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71st Gent-Wevelgem - ProT
Belgium, April 8, 2009
Live Coverage
Live commentary by Gregor Brown
14:30 CEST
Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Gent-Wevelgem. We have a large group of 34 free. They went clear after 20km of racing.
14:35 CEST 123km/80km to go
This race is a sprinters' race, but the wind and rain today might spoil their chances.
14:36 CEST
We will get a handle on all the escapees, but here is what we have now...
Graeme Brown (Rabobank), Assan Bazayev (Astana), Saďd Haddou (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Steve Chainel (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Ángel Madrazo (Caisse d'Epargne), Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne), Aitor Galdos (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux), Michael Friedman (Garmin-Slipstream), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad), Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad), Bernhard Eisel (Columbia-Highroad), George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad), Robbie McEwen (Katusha), Gert Steegmans (Katusha), Servais Knaven (Milram), Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank), Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank), Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam), Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam), Brett Lancaster (Cervélo TestTeam), Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo TestTeam), Gabriel Rasch (Cervélo TestTeam), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), Ji Cheng (Skil-Shimano), Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano), Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator)
They have 3:44 over the peloton.
14:38 CEST 125km/78km to go
Tom Boonen had two flats and lost his position in the escape. It now numbers 33 riders. Gap is 3:45.
14:43 CEST 127km/76km to go
We have word that Danilo Napolitano (Katusha) is in the escape and Graeme Brown (Rabobank) is not.
Cofidis leads the chase.
14:45 CEST
At the start Daniel Benson spoke to Brian Holm, Director Sportif for Columbia. "The cross winds will be a factor. There will be a lot of nervous riders looking out the bus windows right now. If the other sprinters want to win then they will need to help us control the race. We will have to try and slip into the breaks too as we can't control everything from start or finish. As for Cavendish, he's got diamonds in his legs today."
Benson also caught up with the sprinter and number one favourite, Cavendish, as he posed for photos.
"I hope I've got diamonds in my legs but you'll have to ask me in 200K. I've been back home for a few days which was great, as I managed to crash in my own bed. Last year the race starred on the climb but this year it's going to start a lot earlier. It'll be a totally different type of race."
14:47 CEST 129km/74km to go
Cervélo TestTeam is doing a lot of work in the escape. It has Jeremy Hunt, Andreas Klier, Brett Lancaster, Daniel Lloyd, Gabriel Rasch and Hayden Roulston in the 33-man escape.
Haussler, second in Ronde, is not in the move.
14:48 CEST
Cancellara is not in the escape. He is in the main peloton.
14:48 CEST
The riders are approaching the Rodeberg.
14:49 CEST 130km/73km to go
Cavendish's teammate Eisel crashed in Flanders but the team have bandaged him up for the start today.
"I'm sore all over and have some bruises. I'm hurting all the time. It doesn't change my role though and I'll be helping Cavendish as much as possible be if I'm honest I've never liked this race.
"Even if I won I still wouldn't like it. I need it in my left for Roubaix and the team needs me to be there in the final. Let's hope it will be a tough race for everyone but that there will be no crashes."
14:50 CEST 131km/72km to go
McEwen leads the escape. Now Wiggins comes to the front.
What a dismal day!
14:51 CEST
Benson also caught up with Mathew Goss at the start. Goss was one of first riders off the team bus and was even willing to crack a smile as he looked up at the clouds.
"My legs are good, the weather isn't. Hopefully, I'll try and get up there at the finish and do something. I had good legs in Flanders and a lot of riders will be beaten before the race has started. This race is one I can do well in, more so than Flanders or Roubaix where I don't the strength that guys like Boonen have."
14:51 CEST
Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) flew in last night. "It's a great race. I was born near here and everyone loves it. It's totally different to France where everyone seems so miserable these days.
"As for the conditions, I don't think it will be that bad, I've seen a lot worse but I know at least half the field will be trying to pack at the feed. As for our team, Maaskant is a bit tired from Sunday and he's looking more to Roubaix but we have Julian Dean and he'll give us a chance in the spring. Cavendish is obviously the fastest man here though."
14:52 CEST
We have word that Spanish sprinter Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi) is in the front move.
14:54 CEST 133km/70km to go
Here is the escape as we know it:
Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), Assan Bazayev (Astana), Saďd Haddou (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Steve Chainel (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Ángel Madrazo (Caisse d'Epargne), Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne), Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux), Michael Friedman (Garmin-Slipstream), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad), Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad), Bernhard Eisel (Columbia-Highroad), George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad), Robbie McEwen (Katusha), Gert Steegmans (Katusha), Servais Knaven (Milram), Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank), Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam), Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam), Brett Lancaster (Cervélo TestTeam), Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo TestTeam), Gabriel Rasch (Cervélo TestTeam), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), Ji Cheng (Skil-Shimano), Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano), Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator)
Cofidis and Quick Step lead the chase at 4:10.
14:55 CEST
Robbie McEwen (Katusha) was at the start and hoping to get to finish with the lead group. "You don't often see a big group get to the finish, maybe twenty or thirty guys and it's going to be about survival for a lot of guys. It's not about riding like a sprinter, more like trying to stay out of trouble. I'd much rather have a sunny day."
14:55 CEST
Cervélo's Roger Hammond was still feeling the effects from Flanders but was hoping to instigate the action today.
"It's better for us that the conditions are like this," he said to Benson. "We can be aggressive, make attacks and try and blow this race right open. Everyone who rode Flanders will be a littler tired though."
14:59 CEST 136km/67km to go
Riders hit the Monteberg, 640m long. Robbie McEwen (Katusha) is at the front. The other day, Monday, we saw him out motor pacing near Gent.
15:00 CEST
Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) will not ride the Scheldeprijs next week, a race he won two years in a row. Last year he came from far behind and flew by everyone, including a surprised Tom Boonen (Quick Step), who had already started celebrating.
15:02 CEST
Read our interview with Cavendish.
15:06 CEST
Milram's Directeur Sportif Christian Henn told Cyclingnews' Bjorn Haake that things weren't quite as good as they could have been this spring. "Our top sprinter, Gerald Ciolek, was sick since Tirreno-Adriatico. He did his first race back at the Tour of Flanders and he wasn't that bad there.
"Today we have to see, with those weather conditions it will be a different race than if the sun was shining and there would be less wind."
He said that the team was looking forward to the mid-week race. "Today is definitely a race that suits us better than Flanders or Paris-Roubaix."
Henn admitted that some sprinters are above the rest right now. "It would be better to arrive in a smaller group, without Cavendish, Boonen or McEwen, but of course those are just nice wishes..."
Robert Förster was fifth in one stage of De Panne, so could play a good role next to Ciolek. "With regular weather there are maybe 20-50 riders and then of course we have chances with Gerald Ciolek and Robert Förster. If both are there we have opportunities for some tactical
manoeuvres."
15:08 CEST
Danilo Napolitano (Katusha) was busy posing with (mostly female) fans for some souvenir shots. As it started to rain he told Cyclingnews' Bjorn Haake about today's tactics. "We will ride for Robbie [McEwen], yes. But today the weather is brutto ("nasty"), with a lot of wind. It will be difficult to get a bunch sprint.
"Yes, my legs are good. Vediamo!"
15:09 CEST
Wesley Sulzberger (Française des Jeux) experiences his first ProTour season in Europe. "It is good to be racing with all the big guys. It's
been a challenge at some of these races," he told Cyclingnews' Bjorn Haake, as the Australian was going through his bag, trying to
figure out what gear to wear today.
"The weather is certainly in the back of my mind when we start a race like this. But everyone else is here with their bikes, too, so we are better ready to race."
His favourite memory of the season so far is from a race in Italy. "That was Milano-Sanremo, a race that I didn't think I'd get to ride – that was pretty cool!"
15:09 CEST 142km/61km to go
Riders are on the Kemmelberg.
15:09 CEST
Here we go...
15:10 CEST
Columbia is to the front of this cobbled climb.
15:10 CEST
Without 'Cav' in this move they will make the best of their other men.
15:11 CEST
It is super slippery. Riders are losing grip.
15:11 CEST
We hear that Rabobank's Brown hurt his knee and is in hospital of Veurne, Belgium.
15:12 CEST 144km/59km to go
On the down side of Kemmel now. This is different from the way Jimmy Casper went down two years ago.
15:13 CEST
Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) and Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad) led the escape over the top. Both men will excel in this weather.
Boonen leads the peloton up Kemmel. Cavendish is right on his tail.
15:14 CEST
Here is the OFFICIAL escape:
Assan Bazayev (Astana), Saďd Haddou and Steve Chainel (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Marlon Pérez and Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne), Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux), Chris Sutton and Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), Murilo Fischer and Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Edvald Boasson Hagen, Marcus Burghardt, Bernhard Eisel and George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad), Robbie McEwen and Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), Matthew Goss and Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank), Jeremy Hunt, Andreas Klier, Brett Lancaster, Daniel Lloyd, Gabriel Rasch and Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) and Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano), Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Bram Tankink, Mathew Hayman and Tom Leezer (Rabobank), Michiel Elijzen (Silence-Lotto), Servais Knaven (Milram)
15:15 CEST
It is Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) and Gregory Rast (Astana) leading the way for the main group.
15:16 CEST
There is a good rivalry going on between Cavendish and Boonen. Good stuff for cycling. Makes me think of the days of Moser and Saronni.
15:17 CEST 147km/56km to go
The man of the moment, Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), is making a move off the move. He attacked the escape, which is now spread-eagle. We are going to see a few new mini-escapes form soon.
15:20 CEST
Bram Tankink (Rabobank) gets into the move with Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas).
15:21 CEST
Hincapie is in the move too. Read our feature with him.
15:22 CEST 150km/53km to go
Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano) lead the race. They have a few seconds on the others.
15:23 CEST
They are getting pulled back.
15:23 CEST
There is a re-shuffling going on. We will see what forms here.
15:24 CEST
The escape is in two parts. We now will work on getting the names on the front-runners and the second group.
15:26 CEST
The front move has 31" over the others.
15:26 CEST 153km/50km to go
We see McEwen pouring coals on the fire here.
15:29 CEST 157km/46km to go
McEwen is bridging the gap solo! He almost has it.
15:33 CEST 158km/45km to go
The front group: Assan Bazayev (Astana), Bram Tankink (Rabobank), Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux), Chris Sutton (Garmin-Slipstream), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad), Matthew Goss (Saxo Bank), Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank), Dominique Rollin (Cervélo TestTeam), Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano), Robbie McEwen (Katusha)
15:35 CEST
Cervélo leads the second group.
15:36 CEST
Euskaltel-Euskadi's sprinter Koldo Fernández was in good spirits before the start. He was the last one of the orange squad to grab his bike before rolling to the start. "I feel good and I am in form. We will have to see if it will be a sprint today. It could be a break, though, with the wind and the rain," he told Cyclingnews' Bjorn Haake.
What can sprinters do against the super-mighty Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad)? "I think the key is to come out of his wheel and surprise him..."
Fernández was not deterred by the weather. "I am from the Basque Country, so I am used to the rain."
15:36 CEST 160km/43km to go
There are 47 seconds in between the front groups.
15:37 CEST
Group 1: Assan Bazayev (Astana), Bram Tankink (Rabobank), Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux), Chris Sutton (Garmin-Slipstream), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad), Matthew Goss (Saxo Bank), Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank), Dominique Rollin (Cervélo TestTeam), Cyril Lemoine (Skil-Shimano), Robbie McEwen (Katusha)
Group 2: Saďd Haddou (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Steve Chainel (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Marlon Pérez (Caisse d'Epargne), Nicolas Portal (Caisse d'Epargne), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), Murilo Fischer (Liquigas), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad), Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad), Bernhard Eisel (Columbia-Highroad), Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam), Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam), Brett Lancaster (Cervélo TestTeam), Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo TestTeam), Gabriel Rasch (Cervélo TestTeam), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) , Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Tom Leezer (Rabobank), Michiel Elijzen (Silence-Lotto), Servais Knaven (Milram)
15:37 CEST 161km/42km to go
Bram Tankink (Rabobank) gives a dig.
15:39 CEST
Update on Haussler:
Heinrich Haussler was well and truly in the first break. He fell at a roundabout after what appeared to be an evasive manoeuvre, fell together with teammate Rollin.
Heinrich tried to get back to the front group but clearly suffered from pain in the hip. The second group he fell back into didn't make it to the lead group and got swallowed by the remainder of the peloton.
Read our interview with Haussler.
15:40 CEST 162km/41km to go
There Cervélo's are pumping away on the front of the second group. Their faces show pain.
It is a grey and dismal Belgian day. Only the finish line will bring a smile to these hardened warriors of the north.
15:41 CEST 162km/41km to go
Cervélo brings the gap down to 23". Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) is on the back of this Cervélo charge. He certainly was strong on Sunday at Ronde.
15:43 CEST
Gap is down to 18 seconds. Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo TestTeam), Gabriel Rasch (Cervélo TestTeam), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) are doing a heck of a number here.
15:43 CEST 164km/39km to go
Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) fires off another missile.
15:44 CEST
He has a few seconds.
The riders are approaching the second of two ascents of Kemmelberg.
15:46 CEST
Kuschynski is in his sixth year as a professional. He finished 385h in Ronde.
15:46 CEST 167km/36km to go
He starts Kemmelberg with 23 seconds. The escape group is all back together for the climb thanks to Cervélo.
15:48 CEST
Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) is making up the climb solo...
15:48 CEST
He is on the descent with a few seconds in hand.
15:51 CEST 35km to go
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) chases Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas).
15:51 CEST
He is closing on the front man...
15:52 CEST
So Columbia played its card. Is it the right card. Talk about this race on our new forum.
15:53 CEST 170km/33km to go
Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) leads the chase. He looks around for help. He sees blank stares.
15:54 CEST 171km/32km to go
What will happen? It is almost completely flat from here to Wevelgem.
15:54 CEST 171km/32km to go
Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) goes it on his own...
15:54 CEST
Some others are trying to join him...
15:55 CEST
Hincapie shuts it down.
15:55 CEST
Cavendish leads the peloton up the Kemmel. He will not win the Gent-Wevelgem. After this race he will relax and re-build for the Grand Tours.
15:57 CEST
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) is climbing. His chain holds and he makes it over the top. Cavendish leads the way down.
15:58 CEST 174km/29km to go
Pundits call Edvald Boasson Hagen a rider of the future. If he wins this race he will make his mark. There are still 29km to race, though.
15:59 CEST
Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi) mounts a chase. He is followed by Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas).
16:00 CEST
Wiggins and Hincapie are there together. The escape is split up, which should help the front two.
16:00 CEST 176km/27km to go
The small groups are coming back together. There should be 31 riders there, with our other two men up the road. They now have 57 seconds!
16:01 CEST 176km/27km to go
One minute with 27 kilometres to race!
16:02 CEST 177km/26km to go
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) finished fourth in Monte Paschi Eroica in March. his teammate Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-Highroad) won.
Wiggins leads the chase. Knaven is there with him.
16:03 CEST
Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), Servais Knaven (Milram) and George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad) are on the front of the chase.
16:05 CEST 179km/24km to go
The legs of the Norwegian/Belorussian duo must be screaming with pain. They are building their gap though. It is up to 1:16.
16:08 CEST 182km/21km to go
The work of Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) and Servais Knaven (Milram) seems to make no difference, the gap is still at 1:26. The presence of George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad) must not be helping: he is sitting on their wheels and not contributing because of his teammate in the lead.
16:13 CEST 186km/17km to go
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) is only 21 years old. Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) has eight years on him. The duo is working well.
Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) are trying to bridge.
16:13 CEST
They have a few seconds on the escape.
16:13 CEST
More riders are trying to join Goss' move.
16:15 CEST 188km/15km to go
Goss continues solo. Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad) chases to close his move down.
16:16 CEST 188km/15km to go
The gap is at 1:18. Our duo should win.
16:16 CEST
Assan Bazayev (Astana) tries...
16:19 CEST 191km/12km to go
The escape is lined out... Some riders are trying to get clear, but Columbia and Liquigas are discouraging the moves for their teammates in the lead.
16:21 CEST 193km/10km to go
Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Matthew Goss (Saxo Bank) and Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam) have moved free. Two Aussies and one German. They are trying to chop down the gap of 1:08 to the front duo.
16:22 CEST 193km/10km to go
Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) have 1:04 on the trio.
16:24 CEST
Wins:
Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) last won the 2007 Five Rings of Moscow stage race. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) won three stages of the 2008 Tour of Briton.
16:26 CEST 195km/8km to go
Rain is still coming down for our duo. They push on towards Wevelgem, both of their heads are down and both must be thinking of victory.
Freire won here in 2008. He is not racing this year.
16:26 CEST
Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi) is chasing solo.
16:27 CEST
The Liquigas car pulls up to talk to its rider. "Work hard, move to the back in the final kilometre..."
16:28 CEST 196km/7km to go
Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Matthew Goss (Saxo Bank) and Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam) are black and brown with road spray. They chase 50" back from the front duo.
16:28 CEST
Who will win?
16:28 CEST
Kuschynski looks sharp and may use his experience to beat his companion from Norway.
16:29 CEST 198km/5km to go
53 seconds for the duo.
16:30 CEST 199km/4km to go
Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) leads Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad). They start the final four km with 50".
16:31 CEST
Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Matthew Goss (Saxo Bank) and Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam) will fight for third.
16:32 CEST 200km/3km to go
The final 3000 metres...
16:32 CEST
The roads are slick and wet. The riders will need to continue to be careful.
16:33 CEST 201km/2km to go
The gap is 49" with 2km to go. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) leads Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas). The crowds line the road.
16:34 CEST
Hayman, Goss and Klier start the final two kilometres.
16:34 CEST
The duo is in the final km.
16:34 CEST 202.2km/0.8km to go
Kuschynski leads...
16:35 CEST
He continues to lead...
16:35 CEST
The two are on the road's right side.
16:35 CEST
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) fires!
16:35 CEST
He keeps charging down the left side.
16:36 CEST
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) takes the win over Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas).
16:36 CEST
Here comes the trio...
16:37 CEST
Goss over Hayman for third. Andreas Klier (Cervélo TestTeam) takes fifth.
16:37 CEST
Koldo Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi) takes sixth, solo, at 1:50.
16:38 CEST
Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad), a former winner, leads home the rest.
16:44 CEST
The peloton is still riding...
16:45 CEST
9:18 has passed. Will they sprint? Probably not.
16:47 CEST
The peloton finishes, 16:32 later.
16:47 CEST
Thanks for joining us today in our live coverage.
Provisional results
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia-Highroad 2 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas 1.00 3 Matthew Goss (Aus) Saxo Bank 4 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 5 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam 6 Koldo Fernández (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.40 7 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Columbia-Highroad 1.55
