64th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - 1.HC

Belgium, February 28, 2009

Photography

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Images by AFP Photo

• Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) gets the win in the season opener in Belgium.

Images by ISPA/www.ctm-images.com

• Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) had plenty of time to salute after winning by a large margin.
• Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) sprinted to victory ahead of Kevyn Ista (Agritubel) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank).
• Heinrich Haussler (Cervélo TestTeam) is just wrecked after being in the break which was caught in the sprint and then placing 8th.
• Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) tries to bridge to the breakaway.
• Nick Nuyens (Rabobank) was shut out after a crash interrupted the sprint.
• Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) finished down in 15th.
• Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank) on the Molenberg with Heinrich Haussler.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Andreas Klier (Cervélo) tackle the Molenberg.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) leads the peloton in the opening Belgian semi-Classic.
• Heinrich Haussler (Cervélo TestTeam) leads Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank) in the late breakaway.

Images by Bjorn Haake/Cyclingnews.com

• The start on the Sint Pietersplein with the church providing shelter to the teams.
• Stuart O'Grady was happy with the weather
• Tomas Vaitkus will be looking for races like Flanders later on.
• Kevin de Weert of Quick Step will have a support role for Boonen and Chavanel.
• The field gets ready to roll out.
• Gert Steegmans sees Quick Step and Silence-Lotto as the favourites.
• Wouter Weylandt is a Gent resident
• The little ones enjoyed riding as well.
• Björn Thurau was quite disappointed with his disqualification.

Images by Tim Van Wichelen

• Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) on the Geraardsbergen
• Gert Steegmans (Katusha) hits the Geraardsbergen.
• Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto) hits the cobbles on the Geraardsbergen.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) looks calm and collected on the berg.
• Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) leads his teammates on a break up the Muur.
• Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) muscles up the Muur.
• Gianni Meersman (Française des Jeux) suffers on the Muur.
• Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank) leads in the final 3km.
• Tom Boonen (Quick Step) I would have won the race without the crash!
• Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) didn't get to take his third win.

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

• Lots of Gentenaars came to Sint Pietersplein to watch the start of the Classics season.
• Thor Hushovd said he was jet-lagged but he put in the afterburner in the end.
• Philippe Gilbert tried two attacks but came up short.
• Marcus Burghardt said he wanted a top 10 and delivered: he finished fifth.
• The Belgian hero Tom Boonen
• Boonen rides to the sign-in
• The five-man break of the day
• The bunch was chasing hard
• One of the few wider roads in Belgium.
• The cobbles eventually take their toll on the riders.
• Haussler in good position
• Up they go
• The riders can't be far now
• Hushovd wins!
• Hushovd with the Trophée

Images by Erik Van Breugel/www.cyclingmoments.com

• Tomas Vaitkus (Astana) and Martin Velits (Team Milram) came unstuck.
• Gerald Ciolek (Team Milram) gets a hand after crashing.

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

• Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) after the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
• Italy's Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) assesses the damage caused by the crash just before the finish line.
• Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) wonders what might have been in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad had he not crashed before the finish line.
• Italy's Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) shows signs of the crash in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.