images by Elmar Krings

• The leaders with one lap to go.
• One lap to go for the chase group as well.
• Cavendish recieving his sprinter jersey.
• Dekker took over the lead but not how he would have liked.
• Lastras on the podium for his stage win today.
• Lastras salutes as he crosses the line in first.
• Martin Pedersen is the leader of the mountain trophy.
• Pagliarini came in some 13 minutes down, but happy.
• Hayman leads Dekker at the head of the peloton.

Stage 5 - August 27: Terneuzen (Ned) - Nieuwegein (Ned), 179.9km

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

• Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir) takes win.
• Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir) over Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) (r).
• Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir) victorious in Holland.
• Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir) shows national pride.
• Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir) proudly displays his country's flag.
• Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile Team) enjoys some time in the bunch while a small group sits off the front for most of the day.
• Belgian Peter Van Petegem (Quickstep - Innergetic), who announced his retirement earlier this week, drops back to the team car for a drink.
• The riders slow to 30 as they sort out their spare change for the four and a half Euro toll. Cyclists paying the same amount as cars? That's a bit rough...
• Lunch time, who's hungry? Riders enter the feed zone for a well deserved bite to eat.
• The wind might not be moving, but the same can't be said for the professional peloton on Stage 5.
• Belgian Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) gets a kiss on the podium.
• The peloton passes through a tunnel during the 179.9 kilometre Stage 5.
• Fumiyuki Beppu (Discovery Channel), Pierre Drancourt (Bouygues Telecom) and Matthé Pronk (Unibet.com) took off just one kilometre into the stage and stayed away for about 175 kilometres.
• The Cofidis train at work to keep its leader's jersey.

Stage 4 - August 26: Maldegem (Bel) - Terneuzen (Ned), 182.7km

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

• Wouter Weylandt (Quick.Step Innergetic) sure is happy on the podium.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) held on for another day.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) is still leading the points classification
• Young fans cheer on the break.
• The break with Eeckhout, Poulhiès, Longo and Grabowski
• Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) gets medical attention.
• Mickaël Chérel (Française Des Jeux) crashed during the race, but could continue.
• a true split in the peloton.
• Weylandt gets congratulated by team-mates.

Stage 3 - August 25: Knokke-Heist (Bel) - Putte (Bel), 170.8km

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Images by AFP

• Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) wins the stage three sprint, annoyed at being left off the team's Vuelta squad, this win was little consolation
• McEwen on the podium after winning stage three.

Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

• Hilaire Vander Schueren
• Guido Bontempi and Scott Sunderland in negotiations
• Who hit who?
• Sunderland obviously braked when Bontempi didn't
• Peter van Petegem talks to the crowd while riders are signing on
• Two old strong men: Michael Boogerd and Peter van Petegem
• Thor Hushovd sat too far back in stage 2 and found it too dangerous to sprint
• Robbie McEwen, Gorik Gardeyn and Leif Hoste are joking around Steven De Jongh is looking serious

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

• Then main break of the day with Stubbe, Vanotti, Etxebarria and Meersman (from left)
• Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel) in one of his last races in the Discovery Channel outfit.
• Fumiyuki Beppu (Dsicovery Channel is the Japanese rider on the American team.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) and his leader's jersey don't stand out too much compared to his regular red Cofidis uniform.
• Chocolade Jacques makes the pace in the peloton
• Peter Van Petegem (Quick.Step Innergetic) gets some advise for the road ahead. The Belgian is retiring at the end of the year.

Stage 2 - August 24: Anvers (Bel) - Knokke-Heist (Bel), 199.1km

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

• Peter Van Petegem (Quick.Step Innergetic) with Team Manager Patrick Lefevere.
• Peter Van Petegem (Quick.Step Innergetic) signs autographs.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) presented on the podium.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) stays in the overall lead.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) rolls along in stage 2.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) before the start.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) at the start with Rob Discard.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) is with Iván Gutiérrez (Caisse d'Epargne) (l) and Camille Paulus.
• A train crossing holds up the riders.
• Here it comes. The sprint heats up in the Eneco Tour.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) takes the sprint.
• Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) enjoys victory in the Eneco Tour.

Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

• That's what you see when the peloton comes rolling in, Rodriguez bows his head for Cavendish.
• An Euskaltel soigneur is offering his rider a drink while we spot lead-out man Roger Hammond (T-Mobile) at the back.
• Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) is also competing in the Eneco Tour.
• Rik Verbrugghe enjoying a drink while rolling to the team bus
• Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile) is building up for the worlds in Stutgart, Germany while Jimmy Casper (Unibet.com) has a laugh.
• Discovery Channel selling ice-cream in Knokke.
• Peter Van Petegem (Quick.Step - Innergetic) announces his retirement for the gathered press
• Peter Van Petegem and Quick.Step - Innergetic boss Patrick Lefevre.
• Luc Maes (Quick.Step - Innergetic) attended the press conference as well.

Stage 1 - August 23: Waremme (Bel) - Eupen (Bel), 189.5km

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Images by AFP

• Nuyens took over the lead in the general classification
• Nick Nuyens gets some unique prizes for winning the first stage of the Eneco Tour
• Martin Pedersen (CSC) leads the mountains classification
• Nuyens gives away the bouquet does this mean the recipient is the next to win a stage?
• Nuyens came in ahead of Thomas Dekker (Rabobank)
• Vladimir Gusev (Discovery) crashed and came in bloody
• Nuyens was happy with his first win since the Spring, when he won the Etoile Besseges
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) takes stage one in Eupen, Belgium

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

• Michiel Elijzen (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) held the leader's jersey going into the stage, but would hand it off to his teammate by day's end.
• The early break took nearly seven minutes out of the peloton by the time it reached Stage 1's first climb Mur de Huy.
• Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques), Maarten Den Bakker (Skil-Shimano), Beñat Albizuri (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Martin Pedersen (Team CSC) broke away just five kilometres into the race.
• Australian Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) is happy that lunch has arrived.
• An official keeps a close eye on the peloton, gaining a bird's eye view from the car.
• While the leader's jersey changed hands, Cofidis' riders worked hard to ensure it stayed within the French squad.
• Belgian Leif Hoste (Predictor - Lotto) is a general classification contender, sitting 37 seconds behind leader Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) in sixth place.
• Vattenfall Cyclassics winner Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital) leads a group during Stage 1.
• Cofidis riders put in a strong showing all day.
• Belgian Gianni Meersman (Discovery Channel) was one of the riders that lost over 10 minutes on today's Stage 1.
• Dutch rider Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) put in a solid rider, but couldn't beat Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) to victory.
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) rolls to victory as Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) and José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) fail to catch the rider.
• Belgian Nick Nuyens takes a comfortable victory over his peloton rivals.
• A successful day at the office for Belgian Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone).
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) took the sprint classification lead following a strong ride on Stage 1.
• Belgian Nick Nuyens (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) leads the general classification following his Stage 1 win.

Prologue - August 22: Hasselt (Bel) ITT, 5.1km

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

• Michiel Elijzen (Cofidis) won the prologue by one thin second.
• Johan Van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto) took third
• Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) rides to second place in the Eneco Tour prologue
• Belgian TT champ Leif Hoste (Predictor-Lotto) favors the longer time trials, and came in a distant 57th
• Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) grimaces in pain, or maybe smiles in enjoyment of it - or maybe both?
• Michiel Elijzen (Cofidis) in action on his winning ride of the Eneco Tour prologue

Images by Elmar Krings

• David Millar was 11 seconds down in 16th
• Vattenfall Cyclassics winner, Ballan warms up.
• Retiring Dutchman, Michael Boogerd preparing to start his last Eneco Tour of the Benelux.
• Riders from the Caisse d'Epargne team warming up.
• Michiel Elijzen took advantage of his early start time to win the prologue.
• The riders from Euskatel warming by the team bus.
• Fumiyuki Beppu Discovery's Japanese connection finished in 87th today 24 seconds down.
• Gerolsteiner warming up. Heinrich Haussler (2nd from left) was thier highest finisher in 51st, 19 seconds down.
• Vladimir Gusev, Russian TT champion was 21st.
• José Ivan Gutierrez, spains TT champion finished in 45th.
• The Hasselt skyline.
• Recently crowned Belgian TT champion , displayed his new jersey for the first time and in Belgium.
• Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg.
• Sebastian Lang, last rider off the start ramp today would finish in 122nd place.
• Gustav Larsson, Swedish TT champion.
• Belgiums Gianni Meersman of Discovery.
• Team Milram riders warming up.
• Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas
• Jakob Piil from Denmark.
• Dutchman Michiel Elijzen will be the first leader of the tour.
• Peter Van Petegem finished way down in 155th.
• The team bus hussle in Hasselt.
• Rabobank had a lot of attention from curious fans.
• Australian Robbie McEwen ended up in 153rd.
• The start and finish area for the prologue.
• Riders awaiting their start times.
• Norwegian Thor Hushovd a previous TDF prologue winner, finished in 132nd, possibly due to the wet conditions.
• The T-Mobile bus.