Van Leijen rides out long break to win in Münster

Joost van Leijen of Vacansoliel initiated a break only 18 km into the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro and stayed away to the end, winning a two-man sprint on the cobblestones of downtown Münster. Second place went to Dirk Müller (Team Nutrixxion), who had been the Dutchman's original break companion. Robert Wagner of Skil-Shimano won the sprint of the peloton to finish third, 11 seconds down.

The escape group dominated much of the race. Only 18km into the 208km long race, van Leijen and Müller took off, and were soon joined by Reto Hollenstein (Vorarlberg-Corretec). The peloton, led by German ProTour Team Milram, kept the three on a short line, not allowing the lead to get bigger than about three and a half minutes.

After the first ranked climb, Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen), Mads Christensen (Glud & Martstrand) and Bart van Haaren (Van Vliet) took off in pursuit of the three leaders. By km 145 the six came together, with a three minute lead over the field. Van Haaren proved unable to keep up with the others and soon dropped back to the peloton.

With 20 km to go, van Leijen and Müller were able to pull away, and soon crossed the finish line 1:32 ahead of the peloton before heading off on the closing circuit course. They were easily able to hold on to their lead and sprint against one another for the win. The peloton crossed the finish line 11 seconds later.

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Full Results
1Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team4:41:19
2Dirk Müller (Ger) Team Nutrixxion SparkasseRow 1 - Cell 2
3Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil - Shimano0:00:11
4Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Palmans - CrasRow 3 - Cell 2
5Eric Baumann (Ger) Team NetappRow 4 - Cell 2
6Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervélo TestTeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7René Weissinger (Ger) Vorarlberg - CorratecRow 6 - Cell 2
8Johim Ariesen (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo PielsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 8 - Cell 2
10David Kopp (Ger) Team Kuota - IndelandRow 9 - Cell 2
11Andrea Piechele (Ita) Carmiooro NGCRow 10 - Cell 2
12Kevin Peeters (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 11 - Cell 2
13Barry Markus (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 12 - Cell 2
14Wesley Kreder (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 13 - Cell 2
15Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 14 - Cell 2
16Remco Te Brake (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh ElshofRow 15 - Cell 2
17Robert Förster (Ger) Team MilramRow 16 - Cell 2
18Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Team HTC - ColumbiaRow 17 - Cell 2
19Nicky Van Der Lijke (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 18 - Cell 2
20Harald Totschnig (Aut) Tyrol TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Felix Rinker (Ger) Team HeizomatRow 20 - Cell 2
22Vytautas Kaupas (Ltu) Continental Team DifferdangeRow 21 - Cell 2
23Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Continental Team DifferdangeRow 22 - Cell 2
24Moreno Hofland (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 23 - Cell 2
25Nikola Aistrup (Den) Team Concordia Forsikring - HimmerlandRow 24 - Cell 2
26Troels Ronning Vinther (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO RadgivningRow 25 - Cell 2
27Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil - ShimanoRow 27 - Cell 2
29Aristide Ratti (Ita) Carmiooro NGCRow 28 - Cell 2
30Paul Voss (Ger) Team MilramRow 29 - Cell 2
31Patrick Bercz (Ger) Seven StonesRow 30 - Cell 2
32Sven Jodts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 31 - Cell 2
33Robert Retschke (Ger) Continental Team DifferdangeRow 32 - Cell 2
34Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team NetappRow 33 - Cell 2
35David Rosch (Ger) Atlas PersonalRow 34 - Cell 2
36Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Team Nutrixxion SparkasseRow 35 - Cell 2
37Alexander Krieger (Ger) Team HeizomatRow 36 - Cell 2
38Marius Bernatonis (Ltu) Atlas PersonalRow 37 - Cell 2
39Christian Patron (Bel) Team Kuota - IndelandRow 38 - Cell 2
40Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 39 - Cell 2
41Stefan Kirchmair (Aut) Tyrol TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Jack Vermeulen (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh ElshofRow 41 - Cell 2
43Bart Dockx (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 42 - Cell 2
44Sander Oostlander (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh ElshofRow 43 - Cell 2
45Frank Scherzinger (Ger) Atlas PersonalRow 44 - Cell 2
46Josef Benetseder (Aut) Vorarlberg - CorratecRow 45 - Cell 2
47Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) Rabobank ContinentalRow 46 - Cell 2
48Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Cervélo TestTeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Norbert Durauer (Aut) Tyrol TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Hakan Nilsson (Swe) Continental Team DifferdangeRow 49 - Cell 2
51Davy De Scheemaeker (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 50 - Cell 2
52Steven Caethoven (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 51 - Cell 2
53Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team NetappRow 52 - Cell 2
54Sjoerd Kouwenhoven (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh ElshofRow 53 - Cell 2
55Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team MilramRow 54 - Cell 2
56Andreas Henig (Ger) Seven StonesRow 55 - Cell 2
57Tom Van Den Haute (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 56 - Cell 2
58Björn Schröder (Ger) Team MilramRow 57 - Cell 2
59Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - ColumbiaRow 59 - Cell 2
61Daniel Westmattelmann (Ger) Team Kuota - IndelandRow 60 - Cell 2
62Steffen Radochla (Ger) Team Nutrixxion SparkasseRow 61 - Cell 2
63Timothy Vangheel (Bel) Palmans - CrasRow 62 - Cell 2
64Michael Berling (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO RadgivningRow 63 - Cell 2
65Florian Salzinger (Ger) Atlas PersonalRow 64 - Cell 2
66Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Team HTC - ColumbiaRow 65 - Cell 2
67Sierk De Haan (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels0:00:19
68Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:00:20
69Enrico Peruffo (Ita) Carmiooro NGC0:00:22
70Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - ColumbiaRow 69 - Cell 2
71Matthias Bertling (Ger) Team Kuota - IndelandRow 70 - Cell 2
72Erik Mohs (Ger) Team Nutrixxion SparkasseRow 71 - Cell 2
73Alexander Schmitt (Ger) Team Kuota - IndelandRow 72 - Cell 2
74Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
75Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo TestTeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Cyrille Heymans (Lux) Continental Team DifferdangeRow 76 - Cell 2
78Stijn Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:00:27
79Martin Hacecky (Cze) Atlas PersonalRow 78 - Cell 2
80Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetappRow 79 - Cell 2
81Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo TestTeamRow 80 - Cell 2
82Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp0:00:37
83Nicolas Baldo (Fra) Atlas PersonalRow 82 - Cell 2
84Lasse Bochmann (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO RadgivningRow 83 - Cell 2
85Michael Schweizer (Ger) Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse0:00:45
86Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:00:48
87Kristian Sobota (Den) Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland0:00:51
88Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Palmans - Cras0:00:58
89Rob Goris (Bel) Palmans - CrasRow 88 - Cell 2
90Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Vorarlberg - CorratecRow 89 - Cell 2
91Dominik Roels (Ger) Team MilramRow 90 - Cell 2
92Kim Lachmann (Ger) Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse0:01:00
93Bas Krauwel (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh ElshofRow 92 - Cell 2
94Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - ColumbiaRow 93 - Cell 2
95Jelle Posthuma (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo PielsRow 94 - Cell 2
96Jonas Schmeiser (Ger) Team HeizomatRow 95 - Cell 2
97Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 96 - Cell 2
98Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team Netapp0:01:11
99Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano0:01:45
100Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam0:02:27
101Luc Hagenaars (Ned) Team Kuota - Indeland0:02:54
102Mads Christensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO RadgivningRow 101 - Cell 2
103Yannick Mayer (Ger) Team Heizomat0:03:29
104Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp0:03:31
105Kasper Linde Jorgensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO RadgivningRow 104 - Cell 2
106Peter Schulting (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels0:06:49
107Emmanuel Van Ruitenbeek (Ned) Team Kuota - Indeland0:06:50

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