Gilbert repeats Paris-Tours win ahead of Boonen

Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) won his second consecutive Paris-Tours on a beautiful autumn day in France on Sunday. The Belgian took sweet revenge on his compatriot Tom Boonen, who pipped him for the Belgian championship title earlier this year, by hitting out early with 300m to go from a lead group of three.

Boonen (Quick Step) held on for a frustrating second place ahead of Slovenia's Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil). Katusha's Filippo Pozzato led the main chasing group home for fourth.

"I saved myself just until the end," said Gilbert. "When I attacked, I picked my spot perfectly, it was a planned spot."

"When I am in a position like that, I am confident and so I was not afraid of Tom Boonen."

The three formed their winning move with the help of Gilbert's teammate Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto), who attacked with 7 kilometres to race, just ahead of the Côte de l'Epan. The move drew out Boonen, allowing Gilbert to chase up to his teammate with Bozic.

His leader safely ensconsed in the winning break, Van Avermaet dropped back to the chasing bunch. Ahead, Gilbert expertly bided his time over the final two climbs, doing just enough work to fend off the chase of the Italian champion Pozzato, but keeping enough in reserve for the sprint.

His explosive effort with 300m to go caught Boonen off-guard, and Gilbert cruised to the victory with a bike length to spare.

The fall sprinters' classic ran from Chartres, southwest of Paris, to Tours, over 230 kilometres. It included three small climbs (côtes) in the final 10 kilometres: Côte de l'Epan, Côte du Pont Volant and Côte du Petit Pas d'Ane.

An escape group formed after 25 kilometres containing Martin Elmiger, Cédric Pineau (AG2R La Mondiale), Mathieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux), Damien Gaudin (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Jean-Luc Delpech (Bretagne-Schuller), Jonathan Thiré (Auber 93), Mathew Hayman(Rabobank), Aart Vierhouten (Vacansoleil), Tom Veelers (Skil-Shimano) and Laszlo Bodrogi (Katusha).

The 10-man group had 7'15" over the main group with 132 kilometres to race.

Belgian teams Silence-Lotto and Quick Step brought the escape's advantage down to 52 seconds by 30 kilometres to race. Only Veelers remained, with 17 seconds, at the start of the final 10 kilometres.

The aggression of Van Avermaet spelled the end of Veelers' time up front, and the Skil-Shimano man had nothing left to give as the leading trio blasted by.

The chasing peloton was disrupted by a crash involving Rabobank's Mathew Hayman. German sprinter and favourite André Greipel (Columbia-HTC) pulled out near the halfway point because he was suffering from flu-like symptoms.

Gilbert won the race last year in a similar manner ahead of Belgian Jan Kuyckx and Frenchman Sébastien Turgot.

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Full Results
1Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto5:12:23
2Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick StepRow 1 - Cell 2
3Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team0:00:02
4Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha0:00:16
5Oscar Freire (Spa) RabobankRow 4 - Cell 2
6Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 5 - Cell 2
7Gerben Löwik (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Pablo Lastras (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 7 - Cell 2
9Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervelo Test TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des JeuxRow 9 - Cell 2
11Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 10 - Cell 2
12Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 11 - Cell 2
13Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-LottoRow 13 - Cell 2
15Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 14 - Cell 2
16William Bonnet (Fra) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 15 - Cell 2
17Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team Katusha0:00:24
18Nick Nuyens (Bel) RabobankRow 17 - Cell 2
19Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 18 - Cell 2
20Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:00:28
21Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux0:00:30
22Alexandre Usov (Blr) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:01:00
23Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'EpargneRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jimmy Casper (Fra) Besson Chaussures - SojasunRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jos Van Emden (Ned) RabobankRow 24 - Cell 2
26Romain Feillu (Fra) AgritubelRow 25 - Cell 2
27Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) RabobankRow 26 - Cell 2
28Renaud Dion (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 27 - Cell 2
29Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 28 - Cell 2
30Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team Saxo BankRow 29 - Cell 2
31Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 30 - Cell 2
32Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 31 - Cell 2
33Stéphane Bonsergent (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 32 - Cell 2
34Javier Aramendia (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 33 - Cell 2
35Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo Test TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick StepRow 35 - Cell 2
37Tony Gallopin (Fra) Auber 93Row 36 - Cell 2
38Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 37 - Cell 2
39Florian Vachon (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 38 - Cell 2
40Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 39 - Cell 2
41Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 40 - Cell 2
42Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 41 - Cell 2
43Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervelo Test TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - HighroadRow 43 - Cell 2
45Mathieu Claude (Fra) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 44 - Cell 2
46Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 46 - Cell 2
48Simone Ponzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 47 - Cell 2
49Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil-ShimanoRow 48 - Cell 2
50Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Yoann Offredo (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 50 - Cell 2
52Mikael Cherel (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 51 - Cell 2
53Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) RabobankRow 52 - Cell 2
54Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team Saxo BankRow 53 - Cell 2
55Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 54 - Cell 2
56Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'EpargneRow 55 - Cell 2
57Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Auber 93Row 56 - Cell 2
58Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 57 - Cell 2
59Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:01:09
60Nadir Haddou (Fra) Auber 930:01:14
61Florian Guillou (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 60 - Cell 2
62Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 61 - Cell 2
63Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 62 - Cell 2
64Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 63 - Cell 2
65Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) RabobankRow 64 - Cell 2
66Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick StepRow 66 - Cell 2
68Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 67 - Cell 2
69Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 68 - Cell 2
70Ivan Velasco (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:01:31
71David Boucher (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago0:02:05
72Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick StepRow 71 - Cell 2
73Jérémie Galland (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun0:02:17
74Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram0:02:57
75Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Silence-Lotto0:02:59
76Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence-LottoRow 76 - Cell 2
78Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Florian Stalder (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
80Artur Gajek (Ger) Team MilramRow 79 - Cell 2
81Servais Knaven (Ned) Team MilramRow 80 - Cell 2
82Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2R La MondialeRow 81 - Cell 2
83Rene Mandri (Est) AG2R La MondialeRow 82 - Cell 2
84Vitaliy Buts (Ukr) Lampre - N.G.C.Row 83 - Cell 2
85Steve Bovay (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Denis Flahaut (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - ColnagoRow 85 - Cell 2
87Aitor Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 86 - Cell 2
88Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil-ShimanoRow 87 - Cell 2
89Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 88 - Cell 2
90Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Team KatushaRow 89 - Cell 2
91Marco Velo (Ita) Quick StepRow 90 - Cell 2
92Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 91 - Cell 2
93Rony Martias (Fra) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 92 - Cell 2
94Freddy Bichot (Fra) AgritubelRow 93 - Cell 2
95Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team KatushaRow 94 - Cell 2
96Maxime Mederel (Fra) Auber 93Row 95 - Cell 2
97Julien Mazet (Fra) Auber 93Row 96 - Cell 2
98Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 97 - Cell 2
99Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia - HTCRow 98 - Cell 2
100Vicente Reynes (Spa) Team Columbia - HighroadRow 99 - Cell 2
101Gert Dockx (Bel) Team Columbia - HighroadRow 100 - Cell 2
102Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) RabobankRow 101 - Cell 2
103Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 102 - Cell 2
104Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-ShimanoRow 103 - Cell 2
105Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des JeuxRow 104 - Cell 2
106Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 105 - Cell 2
107Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Auber 93Row 106 - Cell 2
108Cedric Coutouly (Fra) Besson Chaussures - SojasunRow 107 - Cell 2
109Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Besson Chaussures - SojasunRow 108 - Cell 2
110Timothy Duggan (USA) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 109 - Cell 2
111Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Oscar Pujol (Spa) Cervelo Test TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Imanol Erviti (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:03:04
115José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 114 - Cell 2
116Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller0:03:28
117Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago0:03:34
118Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank0:04:18
119Mathew Hayman (Aus) RabobankRow 118 - Cell 2
120Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun0:05:01
121Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 120 - Cell 2
122Mickael Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 121 - Cell 2
123Brice Feillu (Fra) AgritubelRow 122 - Cell 2
124Laurent Mangel (Fra) Besson Chaussures - SojasunRow 123 - Cell 2
125Lasse Bochmann (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 124 - Cell 2
126Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
127Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
128Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - ColnagoRow 127 - Cell 2
129Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - ColnagoRow 128 - Cell 2
130Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - ColnagoRow 129 - Cell 2
131Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence-Lotto0:06:00
132Cédric Pineau (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:06:25
133Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team0:06:26
134Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne0:07:04
135Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'EpargneRow 134 - Cell 2
136Martin Velits (Svk) Team MilramRow 135 - Cell 2
137Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 136 - Cell 2
138Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 137 - Cell 2
139Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) BBox Bouygues TelecomRow 138 - Cell 2
140Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-ShimanoRow 139 - Cell 2
141Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick StepRow 140 - Cell 2
142Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick StepRow 141 - Cell 2
143David Lelay (Fra) AgritubelRow 142 - Cell 2
144Kilian Patour (Fra) Garmin - SlipstreamRow 143 - Cell 2
145Guillaume Blot (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 144 - Cell 2
146Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Silence-LottoRow 145 - Cell 2
147Yann Pivois (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 146 - Cell 2
148Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Besson Chaussures - SojasunRow 147 - Cell 2
149Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 148 - Cell 2
150Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 149 - Cell 2
151Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 150 - Cell 2
152Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:07:08
153Jonathan Thire (Fra) Auber 93Row 152 - Cell 2
154Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step0:07:10
155Damien Gaudin (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom0:08:00

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