Boonen wins Gent-Wevelgem

Tom Boonen was on song again at Gent-Wevelgem, showing prime form and fortune ahead of the Tour of Flanders by out-sprinting Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Matti Breschel (Rabobank).

In a somewhat messy sprint marred by a crash from a Saxo Bank rider who took down JJ Rojas (Movistar) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Boonen sped away ahead of the fall and had plenty of power to hold off young Sagan.

"I've found back my sprint. I'm not the fastest man in the peloton – that's probably Mark Cavendish – but if everybody is tired then I'm one of the best. I wasn't fully recovered from Friday's race and I wasn't the best in the race but we decided straight away that we would try to get a sprint. The Kemmelberg is too far from the finish to try something there," Boonen said.

Runner-up Sagan wasted some energy in a breakaway attempt together with Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) at 25km from the finish in Wevelgem but they were caught back by a large group led by the Omega Pharma-QuickStep troops.

After 235km of racing Sagan lacked the punch to finish ahead of Boonen. "After the last climb of the Kemmelberg I was in a breakaway with Cancellara. I felt good but that was already the case in the Tirreno. It's better to try something then to do nothing at all. In the sprint Boonen was stronger," Sagan said.

Just before the breakaway attempt from Sagan there was a demonstration from Matti Breschel on the Kemmelberg. The Dane left the peloton behind on the steep cobbled climb. "I couldn't go any slower," Breschel joked. "I got beaten by two guys who, right now, are better than me. I felt good today but Boonen is the best right now," Breschel stated.

A nine-rider group stayed away much of the race, but the real story was a split in the field with about 35 km to go. World champion Mark Cavendish (Sky) was left behind in a chasing group and tried to bridge the gap on his own, but never saw the front of the race again.

The breakaway started early in the day with seven riders taking the initiative: Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Koen Barbé (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Thomas Bertolini (Farnese Vini – Selle Italia), Vladimir Isaychev (Katusha), Anders Lund (Saxo Bank), Stijn Neirynck (Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator) and Kevin Van Melsen (Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s).

Julien Fouchard (Cofidis, le crédit en ligne) and Yuriy Krivtsov (Lampre – ISD) were able to bridge up with these seven to form the nine-man group which colored the first half of the race.

The nine gathered a lead of up to ten minutes while riding towards the North Sea. When turning away from the sea the headwind tortured the breakaway group and when riding through the north of France the gap quickly dropped down to seven minutes.

By the time they reached the foot of the often crucial Kemmelberg, the lead for the breakaway was down to 2:15, and Lund and Insausti attacked the rest of the breakaway group. On the second ascent of the Kemmelberg Rabobank's Breschel put on an impressive show, his powerful surge opening a gap in the peloton.

On the following Monteberg, the last climb of the day, riders including Luca Paolini (Katusha), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Steve Chainel (FDJ) attempted to break away, but when Fabian Cancellara came to the front with Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), the duo quickly caught up with the remains of the early breakaway. With 30 km to go they trailed the two leaders by 1:15 with a following peloton of about 40 riders. Behind, a group including sprinters like Mark Cavendish (Sky), André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) and John Degenkolb (Project 1t4i) was quickly losing ground.

With 16km to go the breakaway and the two front groups were all together, but the second half of the peloton with Cavendish was still trailing by 45 seconds. The fast men in front were Boonen, Matthew Goss (GreenEdge), Daniele Bennati (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek), José Joaquin Rojas Gil (Movistar) and Oscar Freire (Katusha).

That gap only grew, and it soon became clear that it could not be closed.  Cavendish did his best to bridge up, but it was not to be.

The pace stayed high as the group went into the finale. Oscar Freire of Katusha opened the sprint, but Boonen is on a roll and proved once again to have the fastest legs.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep5:32:44
2Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 1 - Cell 2
3Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 4 - Cell 2
6Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanRow 5 - Cell 2
7Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 7 - Cell 2
9Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin-CerveloRow 10 - Cell 2
12Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRow 12 - Cell 2
14Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling0:00:03
15Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi0:00:04
16Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 15 - Cell 2
17Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 16 - Cell 2
18Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:06
19Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia0:00:08
21Koen Barbe (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 20 - Cell 2
22Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:00:15
23Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:00:21
24Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 24 - Cell 2
26Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) GreenEdge Cycling Team0:00:32
27Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:36
28Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep0:01:27
29Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 28 - Cell 2
30Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo Bank0:02:22
31André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team0:02:27
32Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 31 - Cell 2
33Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 33 - Cell 2
35Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank0:02:31
36Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 35 - Cell 2
37Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:02:33
38Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 39 - Cell 2
41Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 42 - Cell 2
44Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
46Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 48 - Cell 2
50Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 49 - Cell 2
51George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRow 52 - Cell 2
54Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-CerveloRow 54 - Cell 2
56Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo BankRow 55 - Cell 2
57John Degenkolb (Ger) Project 1t4iRow 56 - Cell 2
58Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 57 - Cell 2
59Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 58 - Cell 2
60Jens Keukeleire (Bel) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 60 - Cell 2
62Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 61 - Cell 2
63Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 62 - Cell 2
64Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 63 - Cell 2
65Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Tony Gallopin (Fra) Radioshack-NissanRow 66 - Cell 2
68Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 67 - Cell 2
69Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 69 - Cell 2
71Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:07:08
72Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team EuropcarRow 71 - Cell 2
73David Boucher (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 72 - Cell 2
74Rafaa Chtioui (Tun) Team Europcar0:10:01
75Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre - ISDRow 74 - Cell 2
76Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 75 - Cell 2
77Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 76 - Cell 2
78Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 78 - Cell 2
80Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 79 - Cell 2
81Reinier Honig (Ned) LandbouwkredietRow 80 - Cell 2
82Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 81 - Cell 2
83Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 82 - Cell 2
84Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 83 - Cell 2
85Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 84 - Cell 2
86Luca Ascani (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 85 - Cell 2
87Edward King (USA) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 86 - Cell 2
88Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 87 - Cell 2
89Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 88 - Cell 2
90Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 89 - Cell 2
91Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
92Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 92 - Cell 2
94Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 93 - Cell 2
95Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
96Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
97Tiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 96 - Cell 2
98Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 97 - Cell 2
99Thomas Bertolini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 99 - Cell 2
101Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle ItaliaRow 100 - Cell 2
102Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 101 - Cell 2
103Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 102 - Cell 2
104Alan Marangoni (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 103 - Cell 2
105Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 104 - Cell 2
106Evert Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 105 - Cell 2
107Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 106 - Cell 2
108Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
109Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 109 - Cell 2
111Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-CerveloRow 110 - Cell 2
112Aliaksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Katusha TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 113 - Cell 2
115Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 114 - Cell 2
116Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ-Big MatRow 115 - Cell 2
117Saïd Haddou (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 116 - Cell 2
118Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 117 - Cell 2
119Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 118 - Cell 2
120Yohann Gene (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 119 - Cell 2
121Bert De Backer (Bel) Project 1t4iRow 120 - Cell 2
122Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 121 - Cell 2
123Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 122 - Cell 2
124Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Radioshack-NissanRow 123 - Cell 2
125Stuart O'grady (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 124 - Cell 2
126Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-CerveloRow 125 - Cell 2
127Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 126 - Cell 2
128Kevyn Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 127 - Cell 2
129Bernard Eisel (Aut) Sky ProcyclingRow 128 - Cell 2
130Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 129 - Cell 2
131Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 130 - Cell 2
132Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 131 - Cell 2
133Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 132 - Cell 2
134Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin-CerveloRow 133 - Cell 2
135Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 134 - Cell 2
136Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 135 - Cell 2
137Andreas Klier (Ger) Garmin-CerveloRow 136 - Cell 2
138Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 137 - Cell 2
139Svein Tuft (Can) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
140Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 139 - Cell 2
141Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 140 - Cell 2
142Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
143Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 142 - Cell 2
144Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 143 - Cell 2
145Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) Lampre - ISD0:12:01
146Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team0:12:33
147Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 146 - Cell 2
148Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 147 - Cell 2
149Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
150Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 149 - Cell 2
151Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro TeamRow 150 - Cell 2
152Bobbie Traksel (Ned) LandbouwkredietRow 151 - Cell 2
153Gilles Devillers (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 152 - Cell 2
154Massimo Graziato (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 153 - Cell 2
155Manuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 154 - Cell 2
156Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 155 - Cell 2
157Baden Cooke (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
158Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFGert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFSteve Houanard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFBoris Shpilevsky (Rus) AG2R La MondialeRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFDmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFRicardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFAdrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Wilson (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFTomas Vaitkus (Ltu) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFDenis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFGrega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISDRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFVitaliy Buts (Ukr) Lampre - ISDRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFEnrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFIgnatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar TeamRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin-CerveloRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFSebastien Rosseler (Bel) Garmin-CerveloRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFGiacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack-NissanRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Thomas Wagner (Ger) Radioshack-NissanRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFDavy Commeyne (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFEgidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) LandbouwkredietRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Peeters (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Breyne (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFWim De Vocht (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFSjef De Wilde (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFArnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFEdwig Cammaerts (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFMarcel Kittel (Ger) Project 1t4iRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFTom Stamsnijder (Ned) Project 1t4iRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFRamon Sinkeldam (Ned) Project 1t4iRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFRonan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Project 1t4iRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Curvers (Ned) Project 1t4iRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFMathieu Claude (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 194 - Cell 2

 

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