4th Eneco Tour - ProT

Netherlands and Belgium, August 20-27, 2008

Photography

Stage 7 - August 27 : Mechelen (B), 18.8km

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Images by AFP Photo

• Raivis Belohvosciks (Scott - American Beef) took the win in Brussels.

Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) lost his saddle in the final kilometre and had to sprint the entire way to the line.
• Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) rode strongly to finish just 19 seconds down.
• Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) finished 21st overall.
• The suprise winner of stage 5, Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner), finished 19th overall.
• Stijn Vandenbergh (AG2R La Mondiale) a Belgian on a French team.
• Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) was the highest place Dutch rider in 6th overall.
• Koen De Kort (Astana) rode a strong race to finish 12th overall.
• Michael Rogers (Team Columbia) proving once again that he is recovering well from sickness.
• Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) had a great race today.
• Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) rode away with the points jersey.
• The always valuable team-mate, Steven De Jongh (Quick Step).
• Even a broken saddle couldn't stop José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) from taking the overall win.
• Andre Greipel (Team Columbia) took his 10th win of the season in the race proving his consistency.
• Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) finished third in the time-trial to move into second overall..
• Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) lead the points competition into the final time-trial.
• Raivis Belohvosciks (Scott - American Beef) was the fastest man today.
• Walk like a time trial man... Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne).
• Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) gets some last minute adjustments from his mechanic.
• Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne) waves to the crowd before setting out on the final TT.
• Raivis Belohvosciks (Scott - American Beef) sets out to win.
• Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) the current Spanish TT champion.
• Italy's Angelo Furlan (Crédit Agricole).
• Ermanno Capelli (Scott - American Beef).
• Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) on his way to 13th in the stage.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) Norway's TT champion.
• The final overall podium: Sebastien Rosseler (Quick Step), Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) and Michael Rogers (Columbia)
• Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) on the podium for the points competition.
• Roelandts tosses his bouquet to the crowd.
• José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) celebrates his overall win.
• José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) at the post race press conference.
• Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) seems happy with his response.

Stage 6 - August 26 : Maldegem (B) - Brussel (B), 186km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• Javier Armendia (Euskaltel-Euskadi) makes adjustments to his bike.
• Javier Armendia (Euskaltel-Euskadi) adds a note with the sprints and climbs to his stem.
• The Caisse d'Epargne team bikes await the day's action.
• Simon Gerrans (Credit Agricole) heads to the start of stage six.
• Riders await the start of stage six.
• Elia Rigotto (Milram) was the first to attack.
• Elia Rigotto (Milram) wasn't able to make his attack at kilometre 24 stick.
• The peloton in full flight after the attack of Rigotto.
• Sebastien Rosseler (Quick Step) counters.
• Sebastien Rosseler (Quick Step) leads a large group of 19 riders in the first breakaway.
• The fight to hold off the peloton was too much for some.
• David Kopp (Collstrop) made the first break, but was sent back to the field with all the attacks.
• Caisse d'Epargne missed the move along with Silence Lotto, and gave chase.
• The Caisse d'Epargne riders put in a strong effort to bring the break back.
• The escape group was whittled down to nine riders.
• Jimmy Engoulvent (Credit Agricole) was one of the nine who made the break.
• Leif Hoste (Silence Lotto) also made the break.
• The break worked smoothly together but couldn't crack the three minute mark in its lead on the peloton.
• Sven Krauss (Gerolsteiner) was another rider hoping to keep the break clear.
• The peloton, however, had other ideas.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) cemented his lead in the KOM competition by making the break.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) goes for one of the mountain sprints.
• The break wasn't fighting Goesinnin for the points.
• The peloton had the chase under control.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) got the stage win.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) gets the flowers for winning stage six.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) made up for a bad day on Monday by winning the stage.
• Andre Greipel (Team Columbia) heads to the podium for another leader's jersey presentation.
• Andre Greipel (Team Columbia) still leads by 11 seconds over last year's winner, Jose Ivan Gutierrez.
• Another jersey for Greipel.
• Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) spent another day in the sprint leader's jersey.
• Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) took over the jersey after Boonen's departure.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) was happy to get revenge for getting dropped the previous day.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia) takes the sprint in Brussels.

Stage 5 - August 25 : Ardooie (B) - Oostende (B), 167km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• Borut Bozic (Liquigas)
• Yauheni Hutarovich (FdJ) the Belarus champion.
• Markus Eichler (Milram)
• Timothy Gudsell (FdJ)
• Polish riders Michal Golas (Collstrop) and Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas) before the start.
• Yoann Offredo (FdJ) was sporting some pretty extreme bedhead.
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) and Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) head to the start.
• Jimmy Engoulvent (Credit Agricole) and Arnaud Coyot (Caisse d'Eparnge)
• Team Columbia's Servais Knaven and Edvald Boasson Hagen prepare for an arduous day.
• Lars Bak (CSC-Saxo Bank) tests his radio.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) is still within a shot of the overall.
• Yohann Gène (Bouygues Telecom) has his game face on.
• Luciano Pagliarini (Scott-American Beef) looks excited to start stage five.
• Lars Bak (CSC) was on the attack again.
• Team Columbia leads the bunch.
• The peloton split into two and the back group didn't want to work.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) rolls out with the peloton.
• Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne)
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) leads Jurgen Roelandts (Silence Lotto)
• The breakaway: Lars Bak (CSC) and Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas)
• Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas) made up half of the day's break.
• Team Columbia has control at kilometre 48.
• The chase hasn't quite started yet at kilometre 45.
• The pace was relaxed at the start
• Mathieu Claude (Bouygues Telecom) rolls out from Ardooie.
• Claude and Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) head out for the 167km stage.
• Lars Bak (CSC) was ready for action.
• The Quick Step train picks up steam.
• The breakaway: Lars Bak (CSC) and Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas) stayed away until 40km to go.
• The bunch began closing in under pressure from Team Columbia.
• Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas) takes a turn.
• Lars Bak (CSC-Saxo Bank) follows through.
• The Quick Step train is at full steam in Pervijse
• Frank Hoj (Cofidis) leads through the turn.
• Marlon Perez (Caisse d'Epargne)
• The peloton heads up one of the many small hills.
• Quick Step prepares for the hard work ahead.
• Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner) rides alongside Benoit Joachim (Astana)
• The Quick Step train fell apart in the sprint allowing Westphal to take the win.
• Westphal hits the line first…
• He looks over to see nobody ahead of him.
• He can't even believe he won.
• 22-year-old Carlo Westphal gets his first pro win.
• There's no time for a salute by Westphal.
• Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) wasn't happy with his result.
• David Kopp (Collstrop) shows the effort of a very fast stage.
• Jurgen Roelandts heads to the podium.
• Carlo Westphal gets help from his Gerolsteiner soigneur on his way to the podium.
• Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner) got a nice result at a time when new contracts will be signed.
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) got another penguin and another leader's jersey.
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) leads the Eneco Tour.
• Jurgen Roelandts (Silence Lotto) took over the points jersey.

Stage 4 - August 24 : Terneuzen (NL) - Ardooie (B), 213km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• With Bennati dropped, Boonen waltzed away with a second stage win
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) counts his wins after taking his second stage of the Eneco Tour.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) took win number two in the 213 km stage to Ardooie.
• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) would lose the lead by finishing 22 seconds behind the main bunch
• Glenn d'Hollander (Silence-Lotto) was all smiles before the stage.
• Boonen is chaperoned to the podium after winning stage four.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) goes onto the podium for his second stage win.
• Tom Boonen bestows kisses upon the podium girl.
• Tom Boonen celebrates his second stage win on the podium
• Greipel made a breakaway to take bonus seconds and steal the overall lead from Daniele Bennati.
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) took over the lead in the general classification.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) increased his lead in the points classification.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) brandishes a fierce penguin.
• Tom Boonen gets the penguin and flowers a curious prize for the stage winner.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) has been in the lead in the climber's classification since the first stage.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) is still in the climber's jersey
• Belgian Champion Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto)
• The riders stop to sign autographs on the way to sign in.
• Maarten Wynants (Quick Step) was prepared for rain with clear lenses.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) signs on for his last day in the Eneco Tour. He heads to Spain for the Vuelta after today.
• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) poses with his Belgian fan club.
• Matheiu Drujon (Caisse d'Epargne)
• Jesus Del Nero (Scott-American Beef)
• Roger Hammond (Columbia)
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia) is just seconds from the overall lead.
• Aurelien Clerc (Bouygues Telecom)
• The breakaway is in sight of the peloton at kilometre 58
• Caisse d'Epargne leads the chase having missed the move.
• Andre Greipel (Columbia) leads the break at the first sprint in Oudenaarde.
• The breakaway heads over the cobbles on its way through the heart of West Flanders.
• The Kluisberg causes some pain for the break.
• Frank Hoj of Cofidis and Mirko Selvaggi (Cycle Collstrop) chased after the breakaway, and eventually caught up.
• The peloton hits the Kluisberg.
• The cobbles on the Kluisberg batter the chasing peloton.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) leads the chase.
• Francis de Greef (Silence-Lotto) shows how hard riding cobbles can be.
• Maarten Wynants (Quick Step) leads the break on the Oude Kwaremont.
• Mirko Selvaggi (Cycle Collstrop) tastes his breakfast again on the Kwaremont.
• Frank Hoj (Cofidis) is in his element on the bergs.
• The peloton takes the Kwaremont at a steady pace.
• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia) floats over the cobbles.
• The peloton climbs the Kwaremont.
• Riders at the back of the peloton are hurting on the Kwaremont.
• It's nearly harvest time in the Belgian countryside.
• Liquigas took up the chase when the break began to fade.
• Caisse d'Epargne leads the chase on the smoother roads.
• The escape group seems happy.
• Lars Bak (CSC-Saxo Bank) leads the escape group through a turn.
• Frank Hoj (Cofidis) brings up the rear.

Stage 3 - August 23 : Nieuwegein (NL) - Terneuzen (NL), 185.9km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• The field flies into Terneuzen
• Jürgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) tries to get through in-between Boonen and Bennati.
• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) gives it solid gas all the way to line.
• Bennati held the other sprinters at bay.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) is disappointed to miss out on another victory.
• A jubilant Bennati celebrates his win
• Benna also took over the GC lead
• One for the history books
• Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) had led out Bennati and now is ready to loosen his tight cleats
• Claudio Corioni (Liquigas) had done his share of work to help Liquigas takes the win.
• Former leader Iván Gutiérrez (Caisse d'Epargne) rolls in and the white jersey will be the last memory of being the leader for now.
• AG2R and Scott came to the finish two minutes behind the leaders.
• The riders were clearly marked by the day's activities.
• Brazilian Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca lost almost three minutes.
• A happy Bennati walks onto the podium and waves to the crowd.
• 'Benna' smiles, flowers in hand.
• Bennati is think about who to give the flowers to
• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) took over the GC lead with his stage win.
• A happy GC leader with the penguin.
• Bennati smiles and will be trying to defend his overall lead as long as possible.
• A happy penguin smiles and so does Bennati
• Tom Boonen doesn't look too happy to receive the red jersey again.
• Boonen clearly would have preferred the stage victory, which would have meant for him to keep the sprinters jersey also.
• A city official congratulates Boonen
• Caisse was still leading the teams classification.
• A happy Gutierrez received the trophy for the lead in the team.
• Bennati deep in thought wondering how to keep the jersey.
• France's Christophe Kern (Crédit Agricole) was all smiles at the start.
• Italian gentlemen: Marco Marcato (Cycle Collstrop) didn't want to get too close to the lady minding his bike.
• Yohann Gène (Bouygues Telecom) would play a roll in today's break away.
• Stéphane Poulhies (AG2R La Mondiale) signs on for the stage.
• Jean-Patrick Nazon (AG2R La Mondiale) gets some last minute changes to his set-up.
• The Française des Jeux bikes lined up and ready to roll.
• Florent Brard (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) takes a moment for a photo with the bike holders at the stage start.
• Florent Brard (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) plays around for the cameras.
• Florent Brard's (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) experience with the lovely bike minders clearly had an impact on his day...he lost over 10 minutes.
• The ladies look after Française des Jeux's bikes at the start.
• The crew cut will never die, if Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) gets his way.
• Koen De Kort (Astana) and John Devine (Team Columbia) share a joke before the stage.
• Polish affair: Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas), Michal Golas (Cycle Collstrop) and Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre) talk ahead of the stage.
• Big Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) gets some medical advice before the stage.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) does a final check of his gear before the stage.
• Talking Italian: Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas) and Fabio Sabatini (Team Milram) chat on the start line.
• German Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner) looked focused on the start line.
• France's Olivier Bonnaire (Bouygues Telecom) was looking forward to a good day.
• Française des Jeux's riders looked relaxed on the start line.
• Geert Steurs (Silence - Lotto) takes a drink from the team car.
• Caisse d'Epargne leads the peloton on Stage 3.
• Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Euskaltel - Eusdaki), Matthe Pronk (Cycle Collstrop), Raul Alarcon Garcia (Scott-American Beef) and Yohann Gene (Bougues Telecom) formed a break away.
• Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) is only 14 seconds off the lead, but looked to enjoy the sunshine on Stage 3.
• Team Columbia stuck together in the hope of taking another stage win.
• Team Columbia worked with Caisse d'Epargne to bring the break back.
• Despite a long break away the escapees looked fresh throughout the race.
• Polands Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre) grabs a mouth full of food during the stage.
• The bunch rolled along at its own pace...
• ...as the break away pulled out a seven minute lead.
• André Greipel (Team Columbia) holds third place four seconds back.

Images by www.organicwax.be

• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) claims victory over Tom Boonen (Quick Step).

Stage 2 - August 22 : Roermond (NL) - Nieuwegein (NL), 173.2km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• A tight sprint on a wet day is always a bit dangerous, too.
• Greipel and Haedo went neck to neck and Förster (l) and Boonen (right, red jersey) were not far back, either.
• André Greipel (Columbia) looks up after he crossed the line.
• The usual victory celebration was missing as Greipel in blue and CSC's Haedo in white made the sprint too close to call.
• Greipel seems happy the day is over but didn't know yet if his sprint was enough.
• Boonen finished in fifth place.
• Haedo sprinted hard but wasn't sure if it was enough. The photo gave the answer later. No.
• Greipel was exhausted after the sprint.
• Greipel had to wait for the photo but then was a happy podium man.
• Greipel took his 10th season victory.
• José Iván Gutierrez Palacios retained his overall lead on a rainy day in the Netherlands.
• Gutierrez is congratulated on the podium
• Gutierrez looks ahead to another day in the leader's jersey.
• Gutierrez was as happy over white as the penguin over the weather.
• A smiling Gutierrez enjoys the lead.
• Tom Boonen couldn't pull off the win but went to the podium nonetheless.
• Boonen retained the red jersey of the points classification.
• Boonen is all smiles after keeping the red jersey.
• Sergey Lagutin (Collstrop), the Uzbekistan champ shows how he really feels about it.
• A Cycles Collstrop rider is all smiles.
• Cedric Pineau (AG2R) was really happy.
• Borut Bozic (Collstrop) is Slovenian champion.
• Mathieu Drujon (Caisse d'Epargne)
• Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) was eighth on the stage.
• A Lampre rider mugs for the camera.
• Stéphane Poulhies and Laurent Mangel (AG2R)
• The Skil-Shimano riders were also happy to have their photo taken.
• Cofidis riders ham it up for the camera.
• André Greipel (Columbia) and JJ Haedo roll away from the finish after taking first and second.
• Colombian Marlon Alirio Perez (Caisse d'Epargne) was lead-out man today.
• Lars Bak (CSC-Saxo Bank) says 'hi'.
• Team CSC scored a nice second on the stage but will want more from the Eneco Tour.
• Luis Leon Sanchez and Jose Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne)
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) kept the sprint leader's jersey.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) carries his bouquet away after the KOM podium
• Heinrich Haussler and Thomas Fothen (Gerolsteiner)
• Cédric Pineau (AG2R) and Yauheni Hutarovich (FdJ) pal around after the finish of stage two.
• The Scott-American Beef team
• Elio Rigotto (Milram) snuck into the top ten in the sprint.
• The break only gained four and a half minutes on the sprint-hungry peloton.
• Artur Gajek (Milram) rides in the stage two breakaway.
• Matthé Pronk (Cycle Collstrop) was in the breakaway.
• Ermanno Capelli (Scott-American Beef) and Francisco Javier Aramendia (Euskaltel-Euskadi) were two of the men in the breakaway.
• Caisse d'Epargne controls the bunch for overall leader Jose Gutierrez.
• The peloton enjoys dry roads for the meantime…
• The Astana team chilling out in the peloton.

Stage 1 - August 21 : Beek (NL) - Roermond (NL), 173.8km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• Behind Boonen, Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) took second.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) won the sprint in convincing fashion.
• Tom Boonen was excited to win a sprint after a long, hard summer following his positive test for cocaine.
• Tom Boonen takes the first stage of the 2008 Eneco Tour
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) was happy to get back to his winning ways.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) got back on track for winning after missing the Tour de France.
• Tom Boonen's grandparents got the bouquet after his stage win.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) held fast to the peloton to maintain his lead in the overall classification.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) puts on another jersey of the overall leader.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) took the lead in the sprint competition.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) in the red jersey of the sprint classification leader.
• The famous penguin
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) took the climber's jersey.
• Koen de Kort with Miss Eneco.
• Maarten Tjallingii (Silence Lotto) signs autographs.
• Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon (AG2R) gets some mic time at the start.
• Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) ready for the start.
• (Francaise des Jeux)
• Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) is champing at the bit for the Worlds.
• Tom Boonen is interviewed at the start of stage one.
• Timothy Gudsell (Francaise des Jeux) looks very excited to be racing today.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) took all the climbs while Tankink got the sprints.
• Bram Tankink (Rabobank) in the breakaway.
• Caisse d'Eparne leads the chase.
• The two-man breakaway Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano)
• Bram Tankink (Rabobank) rides in the break on stage one.
• The Caisse d'Epargne team controlled things for leader Gutierrez.
• Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Floris Goesinnen (Skil Shimano) in the break.
• Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) on his way to the KOM jersey.
• Quick Step and Columbia amass at the front coming into the final sprint.

Images by Elmar Krings

• It's snack time for the riders maybe some corn on the cob from the local field?
• Riders take on some refreshments at the feed zone.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) gets to enjoy the applause.
• Feed time in the peloton is at times a dangerous point in the race, so some riders elect to stay far away from the rest of the riders.
• Time out on the chase as the peloton gets lunch.
• Quick Step sets up the sprint for Tom Boonen.
• Goesinnen and Tanking try to hold on through the feedzone.
• Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) in the leader's jersey.
• Tom Boonen gets the red jersey of best sprinter.
• The breakaway is fading with one lap to go.
• One lap to go and Columbia takes over at the front
• Tom Boonen warms up for the stage.

Prologue - August 20: Sittard-Geleen (NL), 4.4km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

• Raivis Belohvosciks (Scott-American Beef) gets set to go for the prologue time trial.
• Must make sure the shoes are strapped down tight for the quick prologue.
• Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) awaits his start time for the prologue.
• Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) is the Spanish time trial champion.
• Lars Bak (CSC)
• Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) makes his return to racing after dropping out of the Tour with tendonitis.
• Michael Rogers (Team Columbia) gets ready for his ride.
• José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) takes a deep breath in preparation for the intense five minute effort.
• As defending champion, José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) was the last rider off.
• A last minute adjustment to the helmet for José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne)
• José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) focuses before the start of the 4.4km prologue.
• José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) muscles through the start house on his way to the stage win.
• José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) takes off from the start house.
• Gutierrez sprints for the line with everything he has left.
• Coming into the home stretch the margin between Gutierrez and Lemoine is ultra-thin
• Gutierrez rocketed through the course in 5'31.09.
• It's a painful event , but Gutierrez suffers better than anyone else to take the win by eight hundredths of a second.
• A big smile and a wave from the Eneco Tour leader Jose Ivan Gutierrez.
• A little soggy after his ride in the rain Gutierrez takes the stage winner's podium
• José Iván Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) is back in the leader's jersey The 2007 winner edged out Frenchman Cyril Lemoine by less than a tenth of a second.

Images by Elmar Krings

• Sebastian Siedler (Skil-Shimano) finished 37 seconds down.
• Gorka Verdugo Markotegi (Euskaltel - Euskadi) was 38th on the opening stage.
• Romain Villa (Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone) finished 24 seconds back.
• German Robert Wagner (Skil-Shimano) was just over 30 seconds behind.
• Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner) was one of three riders to finish 23 seconds behind.
• Got Beef? Latvia's Raivis Belohvosciks (Scott - American Beef) does.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) attempted to limit his loss on the prologue.
• Dutchman Steven De Jongh (Quick Step) landed the 39th fastest time.
• German Robert Förster (Gerolsteiner) lost 20 seconds.
• Artur Gajek (Team Milram) was only 15 seconds behind the stage winner.
• France's Yohann Gène (Bouygues Telecom) was outside the top 100.
• Tour de France stage winner Simon Gerrans (Crédit Agricole) was 46th.
• Tour Down Under winner André Greipel (Team Columbia) only lost 10 seconds.
• José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) collects his flowers after winning the opening stage.
• Spain's José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Caisse d'Epargne) was focused on his way to victory.
• Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner) was just outside of 30 seconds slower than the winner.
• Lucky 100: Andreas Klier (Team Columbia) posted the 100th quickest time.
• Belgian Gianni Meersman (Française des Jeux) was just 15 seconds off the pace.
• Elia Rigotto (Team Milram) lost 24 seconds on the 4.4 kilometre stage.
• Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) was within eight seconds of his stage winning team-mate.