61st Halle-Ingooigem - 1.1

Belgium, June 25, 2008

2007 Results Results Past Winners

Steegmans with sixth

By Gregor Brown

Belgian Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), 27, escaped to win solo
Photo ©: Tim Van Wichelen

Belgium's Gert Steegmans claimed his sixth season win by going clear of an escape group in the final 10 kilometres in the 61st Halle-Ingooigem. Finishing behind the 27 year-old Quick Step rider were Australians Luke Roberts (Team Kuota) and Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche), the latter crashing after the line.

The escape of six riders formed at 47 kilometres into the race and included Steegmans, Geert Steurs (Silence-Lotto), Kevin Neirynck (Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner), Benny De Schrooder (Sean Kelly Team), Roberts and Shaw. Just after de Côte de Trieu the gap between the group of six and the peloton was almost nine minutes.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Tim Van Wichelen/www.organicwax.be

Eye catcher of the 61st Halle-Ingooigem, Tom Boonen (Quick Step). This was his first race in Belgium after the cocaine press conference.
Seconds before the start. The riders are still very relaxed.
Start!
Lots of attacks and counter attacks in the first hour of the race. Average speed was 43,5km/h.
After 47kms a breakaway with six rider: Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), Geert Steurs (Silence-Lotto), Kevin Neirynck (Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner), Benny De Schrooder (Sean Kelly Team), Luke Roberts (Kuota), Stuart Shaw (Drapac).
The leaders at the first (of six) climbs, Tiegemberg. Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) and Geert Steurs (Silence-Lotto) (l - r)
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) at the front of the peloton.
Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) on the third climb of Tiegemberg.
The peloton arrives at Tiegemberg.
Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) with Topsport Vlaanderen, who starts to chase behind the leaders.
The peloton couldn't catch the six leaders.
Geert Steurs (Silence-Lotto) and Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) (l - r)
Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) escaped from the little group at 10 kilometres from the finish and won the 2008 edition of Halle - Ingooigem.
Two minutes later the sprint for the second and third place Luke Roberts and Stuart Shaw.
Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) crashes just after the finish line.
Tom Boonen (Quick Step)
Belgium's Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) at "the recovery room".
Interview for Flemish television.
Today's podium topped by Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) with Luke Roberts (Team Kuota) and Stuart Shaw (Drapac Porsche) (l & r).
Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) with his trophy.

Results - 198 km

1 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step                                               4.57.00 (40 km/h)  
2 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Kuota - Senges                                           0.25
3 Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program                                
4 Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team    
5 Kevin Neirynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                              0.41
6 Geert Steurs (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                                   
7 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Continental                                         1.02
8 Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                         1.04
9 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Van Vliet - EBH Elshof                                        
10 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone                              
11 Malaya Van Ruitenbeek (Ned) Team Kuota - Senges                                     
12 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step                                                    
13 Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                             
14 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step                                                 
15 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano                                                 
16 Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                          1.10
17 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                                  
18 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step                                                     
19 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone                                 
20 Vytautas Kaupas (Ltu) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                            
21 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone                              
22 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                                
23 Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step                                                    
24 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Rabobank Continental                                           
25 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job                                            
26 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone                           
27 Tom Criel (Bel) Cycle Collstrop                                                     
28 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program                           
29 Josef Benetseder (Aut) Team Volksbank                                               
30 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                                     
31 Bastiaan Giling (Ned) Cycle Collstrop                                               
32 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                                   
33 Geert Omloop (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                               
34 David Deroo (Fra) Skil-Shimano                                                      
35 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                            
36 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team       
37 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Team High Road                                              
38 Jens Renders (Bel) Palmans Cras                                                     
39 Wouter Mol (Ned) P3Transfer - Batavus                                               
40 Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Kuota - Senges                                             
41 Gil Suray (Bel) Cycle Collstrop                                                     
42 Sam Bewley (NZl) New Zealand National Team                                          
43 Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cinelli - OPD                                                    
44 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                             
45 Bert Roesems (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                                  
46 Mathieu Heijboer (Ned) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone                            
47 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                              
48 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                        
49 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                         
50 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans Cras                                                     
51 Kenny Van Der Schueren (Bel) Cycle Collstrop                                        
52 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                                  
53 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen                                              
54 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank Continental                                      
55 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank Continental                                            
56 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Skil-Shimano                                                
57 Marcel Beima (Ned) Rabobank Continental                                             
58 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner                               
59 Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil-Shimano                                                    
60 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Palmans Cras                                            
61 Jean-Paul Simon (Bel) Josan Mercedes Benz Aalst CT                                  
62 Mathieu Criquielion (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi                                        
63 Bart Dockx (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                                    
64 Christoph Sokoll (Aut) Team Volksbank                                               
65 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step                                                     
66 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step                                                         
67 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Continental                                                
68 Francis De Greef (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                              
69 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Rabobank Continental                                       
70 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Continental                                        
71 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen                                             
72 Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) P3Transfer - Batavus                                         
73 Manman Van Ruitenbeek (Ned) Van Vliet - EBH Elshof

Past Winners

2007 Janek Tombak (Est) Jartazi-Promo Fashion
2006 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com
2005 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto                         
2004 Steven Caethoven (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim     
2003 Jans Koerts (Ned) BankGiroLoterij Cycling Team 
2002 Danny Daelman (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
2001 Bert Roesems (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago


Past winners courtesy of Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com