Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Bayern Rundfahrt Photo ©: Schaaf |
92nd Ronde van Vlaanderen - ProT
Belgium, April 6, 2008
Devolder shines in Belgian driekleur
Solo move pays off for Belgian Champ, Nuyens nabs second over Flecha
By Gregor Brown and Brecht Decaluwé in Meerbeke, with additional reporting by Hedwig Kröner
 |
Stijn Devolder pulled off a coup in the 92nd Ronde van Vlaanderen, attacking and winning solo in the driekleur jersey of Belgian Champion. The 28 year-old Quick Step rider from Kortrijk put in the winning blow at 25 kilometres to go, on the Eikenmolen. Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) mounted a chase out of the group of favourites, including Devolder's team-mate Tom Boonen and 2007 winner Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), but – despite closing to some nine seconds – he could not catch Devolder.
Belgium's Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) caught and passed Flecha in the final three kilometres. The duo finished second and third respectively.
Italian Ballan finished in fourth, followed by USA's George Hincapie (Team High Road), Italian Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) and Norwegian Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team CSC).
"It was always my dream to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen as Belgian champion, and now that dream has come true. I still can't believe it," remarked Devolder after the 264-kilometre race from Brugge to Meerbeke – a race that was marked with light snow, hail and rain despite finishing in sunshine.
Devolder launched for the first time on the Leberg in the footsteps of Philippe Gilbert (Française des Jeux). Not satisfied with the five-man move that was eventually formed – with Hincapie, Ballan, Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank) and Karsten Kroon (Team CSC) – and wanting to truly weaken the rest of the competition for his designated team leader, Boonen, he essentially countered his own move.
|
He made the winning move when he powered forward on the Eikenmolen, leaving only the Kapelmuur and Bosberg climbs to cover. Over the following 25 kilometres leading to Meerbeke he maintained his lead, hitting a maximum time gap of around 20 seconds over the chase. Past the church at the top of the Kapelmuur, Devolder had 17 seconds on the chase with Flecha, Boonen, Ballan, Nuyens, Gregory Rast (Astana) Rast and Niki Terpstra (Team Milram).
Over the Bosberg, leaving 12 kilometres to go, he held nearly the same time – 16 seconds – over a now solo Langeveld. Despite the change in chasers to Flecha and then Nuyens, Devolder kept his advantage to arrive victorious on the Brusselsestraat. He had finished 21st in 2004, and 43rd in last year's running.
"I attacked because I knew it was a tailwind until the Muur," Devolder recalled. "When I had 15 seconds, after the Muur, I thought that they would fly past me on the Bosberg, but apparently they weren't that fresh behind me," Devolder, winner of a stage and overall in this year's Volta ao Algarve, continued.
He had come very close to losing the race of his dreams. "I did not know [Flecha] was at nine seconds. I looked back a few times and only saw motorbikes. They always told me I had 15 seconds."
|
Cofidis' Nuyens, who also finished second in the Omloop Het Volk, closed to 15 seconds of Devolder and showed an impressive step forward from last year's seventh place.
Rabobank showed extremely well in the race's finale even if they did not get the eventual win. Three-time World Champion Oscar Freire went on a solo flyer that set up the moves by Langeveld and then Flecha. Once the Spaniard was brought back on the Leberg, at 47 kilometres remaining, Langeveld was active at the front until Flecha's chase with six kilometres remaining.
"Don't ask me what went wrong because everything went perfect. Thanks to Sebastian Langeveld I could set back and just follow. And when he was brought back, I attacked," explained 30 year-old Flecha. On Devolder's move, he added, "I just could not close it down."
Last year's winner, Ballan, was compromised by his crash 85 kilometres into the race, which ripped the side open on his shorts. Despite the incident, the 28 year-old from Castelfranco Veneto made the finale with the favourites. "I was very tired," he noted of the day. "Devolder went very, very strong, and I hoped that someone would have helped organise the chase to pull him back; however, it came to nothing."
Ballan's group was eventually joined by others, including team-mate Simon Spilak. "I was with the others up until three kilometres to go, when Spilak arrived in our group; he went right up to the front to pull. Unfortunately, we were not organised in our efforts. Anyway, Devolder went very, very strongly," concluded Ballan.
Hincapie flew High Road's colours by forming part of the earlier move with Devolder. He re-joined the main chase to end the day with fifth, behind Ballan. "I was just pulled back on the Muur, and from that moment I had to recover," he noted of the early escape of five. After the capture "it was very hectic, with a lot of attacks, I could not do anything but hold on."
How it unfolded
It was a fast race right from the start in Brugge, as the riders got underway on the Ronde under unexpected sunshine. In the first hour of racing, 49,5 kilometres were covered. Even during the second hour, the bunch didn't calm down significantly, doing an average of 47,4 km/h on their way down South towards the first berg of the day, the Kluisberg, the first of a long list of hellingen to be mastered.
Unfortunately, April held all its promises and the cold, the rain and even hail caught up with the riders soon enough. The 'break of the day' got away at kilometre 111: Janek Tombak (Mitsubishi), Tom Veelers (Skil Shimano), Sven Renders (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Vincent Jérôme (Bouygues Telecom) opened up a 40-second gap, with Raul Alarcon Garcia of Saunier Duval going after them.
|
After the second climb of the day, the Nokereberg, the front group had a two-minute advantage over the bunch, with the Spaniard still caught in between. After 129 kilometres ridden, Garcia was caught again by the bunch.
The peloton kept the escapees on a short leash, not letting them get more than 2'15 minutes away, while the favourites were tucked safely inside the bunch. By kilometre 135, the sky cleared up again a little.
As the front men hit the Molenberg after 157 kilometres, the peloton was only 37 seconds behind. But with the climb being very narrow, the road got jammed and the break could gain a few seconds again, extending it to 1'16 after the climb. Robert Wagner (Skil-Shimano) tried to bridge up to the leaders as the difficult parcours took its toll and formed several little groups.
The weather deteriorated again between the Molenberg and the Wolvenberg, and the cobbles were really slippery with a mix of rain and snow. The breakaway split up, and Jérôme and Tombak took off on their own.
|
After 175 kilometres raced, the lead was still 1'14 minutes for the four front men, which had reformed, with Wagner also making it to the front in a solid solo effort.
Approaching the Oude Kwaremont at kilometre 185, the peloton used the long straight road to Kluisbergen to put an end to the break and get down to business. On the climb, Andreas Klier (High Road), Tomas Vaitkus (Astana) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) made a nice showing, but couldn't hold their advantages after the descent. Johan Van Summeren (Lotto) made sure the pace was high and the bunch hit the Paterberg (kilometre 189) together.
No damages were done in the ascent, but towards the next helling, the famous Koppenberg, the race really started going and tore the peloton apart. A front group of about 20 riders formed, including Leif Hoste (Lotto), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), Tom Boonen and team-mate Stijn Devolder (Quick Step), the Belgian champion and eventual winner of the race.
As the leaders hit the Koppenberg, the mad weather continued with snow making the riders surely feel comfortable. Boonen tested his rivals, some of whom had to unclip and walk up the slippery cobbles. In the descent, the Belgian got the company of about 10 riders, including Devolder, Hoste, Ballan, Fabian Cancellara (CSC), Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) and Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank).
But on the Steenbergdries (kilometre 200), Hoste had a mechanical. Bad luck for the favourite! Van Summeren stood by his leader but a long chase back to the front began.
|
Langeveld and Hushovd went clear from the front just before the Taaienberg (kilometre 203), with the Dutch rider first on top of the climb. But riders came back together after the climb, until Oscar Freire (Rabobank) decided to make a move with 53 kilometres to go. George Hincapie (High Road) went after him, but didn't succeed. Freire still had an advantage of 23 seconds over the chasers with 50 kilometres to go.
But the multiple world champion was caught by a Quick Step-driven chase group at the foot of the Leberg, where eventual winner Devolder put on such a high pace that even his team leader Boonen couldn't follow. Devolder kept going and got the company of fellow Belgian Philippe Gilbert (Francaise des Jeux), as well as Langeveld.
Devolder, Gilbert and Langeveld were then joined by George Hincapie (High Road), Karsten Kroon (CSC) as well as Ballan, Cancellara and Boonen. After the Berendries (kilometre 221), the sun came out on the riders again, and Langeveld gave it a go solo. But with Cancellara in the chase group, the Dutch rider had to give in...
As the race hit the Valkenberg, five riders emerged: Ballan, Devolder, Langeveld, Hincapie and Kroon. They maintained some 20 seconds over the main group entering the final phase of the event with 30 kilometres to go. Fortunately, the weather god had some mercy and the sun came out to dry the roads for the finale.
Liquigas and Cofidis led the chase group of about 40 riders, hunting the lead quintet. They eventually got caught at the foot of the Eikenmolen (25 kilometres to go), where Devolder counter-attacked immediately to make his winning move.
Hushovd, Tombak (who was in a much earlier break), Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) and Manuel Quinziato peeled off the front to try and chase Devolder down. With 18 kilometres to go, Devolder had 26 seconds over the Hushovd group and 35 over the main bunch, in which his leader Boonen didn't move.
|
The Muur of Geraardsbergen made the main bunch catch up with the first chase group, but Devolder held onto his lead. A new chase group formed including Ballan, Flecha, Boonen, Langeveld, Gregory Rast (Astana), Nuyens and Niki Terpstra (Milram) flying down the descent, some 15 seconds behind Devolder.
On the Bosberg, the last climb of the day, it looked like Devolder was going to get caught by Langeveld, but the Belgian managed to keep the infatiguable Dutchman at bay. With 10 kilometres to go, Devolder had about 15 seconds to Langeveld, and 30 seconds to the group.
Seven clicks to the line, Flecha, Rast and Tombak closed in on Langeveld. As Nuyens jumped, Boonen followed, and the chase group was back together, 19 seconds adrift of the solo leader.
But the Spaniard did not give in with victory so near. He attacked again with four kilometres to go, this time followed by Nuyens, who joined him two kilometres off the finish line. Devolder was still at large, 13 seconds away, riding the time trial of his life.
Devolder took the Ronde victory after 25 kilometres alone at the front. While the Belgian champion was being celebrated by his homeland public, Nuyens fought down Flecha for second.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) in disbelief after taking the biggest win of his career in the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
- Devolder shows the joy of winning Flanders' finest.
- Belgians Nick Nuyens and Stijn Devolder with Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha made up the 92nd Ronde van Vlaanderen podium.
- Stijn Devolder, the Belgian champion gets the biggest win of his career.
- Devolder holds up the trophy - one of the most coveted mantle decorations in Belgium.
- Quick Step had a two-pronged attack with Devolder taking the lead when Boonen was unable.
Images by Stijn Vercaemer
- Bellegem is Village of the Ronde and the hometown of 1958 winner Germain Derijcke.
- Some young fans are waiting for the riders.
- Look at the amazing crowd in the Tour village Bellgem.
- Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step
- Angel Gomez (Saunier Duval-Scott)
Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com
- Watching the tense final kilometres on one little screen.
- Nick Nuyens beat Flecha in the sprint for second place.
- Flecha had a great race but couldn't close the gap with Devolder and eventually finished third.
- George Hincapie and Bernhard Eisel were happy with the racing.
- George Hincapie and Bernhard Eisel are also very worn out.
- Filippo Pozzatto had dirty shoes after the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
- Filippo Pozzatto had a good race and eventually finished sixth.
- Juan Antonio Flecha at the post race press conference.
- Stijn Devolder seems to say : "Bad question. Get out of here!".
- Stijn Devolder talks with the press after the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
- Stijn Devolder talks about his fantastic victory.
Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net
- Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) fights up the cobbled monsters in Flanders.
- Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Scott) had his ears covered as well as the attacks.
- Carlo Scognamiglio (Barloworld) 'enjoys' the Tour of Flanders.
- Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) crests over the top of one of the hellingen.
- Ballan tackles the first 'cobbles' in Brugge, but they are rather laughable in light of what's to come.
- Fabian Cancellara couldn't wait to get started.
- Marco Corti (Barloworld) signs autographs for some happy kids.
- Frederik Willems (Liquigas) doesn't really need any pushes.
- The Molenberg is the first difficulty of real importance.
- And when the going gets tough the tough get, errh, walking.
- The start in Brugge where there is always a big crowd hanging out.
- Cristian Murro (Lampre) struggles on the cobbles.
- Claudio Corioni (Liquigas) flies along the bad roads.
- Fabio Baldato (Lampre) has a lot of experience in these kinds of races.
- Leaving the start house.
- Make a left if you want to climb or a right to back out of the mess.
- Michele Bartoli was on hand with expert advise.
- Fabio Baldato (Lampre) takes a left-hander at good speed, and not showing signs of slipping.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) was aggressive all day and separates himself from Flecha et al right here.
- Tom Boonen had a strong team-mate and in the end it was a perfect day for Quick Step, even though 'Tommeke' may have liked to win himself.
- Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) shows first signs of dirt and exhaustion.
- Michele Bartoli has won the race in 1996 and placed in the top 10 several times.
- Ballan tries to bring the group back together and up to Devolder, but big brother Boonen was watching behind.
- Quinziato on the Koppenberg hoping that the Flag of Flanders won't get caught in his drive system.
- Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) storms up the Koppenberg, with the new shoes carefully protected.
- Simon Spilak (Lampre) did a great race and was in the Boonen group in the end.
- The podium with Nuyens, Devolder, Flecha from left to right.
- Pat McQuaid enjoys the racing and hopefully all the differences with ASO can be sorted out soon.
- Fabio Baldato (Lampre) celebrates another Ronde finished.
- Devolder with the trophy.
- Walking is certainly an option.
- A Saunier Duval rider realises that it is true what they told him: "The roads are different in Belgium."
- Devolder is hugged by staff right after the race.
- These bikes are collected when the cobbles do them in...
- Paolo Fornaciari (Lampre) before the start.
- A smiling Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) poses for a memory shot.
- The start was a mad house with all kinds of activities going on.
- Early on the elements were in their element and throwing challenges and snow on the riders.
- A hail storm cooled off everyone, but it didn't prevent an early four-man break.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) was very strong on the cobbled climbs.
- Devolder celebrates his biggest win to date.
- Devolder used the ramp of the Eikenmolen to make his winning move and thoroughly enjoyed celebrating on the finish line.
- Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) chased in vain, as Tom Boonen behind him was happy to discourage such kinds of behaviour.
- The Koppenberg gives opportunity to test the robustness of cleats. Magnus Backstedt rides up through the mess, though.
Images by Elmar Krings
- Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) attacks the Muur.
- Erik Zabel (Team Milram) doesn't look to be having much fun.
- Italian and Flemish fans await their heroes.
- Alessandro Ballan (Lampre - Fondital) had a crash earlier in the race and the results can be seen here.
- Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) found it tough being the big favourite.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) made a dream come true today.
- Oscar Freire Gomez (Rabobank) flanked by team-mate Bram Tankink.
- Philippe Gilbert (Française des Jeux) came in the big group that sprinted for fourth.
- Ralf Grabsch (Team Milram) finished over 9 minutes down.
- Kurt Hovelynck (Topsport Vlaanderen) rode well to finish 28th
- Serguei Ivanov (Astana) riding with Christophe Mengin (Française des Jeux).
- The Muur after the action took place.
- Alexandre Pichot (Bouygues Telecom) riding here in the last group on the road to finish.
- Marcel Sieberg (Team High Road) was part of the same group.
Results
1 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step 6.24.02 (41.246 km/h) 2 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 0.15 3 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank 4 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 0.21 5 George Hincapie (USA) Team High Road 6 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas 7 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto 9 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre 10 Allan Johansen (Den) Team CSC 11 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team High Road 12 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30 13 Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 14 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram 15 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux 16 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana 17 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 18 Sebastiaan Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank 19 Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence - Lotto 20 Andreas Klier (Ger) Team High Road 21 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Silence - Lotto 22 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R - La Mondiale 23 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 24 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step 25 Janek Tombak (Est) Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0.25 26 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française des Jeux 0.43 27 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole 3.18 28 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 29 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank 30 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 31 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 32 Roger Hammond (GBr) Team High Road 33 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Française des Jeux 34 Allan Davis (Aus) Mitsubishi-Jartazi 35 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner 36 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Astana 37 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 38 Marco Marcato (Ita) Cycle Collstrop 39 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank 40 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank 41 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC 3.29 42 David Kopp (Ger) Cycle Collstrop 9.14 43 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30 44 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 45 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 46 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas 47 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Silence - Lotto 48 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Team High Road 49 Michal Golas (Pol) Cycle Collstrop 50 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 51 Bastian Giling (Ned) Cycle Collstrop 52 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano 53 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Milram 54 Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30 55 Frank Hoj (Den) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 56 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 57 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld 58 Matti Breschel (Den) Team CSC 59 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) Mitsubishi-Jartazi 60 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 61 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step 62 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Lampre 10.55 63 Baden Cooke (Aus) Barloworld 14.55 64 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team High Road 15.14 65 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 17.35 66 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott 67 Aleksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Liquigas 68 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 69 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner 70 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Team High Road 71 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi 72 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 73 Ian Stannard (GBr) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner 74 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 75 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R - La Mondiale 76 Jesus Del Nero Montes 77 René Haselbacher (Aut) Astana 78 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Crédit Agricole 79 Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Saunier Duval - Scott 80 Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 81 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 82 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30 83 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Barloworld 84 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre 85 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre 86 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC 87 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 88 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Française des Jeux 89 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Cycle Collstrop 90 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas 91 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 92 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 93 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Team Milram 94 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 95 Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux 96 Mickael Delage (Fra) Française des Jeux 97 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Silence - Lotto 98 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Silence - Lotto 99 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 100 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
ProTour standings
1 André Greipel (Ger) High Road 62 pts 2 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step 50 3 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 40 4 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse D'Epargne 38 5 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank 35 6 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 30 7 Mickael Delage (Fra) Française Des Jeux 30 8 George Hincapie (USA) High Road 25 9 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 25 10 Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott 21 11 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas 20 12 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 15 13 Carlström Kjell (Fin) Liquigas 15 14 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-Lotto 10 15 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse D'Epargne 10 16 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 7 17 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre 5 18 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank 4 19 Allan Johansen (Den) Team CSC 2 20 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC 2 21 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2 22 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 1
