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68th Circuit Franco-Belge - 2.1

Belgium, October 2-5, 2008

Photography

Stage 4 - October 5: Château d'Havré - Grand Place de Tournai, 161.6 km

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Images by AFP Photo

Sebastien Rosseler (Quick Step) takes the final stage of the Circuit Franco-Belge.
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) made the front group on a miserable stage, to take the overall win.
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) wins the overall Circuit Franco Belge.

Images by Florian and Susanne Schaaf/www.cyclingpictures.de

This outfit was the best choice on a rainy day.
Frederik Veuchelen from Topsport Vlaanderen in front of the old castle.
There was no neutral chit-chat phase as the racers were asked to go straight to work.
Rabobank stepped up the pace so that Flecha could try to break away.
Française des Jeux led the bunch on a rainy day in Belgium for a while.
The move that started to shake up the race.
Jürgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) was attentive as he wanted to defend his overall lead.
Flecha leads Rosseler in the seven-man move that went away in the final kilometres.
The peloton trailed behind the leaders by about 40 seconds at one point.
Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) wins the race in the Belgian rain.
Rosseler often rides for the team so this win was special.
The sprint of the group that was left after half the peloton abandoned.
Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) takes third place ahead of Jonas Vangenechten (Groupe Gobert.com).
Weylandt (left) edged out Vangenechten and showed he is a sprinter with abilities.
Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) enjoys the podium procedure, something he is prevented to do too often, due to team obligations.
Jürgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto won the green sprinter's jersey.
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) takes his first win for Rabobank, taking out the overall classification.
Sven Nevens (Mitsubishi-Jartazi) wins the red jersey of the best climber.
Roelandts a second time on the podium with the white jersey of the best young rider.

Stage 3 - October 4: Mouscron - Mouscron , 202.6 km

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Images by Stijn Vercaemer/www.cyclingview.be

Images by Florian and Susanne Schaaf/www.cyclingpictures.de

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) was all smiles ahead of the stage.
Big Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) signs some autographs for a fan.
The peloton rolls out from the start in Mouscron.
Several riders broke away from the main peloton early in the stage.
Team CSC-Saxo Bank riders keep an eye on happenings at the front of the peloton.
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) takes his turn driving the peloton.
Lars Bak (Team CSC-Saxo Bank) and Mickael Delage (Française des Jeux) were off the front in a break together for much of the race.
Moooving along: Lars Bak (Team CSC-Saxo Bank) and Mickael Delage (Française des Jeux) roll by some farm land.
The cows sit down on the job as the main peloton rolls on by.
The peloton rolls past the entry to a farm.
Speed in the peloton picked up as the finish drew closer.
Three riders go clear as the sprint to the finish winds up.
Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) claims the victory over compatriot Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step).
Belgian Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) celebrates as Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) and Philippe Gilbert (Française des Jeux) cross the line.
Jürgen Roelandts (Silence - Lotto) takes the leader's jersey after his stage win.

Stage 2 - October 3: Bray Dunes - Poperinge, 184.3 km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) takes to the stage after winning in Poperinge.
Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) gave his team a victory in one of its last races ever.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) was bundled up after the cold, wet stage.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) took over the race lead from Tom Boonen.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) wears the yellow jersey of race leader.
The flowers for the race leader.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) enjoys his time on the podium.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) gets another trip to the stage for the best young rider's jersey.
Sven Nevens (Mitsubish-Jartazi) took the mountains jersey.
Sven Nevens (Mitsubish-Jartazi) was pleased to get a prize out of his hard work in the breakaway.
The rain soaked roads of Poperinge made the sprint a little dicey.
Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) takes the lead in the sprint.
Renshaw extends his lead as the line draws near.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) makes up ground.
But the line was too close, and Renshaw takes it.
Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) takes his second victory of the season.
Tyler Farrar rolls in for second.
Water pours off of Tyler Farrar after a miserable day in Belgium.

Stage 1 - October 2: Maubeuge - Mons en Pévèle, 187.9 km

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Images by Isabelle Duchesne/www.photoscycling.com

The peloton starts the sprint and Boonen is already at the front.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) comes off the wheel and heads up the right side.
Heads down, it's time to give it everything…
Tom Boonen grits his teeth and lunges for the line.
Roelandts goes for Farrar.
Farrar just can't get the better of Boonen.
The line is near, and Boonen has it.
The rest of the sprint is for second place.
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) had a large advantage over second placed Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle).
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) gives a small salute after winning the blustery stage.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) gets in just ahead of Belgian champion Jurgen Roelandts.
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) receives a large plate in addition to his flowers for the stage win.
… and of course the customary kisses.
Boonen dons the first yellow jersey of this year's Circuit Franco-Belge.
Boonen also wears the jersey for the points classification.
Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) got the king of the mountains prize.
Sébastien Rosseler seems proud of his accomplishment.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chipotle) is the race's best young rider.