Gilbert finally wins his national title
By Cycling News
Omega Pharma-Lotto leader beats Meersman and Wallays
Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) finally got to pull on the iconic Belgian national champion’s jersey after another masterful display of racing in the Elite men’s road race in Hooglede Gits.
Gilbert was a marked man on the largely flat course but rode an aggressive race to win alone a few seconds ahead of Gianni Meersman (FDJ) and Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen). Tom Boonen (Quick Step) finished seventh after sitting up and giving up following his last-ditched pursuit. 2010 champion Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil) was sixth despite claiming to be out of form.
Gilbert had finished second in four editions of the Belgian national championships but was unbeatable in the scorching hot conditions. He must surely be the favourite to win the uphill finish of next Saturday’s opening stage of the Tour de France.
"It's fantastic to have won - I can’t believe I have this beautiful jersey,” Gilbert said after pulling on the red, yellow and black jersey.
"But I’ve got to share this victory with my team. We made the race difficult to force a selection. When Wellens went on the attack, I encouraged people to start a chase. Landbouwkrediet was the first team to sacrifice a few riders. Then I continued to push my teammates.”
“At one point, we were in front with a good group. Boonen and Devolder had been able to join us but I was convinced that it would be hard to make a difference, especially with the high speed. But when I looked around I saw that a lot of riders were tired. Then I knew it was my job to finish off the job on the last lap."
“I am proud to have this jersey but I’d like the exchange at the start of the Tour for the yellow jersey.”
Decisive attack
Gilbert split the race and formed the decisive break of the day with almost 100km to go.
On a long curved section of road, he dragged 14 riders clear, forcing Boonen and Devolder to go deep to get across with two others. That created an 18-rider front group. For everyone else, including Tour of Flanders winner Nick Nuyens (Saxo Bank-SunGard), the race was over.
Despite several of his rivals tying attacks, the front of the race stayed together and the race looked set to finish in a sprint. However Gilbert attacked hard on a section of cobbles just two kilometres out. He got a gap with a huge effort and not even Boonen could get across to him.
He then held off the chasers and had time to savour his success as he crossed the line.
After his victories in the Ardennes Classics and the Tour of Belgium, now Gilbert has the Belgian national champion’s jersey. His next goals are the yellow jersey at the Tour de France and then the rainbow jersey at the world championships.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 5:19:38 |
2 | Gianni Meersman (Bel) FDJ | 0:00:02 |
3 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
4 | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
5 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:04 |
6 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
7 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:00:08 |
8 | Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | 0:00:13 |
9 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:16 |
10 | Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | 0:00:18 |
11 | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:00:19 |
12 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:26 |
13 | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:00:33 |
14 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:01:06 |
15 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:01:26 |
16 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:01:52 |
17 | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | 0:02:30 |
18 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
19 | Andy Cappelle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
20 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
21 | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:02:33 |
22 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
23 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | 0:02:36 |
24 | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:02:38 |
25 | Frederik Willems (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
26 | Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 0:02:40 |
27 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
28 | Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:57 |
29 | Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
30 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
31 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:01 |
32 | Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:03:25 |
33 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad | |
34 | Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
35 | Philippe Legrand (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
36 | Justin Van Hoecke (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | 0:04:58 |
37 | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
38 | Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
39 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
40 | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
41 | Rudy Rouet (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
42 | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
43 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
44 | Bart Dockx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
45 | Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
46 | Kevin Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
47 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
48 | Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
49 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
50 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team | |
51 | Jonathan Dufrasne (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
52 | Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | |
53 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
54 | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
55 | Grégory Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
56 | Dominique Cornu (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
57 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
58 | Steven De Neef (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
59 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
60 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
61 | Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
62 | Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
63 | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
64 | Sven Van Den Houte (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
65 | Wim De Vocht (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
66 | Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
67 | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
68 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
69 | Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | |
70 | Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
71 | Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel) | |
72 | Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Revor | |
73 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
74 | Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
75 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Skil - Shimano | |
76 | Bart Aernouts (Bel) | |
77 | Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | |
78 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
79 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
80 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team | |
81 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
82 | Joeri Adams (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | |
83 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
84 | Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack | |
85 | Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
86 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
87 | Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
88 | Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
89 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
90 | Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
91 | Stijn Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
92 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
93 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
94 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
95 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
96 | Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
97 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
98 | Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | |
99 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
100 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto |
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