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107th Paris-Roubaix - HIS
France, April 12, 2009
Boonen's magical third!
By Laura Weislo with Brecht Decaluwé in Roubaix
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Tom Boonen stamped his name into history with a magnificent third victory in Paris-Roubaix thanks in part to an uncanny ability to avoid crashes in the critical final kilometres, as well as his trademark power on the cobbles. He joined fellow Belgians Eddy Merckx, Johan Museeuw and Rik Van Looy on the list of riders who have won the "Hell of the North" three times.
"As a performance I rate this as high as my first win in the Ronde van Vlaanderen, possibly even higher," said an elated Boonen after the win.
"With all the crashes today, it was very hard, it took time for the last break to take shape. After Arenberg, I had a puncture and took another bike, I did not feel too well at that stage but in the finale, the others looked even worse while I kept the momentum."
The Quick Step star was in a lead group of six favourites which included a surprise appearance by Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam), along with Leif Hoste, Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank), and Filippo Pozzato (Katusha). The six worked together until an unbelievable string of events unfolded with 20km to go which clearly demonstrated that Boonen was riding under a lucky star.
Boonen's first Easter miracle came when he followed an attack by Hushovd. The pair were fortunate to hold a few metres advantage coming into sector four of the pavé, Le Carrefour de l'Arbre, as the gods of Paris-Roubaix were about to smote the chasing quartet.
Flecha, chasing after the two leaders, came into the dusty turn at the entrance to the sector too hot, and took a devastating tumble. Hoste, blind to the fallen Spaniard a few metres behind, came into the turn straight into Flecha, and flew head over heels onto the ground. Van Summeren, with lightning reflexes, made a dramatic power-slide stop to assist his captain while Pozzato was forced to brake to avoid the fallen riders before setting off in pursuit of the leaders.
Seconds later Boonen's next bit of luck came as he led the Norwegian through the sector. The god of thunder was no match for the demons of the pavé, and Hushovd crashed on the ground, leaving 'Tommeke' to solo to victory.
"I didn't see Thor crash," Boonen said. "At the Carrefour de l'Arbre Hushovd attacked and I followed him. I heard something behind me but there's no way you can look behind you on those cobbles. Then Hushovd lost speed and I passed him. Once in that position I went full gas.
"I couldn't hear anything as there's a lot of noise coming from the crowds. Once off the pavé sector I noticed I was on my own with a gap of 10 seconds. From then on I didn't look back and gave all I had. I didn't hear any information from the radio until I had 20 seconds over Pozzato, and then 22, and 24... It was a fight from man to man and I won it."
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Hushovd's mistake cost him an excellent chance at victory, as he is undoubtedly the stronger sprinter of the two. "I couldn't win because of the crash. My arm is still impeded from another crash and I was shaking a bit, but I don't know what happened. I had good legs and I attacked – Boonen followed me," said Hushovd.
Only Pozzato could stay within a reasonable chasing distance, but the brief delay he experienced due to Flecha's crash cost him. He got within ten seconds of the flying Belgian, but Pozzato could not close the distance and finished a disappointing second.
The Italian was tantalisingly close to reaching Boonen, who he suspected was getting a little bit of help from the motorcade. "I thought it was possible for a while and then... You know with all those police and photographer motorbikes he might of had a little bit of slipstream, but I only had one bike at my side, no one ahead. At the end he went strong and there was nothing to do."
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Hushovd, having remounted after his tumble, chased with Hoste and Van Summeren just under a minute behind the leader. Coming into the velodrome in Roubaix, the Norwegian attacked to steal the final podium spot from the demoralized Silence-Lotto duo. Hushovd was pleased to have taken third, but said that it was not a foregone conclusion. "You never know in a sprint. I am happy to be on the podium, but it's hard that I had the crash in the most important point."
Flecha struggled in for sixth chasing behind the Silence-Lotto riders, still smarting from his crash. "I was good, I was riding smart and clever," said Flecha. "I was attentive and mentally fresh, but at the end of that corner I just slipped away. Those corners are bad corners, I just slipped away. I caused the crash, and then after the bike was damaged. I could not get back because the rings were bent and the chain would not hold."
The day was another disappointment for American George Hincapie, who flatted on sector 15 just as the front group was splitting up. He had two teammates, Boasson Hagen and Eisel, to help chase but failed to make the leading group.
The early break numbers 11
The inhabitants of the royal city of Compiègne waved the 187 hell fighters goodbye at 11:05 under reasonably nice weather conditions. Temperatures were a mild 15°C but more importantly, it wasn't raining. Most early attacks were in vain but by the end of the first hour – averaged at 45.7 km/h – an eleven-man strong group managed to distance the peloton. The group included big guns like former winner Servais Knaven, Andreas Klier, and further Maarten Wynants, Kasper Klostergaard, Joost Posthuma, Steven Cozza, Angelo Furlan, Greg Henderson and also the duo Yoann Offredo and Wesley Sulzberger.
The advantage of the lead group grew up to four minutes and at that moment the Silence-Lotto team started working in the peloton to keep the gap under control, later on joined by the Saxo Bank team in doing the hard work.
While storming towards the famous pavé section through the Arenberg forest, a big crash occurred in the 2400 meters long sector ahead of it, taking down team Garmin's Martijn Maaskant.
Chaos in the trenches
The leaders still had three minutes on the peloton coming into the forest, and Cozza led the group over the five starred sector with all riders making it through the famously horrible pavé unscathed.
Things were quite different in the peloton, however, and shortly after the bunch entered the forest a huge crash occurred taking out several riders, but also holding up the returning Maaskant group. Tom Boonen led the peloton until halfway through the trench, then Matti Breschel took over and eventually Heinrich Haussler impressed with a huge pull in the final meters.
A big group came out of the forest and included favorites like Pozzato, Boonen, Cancellara, Flecha, Hoste, but the group didn't include riders like Stijn Devolder, Sylvain Chavanel and Manuel Quinziato.
Ten kilometers later this chasing group made contact with the group of Boonen while entering pavé sector number 16, and things started to cool down in the first peloton of about seventy riders, chasing at one minute and a half from the ten leaders.
Devolder clearly encountered a problem in the forest as he changed bikes shortly after that. Columbia's George Hincapie got out his rhythm as well when he was forced to change a wheel when he punctured in sector 15. Teammates Eisel and Boasson Hagen waited for their team leader and brought 'mister no chain' back to the peloton by sector 14, with 72 kilometers to go.
Coming out of sector 14, the riders turned left into crosswinds and the Danish Saxo Bank team decided this was the moment to make the race hard and pull in front. Several riders got dropped and the gap to the leaders dropped back to under one minute.
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When Boonen made a huge pull on sector 13 he got away with six other riders: team-mate Wouter Weylandt, Johan Van Summeren, Manuel Quinziato, Pozzato, Cancellara and Breschel; forcing the Cervélo team into defence. Meanwhile a motorbike ran into some spectators and almost took out Boonen as well; nine people got injured, three seriously.
With 61 kilometers to go the Boonen group caught up with the early breakaway, creating a 21-strong lead group. But entering sector 12 things quickly turned around. Weylandt attacked and got away with Haussler, Klostergaard, Flecha and Quinziato. The five quickly gained a gap of 20 seconds over the 12-man chasing group that consisted of Boonen, Wynants, Chavanel, Pozzato, Breschel, Cancellara, Henderson, Klier, Hushovd, Hoste, Van Summeren and Frédéric Guesdon.
Boonen figured things weren't quite like he wanted and on sector 11 he accelerated in front of the chasing group, bridging back up to the leader's group together with Pozzato and Hushovd. Other riders bridged up as well, but Quick Step continued to put the hammer down with Chavanel and Boonen taking turns at the front. With 50km to go fifteen riders led the race, with a Columbia-led peloton trailing at one minute from the leaders.
The selection is made
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Boonen continued to put the hammer down as he accelerated again on the legendary 3km long pavé stretch of Mons-en-Pévèle, getting away with Pozzato, Flecha, Hushovd, Van Summeren and Hoste and this time the Saxo Bank team was missing out in front and trailing in a nine-man chasing group at 20 seconds.
Thirty kilometers from the finish, in Cysoing, the first chasers followed at a minute from the leaders. The six leaders – including three Belgians – took a breather and got ready for the real finale; Boonen did a quick bike change before entering the final six pavé sectors.
Right after hitting sector six, Cancellara and Klostergaard were dropped from the chasing group that was now trailing by 1:45. In front everybody was working along swiftly heading towards the legendary 2100 meters long sector number four at the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Hushovd attacked, drawing Boonen away. Behind, Flecha tried to anticipate the legendary cobbled stretch but went down in the turn at the entrance. The Spaniard's crash took both Silence-Lotto guys out of contention, while Pozzato was distanced as well.
Steaming through huge – mostly Flemish lion flag weaving – crowds, Boonen and Hushovd took the lead but in the next left hand corner Hushovd went down as well. Boonen emerged from the Carrefour de l'Arbre alone with Pozzato trailing by 13 seconds. Hoste, Van Summeren and Hushovd chased at 40" from the sole Belgian leader when arriving at the Gruson sector.
Pozzato held his second place, netting a fine result for his new Katusha team, while Hushovd reduced Hoste to tears by stealing the final podium spot.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Sirotti/www.sirotti.it
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) leads Thor Hushovd over a particularly rough section of cobbles.
- Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) is on his own in pursuit of Tom Boonen.
- George Hincapie (Columbia - Highroad) rides the center crown.
- Leif Hoste and Johan Van Summeren lead the decisive break.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) displays some batter scars acquired during Paris-Roubaix.
- Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) peers around Tom Boonen in the Arenberg forest.
- George Hincapie (Columbia - Highroad) concentrates on following Boonen's and Flecha's wheels in the Arenberg forest.
- Steven Cozza (Garmin - Slipstream) made the early move in his first Paris-Roubaix.
- Gregory Henderson (Team Columbia - Highroad ) rides in the early break.
- Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team) finished his first Paris-Roubaix in 88th place.
- Andreas Klier (Cervelo Test Team) made the early break and still managed to finish in 12th place.
- Each sector of pave attracted spectators.
- Jin Long (Skil-Shimano) is the first Chinese cyclist to partake in Paris-Roubaix.
- A pair of motorcycles make way for the peloton.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) nears the end of the Arenberg forest.
- Florent Brard (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) seeks out a soigneur to deal with the grime.
- A few riders seek relief from the cobbles along a slim sliver of dirt.
- Fans were out in force along the Paris-Roubaix route.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) is the center of attention.
- A Caisse d'Epargne rider is bloodied and exhausted in the Roubaix velodrom infield.
- Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) finished in ninth place.
- Bradley Wiggins (Garmin - Slipstream) finished in 25th place.
- A pair of Columbia-Highroad riders , Edvald Boasson Hagen and Greg Henderson, swap stories about the day's racing.
- Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas) looks a bit shell-shocked after the finish.
- Thousands of fans lined the Arenberg forest cobbles.
- Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) leads the break through the Arenberg forest.
- Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam) makes his way through the cobbles of the Arenberg forest.
- A pair of Quick Step riders negotiate the Arenberg forest. Stijn Devolder leads Sylvain Chavanel.
- Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) had to settle for second place.
- The peloton awaits the start in Compiegne.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) makes it known that he's won Paris-Roubaix for a third time.
- Tom Boonen raises his arms in triumph within the Roubaix velodrome infield as Patrick Lefevere approaches his star rider.
Images by AFP Photo
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) steps into history with a third win.
- Tom Boonen gets his third cobble.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) takes number three in a dramatic fashion.
- A third for Tom Boonen! The Quick Step rider's uncanny sense for when to attack saved his day.
- The 2009 Paris-Roubaix podium: Filippo Pozzato (Katusha), Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam)
- The Belgian flag waves behind Tom Boonen as he rides toward an historic third victory in Paris-Roubaix.
- The lead group of six with Boonen and Pozzato leading.
- Fans cheer on Tom Boonen (Quick Step) as he storms toward his third victory.
- A race motorbike crashed into spectators injuring 16.
- Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) is booed by the partisan fans.
- Medics wheel away one of the 16 victims injured in the motorbike crash.
- Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) chased his way back onto the podium.
Images by ISPA/www.ispaphoto.be
- A dirty and slightly disappointed Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) rolls home.
- Boonen during his solo effort
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto) did a superb job for his captain Leif Hoste
- Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) found it easy to smile since his leader won the race.
- The winning break of six on sector 7, Templeuve - Moulin-de-Vertain
- Does Boonen show how often he wants to win Paris-Roubaix? He is at three right now.
- Boonen sure looked like he came straight from hell.
- Boonen was happy to win solo in the velodrome
- Pozzato came in a lap behind and congratulated the Belgian while securing second place.
- Boonen acknowledged it
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto) did a superb race and finished fifth.
- Boonen will soon be able to construct his own street.
- The podium with (l-r) runner-up Pozzato, Boonen and Thor Hushovd.
Images by Nicolas Götz/www.sport-phot.com
- Andreas Klier (Cervelo Test Team) before the start.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) on the start line.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) looked determined.
- Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) was relaxed despite knowing it would be a big day for his squad.
- The morning breakaway on the cobbles of Monchaux Sur Ecaillon.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) gets some encouragement while riding alone on the cobbles of Gruson.
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence Lotto) was just behind Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) as he reached Gruson.
- Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) rode to a top 10 finish.
- Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) on the cobbles of Gruson.
- Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) worked hard for his team before finishing 11 minutes behind teammate Tom Boonen.
- Marcus Burghardt (Team Columbia - Highroad) on Gruson.
Images by Tom De Meyer/www.TomDeMeyer.be
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) had lots of time to celebrate this year, after winning in a close sprint last year.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) signals his third victory as he crosses the line.
- Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) congratulates Tom Boonen (Quick Step) as he enters the velodrome 47 seconds behind the Belgian.
- Norway's Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) did his best but could only manage third place.
- Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) looked exhausted as he took fourth place.
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto) was also feeling the pain as he followed teammate Leif Hoste to the finish line.
- Spain's Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) took his time in the velodrome, making the most of his one minute buffer over seventh placed Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team).
- Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) made a move in the velodrome to finish two seconds ahead of Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step).
- Italian Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) was ninth across the line, five minutes behind Tom Boonen (Quick Step).
- It might be for 10th place but after such a long time on the bike, the race was on in this group.
- Denmark's Matti Breschel (Team Saxo Bank) came from behind to claim 10th place from the group of four riders.
Images by Gregor Brown/Cyclingnews
- Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) couldn't believe he wasn't the first home.
- The look on Johan Van Summeren's face summed up Silence-Lotto's day.
- Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) is interviewed after his seventh place.
- Italian Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) looked fresh after the finish.
- Swiss rider Alexandre Moos (BMC Racing Team) sure looked like he'd spent a day in hell.
- The Netherland's Martijn Maaskant (Garmin - Slipstream) was unable to repeat his solid performance from years past.
- 100% clean? Well Martijn Maaskant's bike certainly didn't live up to Garmin - Slipstream's statement.
- Locals celebrated in a nearby bar after Tom Boonen (Quick Step) claimed his third win in hell.
- Johnny Weltz of Garmin
- Martijn Maaskant (Garmin - Slipstream)
- The Continental group gets going
- Garmin signs up for hell
- The riders wait for the start
- Continental tire protested the planned shutdown of its plant.
- Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) was sad that his victory chances ended in a crash.
Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews
- Bernard Hinault on hand at the start.
- Mike Friedman (Garmin-Slipstream) tends to some old wounds before the start.
- Patrick Lefevere (Quick Step manager) was dressed in his Easter best.
- Sean Kelly was at the start, too.
- George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad) before the start.
- The Silence Lotto riders have fans.
- David Millar (Garmin-Slipstream) watched from the sidelines as his injury is healing up.
- Boonen enters the stadium with a good advantage.
- Pozzato followed a good half minute later.
- Hoste is ready to pounce but there was nothing to do against Hushovd.
- A disappointed Thor can't believe he crashed at such a crucial moment.
- Hoste was upset with Flecha's crash
- Hoste had such a great opportunity today, but it was not meant to be.
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto) filled with emotions after a dramatic final.
- Van Summeren looks in disbelief as the team had come so close.
- Hoste and Van Summeren discuss matters but they just didn't have an explanation for want when wrong.
- George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad) had a flat tyre which started his demise today.
- One of the few happy faces was that of Tom Boonen.
- Aart Vierhouten (Vacansoleil) looks like he is back from a trip to hell.
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) solos into the Roubaix velodrome with nothing but open air ahead and behind.
- Boonen looks back but lone chaser Filippo Pozzato is over twenty seconds behind.
- Boonen finally allows himself to celebrate his second Paris-Roubaix victory in two years.
- Boonen has no need to sprint but puts on a show for the throngs of fans in the stands.
- Still no one there, Tom! Time to celebrate.
- Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) came close in the end but just couldn't quite catch Boonen and rolls in for second.
- Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto), Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) and Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) enter the Roubaix velodrome…
- …but we all know how this match up will end up.
- Hushovd powers in for third place in the 2009 Paris-Roubaix.
Images by Tim Van Wichelen/www.cyclingview.be
- The seven leaders reach Queiévy, the third cobble stone section of the day.
- Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) rides in the peloton.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) looked at ease early in the race.
- Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) kept his head down early on.
- The lead group of seven were still ahead at Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon.
- George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad) was to have another one of those days.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) put the hammer down at Gruson with 15 kilometres of racing remaining.
- Filippo Pozatto (Team Katusha) chased after Tom Boonen (Quick Step).
- Silence Lotto's Johan Van Summeren and Leif Hoste were joined by Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) in their late chase.
- Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) lost 2:14 minutes in the closing kilometres.
- Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara (Team Saxo Bank) was active early, but finished way down the order.
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia - Highroad) finished 12 minutes down, but had already won Gent-Wevelgem this week.
Images by Florian Schaaf/www.cyclingpictures.de
- Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) looked relaxed on the start line.
- The peloton rolls out as their 259 kilometre journey together starts.
- Belgian Maarten Wynants (Quick Step) leads the early break away group of 11 riders.
- German Andreas Klier (Cervelo Test Team) disgards a bottle during the race.
- A rider falls back into the convoy early in the race.
- Swiss rider Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) was one of the first riders to crack.
- Here we go again: The leaders reach sector 23 as their ride through hell continues.
- Can anyone sense confidence on the face of eventual winner Tom Boonen (Quick Step)?
- Former winner Servais Knaven (Team Milram) was one rider in the initial lead group.
- Quick Step's riders worked well together all day to bring Tom Boonen to victory.
- Liquigas worked with Quick Step and Saxo Bank to bring the first group back.
- No prizes for guessing who the local fans wanted to win today.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) looked focused on his lap of the Roubaix velodrome, despite having all but won his third title.
- Joy started to show on the face of Tom Boonen (Quick Step) as he passed over the line for the first time.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) celebrates three wins as Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha) starts his first lap of the velodrome.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) takes his third win in the Roubaix velodrome.
- Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) wins his third Paris-Roubaix title.
- Spain's Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) finished in sixth place.
- There were some good old track racing tactics employed by this lot as they readied to sprint for 10th place.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) celebrates his third win on the podium.
- Rock'n'roll: Tom Boonen (Quick Step) is collecting that many cobbles, he'll be able to build his own cobbled road soon.
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step) displays his victory count at the famed Paris-Roubaix race.
- Podium (L-R): Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha), Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team).
Images by Ian Ralph
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) stops to assist captain George Hincapie (background) with the wheel change.
- No panic yet in the Columbia-Highroad train as the two attend to Hincapie's punctured rear wheel.
- Hincapie patiently waited but a spoke was stuck and the wheel change took longer than necessary.
Results
1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 6.15.53 (42.343 km/h) 2 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha 0.47 3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 1.17 4 Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence-Lotto 5 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence-Lotto 1.22 6 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank 2.14 7 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 3.13 8 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 3.15 9 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 5.00 10 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 5.29 11 Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step 12 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 13 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux 14 Kévin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step 6.15 15 Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 16 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team Saxo Bank 17 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram 18 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 6.19 19 Jérémy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 6.32 20 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad 21 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 22 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux 23 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 24 Damien Gaudin (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 25 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 26 Saïd Haddou (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 27 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step 28 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence-Lotto 29 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 30 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 31 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Agritubel 32 Matthew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 33 Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 34 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 35 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 36 Servais Knaven (Ned) Team Milram 37 Nicolaï Trussov (Rus) Team Katusha 38 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-Lotto 39 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 40 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 41 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 42 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 43 Rony Martias (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 44 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 45 Lars Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank 46 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 47 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - Highroad 6.43 48 Kasper Klostergaard (Den) Team Saxo Bank 6.45 49 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 6.48 50 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 9.09 51 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - Highroad 11.11 52 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas 53 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 54 Aleixei Markov (Rus) Team Katusha 55 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step 56 Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil-Shimano 12.12 57 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 58 Rui Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne 59 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux 60 Renaud Dion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 61 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux 62 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Columbia - Highroad 63 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank 64 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 65 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad 66 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 67 Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 12.32 68 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team 16.57 69 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 17.30 70 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram 17.36 71 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 72 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 73 Markus Eichler (Ger) Team Milram 74 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas 75 Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 76 Christophe Laurent (Fra) Agritubel 77 Alexandre Blain (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 78 Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 79 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-Shimano 80 Martin Velits (Svk) Team Milram 81 Emilien-Benoît Berges (Fra) Agritubel 82 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano 83 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 84 Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank 85 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Française Des Jeux 86 Bert De Backer (Bel) Skil-Shimano 87 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 88 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 89 Marcin Sapa (Pol) Lampre - N.G.C. 90 Michaël Barry (Can) Team Columbia - Highroad 91 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step 92 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas 93 Michael Schär (Swi) Astana 94 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank 17.46 95 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Garmin - Slipstream 96 Romain Villa (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 97 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 98 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream 99 Michael Friedman (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 17.48 HD Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team HD Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team HD Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team HD Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi HD Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana HD Marlon Perez Arango (Col) Caisse d'Epargne HD Denis Flahaut (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago HD Maarten Neyens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator HD Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha HD Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel HD Kevin Ista (Bel) Agritubel HD Sébastien Turgot (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom HD Steve Chainel (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom HD Aurélien Clerc (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale HD Alexandre Usov (Blr) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne HD Sébastien Portal (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne HD Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas HD Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas HD Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step DNF Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Hans Dekkers (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Huub Duyn (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream DNF William Frischkorn (USA) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Mickaël Delage (Fra) Silence-Lotto DNF Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Silence-Lotto DNF Roy Sentjens (Bel) Silence-Lotto DNF Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Silence-Lotto DNF Vicente Reynes (Spa) Team Columbia - Highroad DNF Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française Des Jeux DNF Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française Des Jeux DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) Française Des Jeux DNF Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank DNF Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank DNF Murilo Antoniobil Fischer (Bra) Liquigas DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas DNF Guillaume Blot (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne DNF Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne DNF Thomas Fothen (Ger) Team Milram DNF Martin Müller (Ger) Team Milram DNF Dominik Roels (Ger) Team Milram DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-Shimano DNF Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil-Shimano DNF Long Jin (Chn) Skil-Shimano DNF Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Cédric Pineau (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Gatis Smukulis (Lat) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Mathieu Claude (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Steven Caethoven (Bel) Agritubel DNF Rémy Cusin (Fra) Agritubel DNF Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel DNF Brett Daniel Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team DNF Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team DNF Kenny De Haes (Bel) Team Katusha DNF Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Team Katusha DNF Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team Katusha DNF Kristof Goddaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Stijn Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Klaas Lodewijck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Bart Vanheule (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF David Boucher (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Mathieu Drouilly (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Kevin Neyrinck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Martial Ricci Poggi (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Angel Madrazo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Valery Dimitriyev (Kaz) Astana DNF Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Astana DNF Bolat Raimbekov (Kaz) Astana DNF Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Josu Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Andoni Lafuente (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Wim De Vocht (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team DNF Gerben Löwik (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team DNF Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team DNF Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team DNF Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team DNF Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team DNF Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team DNF Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team DNF Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
