Boonen claims first national title
By Daniel Simms published
Outsprints Gilbert on rolling course
Tom Boonen won his first Belgian national road title Sunday in Aywaille, in a group sprint. The controversial Quick Step sprinter beat Philippe Gilbert and Kristof Goddaert.
A group of 17 got away early on the rolling course, but were unable to stay until the end. Silence-Lotto sent Dries Devenyns and Kevin De Weert, but they, too, were caught with 25 km to go. On the final climb, Gilbert tried to get away, but even with the support of two teammates was unable to hold his lead. A large group sprinted for the finish line, with former World Champion Boonen taking the win.
"Today I wasn't among the top favourites, and I knew that in order to win a race like this one I had to be having a great day and not make any mistakes. I did it!" said Boonen.
"This is a small disappointment," said Gilbert. "I made no mistakes in the sprint. I was beaten by one of the best in the peloton."
1 | Tom Boonen (Quick Step) | 5:54:12 |
2 | Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) | |
3 | Kristof Goddaert (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
4 | Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto) | |
5 | Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) | |
6 | Nikolas Maes (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
7 | Ben Hermans (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
8 | Nick Nuyens (Rabobank) | |
9 | Kevin Pauwels (Fidea Cycling Team) | |
10 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Team Katusha) | |
11 | Jelle Vanendert (Silence-Lotto) | |
12 | Sébastien Delfosse (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
13 | Maxime Monfort (Team Columbia - Highroad) | |
14 | Frederik Willems (Liquigas) | |
15 | Jurgen Vandewalle (Quick Step) | 0:00:09 |
16 | Maarten Wynants (Quick Step) | 0:00:25 |
17 | Serge Pauwels (Cervelo Test Team) | 0:01:54 |
18 | Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) | |
19 | Maarten Neyens (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | 0:03:26 |
20 | Johan Van Summeren (Silence-Lotto) | |
21 | Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) | |
22 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | 0:04:14 |
23 | Sven Renders (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
24 | Igor Abakoumov (ISD) | |
25 | Nico Sijmens (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | |
26 | Geert Verheyen (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
27 | Bart Wellens (Fidea Cycling Team) | |
28 | Benny De Schrooder (An Post - Sean Kelly Team) | |
29 | Bert Scheirlinckx (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
30 | Wim Van Huffel (Vorarlberg - Corratec) | |
31 | Gert Dockx (Team Columbia - Highroad) | |
32 | Jurgen Van Goolen (Team Saxo Bank) | |
33 | Bart Vanheule (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
34 | Roy Sentjens (Silence-Lotto) | 0:04:29 |
35 | Kenny De Ketele (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | 0:06:29 |
36 | Maxime Vantomme (Team Katusha) | |
37 | Wim De Vocht (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) | |
38 | Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) | |
39 | Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step) | |
40 | Johan Coenen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
41 | Wilfried Cretskens (Silence-Lotto) | |
42 | Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
43 | Gil Suray (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | |
44 | Christophe Brandt (Silence-Lotto) | |
45 | Gregory Habeaux (Verandas Willems) | |
46 | Tom Meeusen (Fidea Cycling Team) | |
47 | Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) | |
48 | Francis De Greef (Silence-Lotto) | 0:13:09 |
49 | Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
50 | Tom Criel (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | 0:13:11 |
51 | Erwin Vervecken (Revor-Jartazi Cyclingteam) | |
52 | Filip Meirhaeghe (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
53 | Kevin Neirynck (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
54 | Sven Vanthourenhout (Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team) | |
55 | Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
56 | Thomas De Gendt (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
57 | Rob Peeters (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
58 | Kenny Van Braeckel (Revor-Jartazi Cyclingteam) | |
59 | Bert De Backer (Skil-Shimano) | |
60 | Kristof Vandewalle (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
61 | Bert De Waele (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
DNF | Glenn d'Hollander (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Bart Dockx (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Gorik Gardeyn (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Pieter Jacobs (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Olivier Kaisen (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Staf Scheirlinckx (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Tom Stubbe (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Silence-Lotto) | |
DNF | Dominique Cornu (Quick Step) | |
DNF | Kevin De Weert (Quick Step) | |
DNF | Kevin Hulsmans (Quick Step) | |
DNF | Sébastien Rosseler (Quick Step) | |
DNF | Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) | |
DNF | Jan Bakelants (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
DNF | Stijn Joseph (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
DNF | Tim Mertens (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
DNF | Stijn Neirynck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) | |
DNF | Koen Barbe (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
DNF | Jonathan Bertrand (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
DNF | Benjamin Gourgue (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
DNF | Kevin Peeters (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) | |
DNF | Kenny Dehaes (Team Katusha) | |
DNF | Jan Soetens (Revor-Jartazi Cyclingteam) | |
DNF | Kenneth Van Compernolle (Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team) | |
DNF | Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) | |
DNF | Dieter Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus) | |
DNF | Steven De Neef (Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht) | |
DNF | James Vanlandschoot (Verandas Willems) | |
DNF | Geert Omloop (Palmans Cras) | |
DNF | Steven Caethoven (Agritubel) | |
DNF | Bart Aernouts (Rabobank Continental) | |
DNF | Jan Verstraeten |

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