Chainel finally gets his win

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France's Steve Chainel (BBOX Bouygues Telecom) was the surprise winner of the opening stage of the Three Days of De Panne on Tuesday, beating several bigger names in a seven-rider sprint in Oudenaarde.

“It's a real surprise to win. There were some fast sprinters up there like Paolini and Gasparotto but I've got a good jump and today it worked," said Chainel.

“It's a dream to win in Belgium because I love riding cyclo-cross here. I hope things carry on like this 'til Sunday because I hope to do well in the Tour of Flanders too. I'm not a time trial specialist but I treated this stage more like a one-day classic. I'll try and defend the lead.”

Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) hit out early in the sprint but then Chainel blew past him and nobody was able to get a near him.

Millar finished seventh on the stage. With the first chase group finishing 45 seconds behind and with the bunch at over two minutes, Millar has set up a great chance for overall victory.

12 climbs and twisting, narrow lanes

The 169 riders on the KBC-Driedaagse De Panne - Koksijde start list rolled out of Middlekerke under dark skies and rain but the weather brightened up as the race progressed and headed to the Belgian coast.

With 12 climbs and lots of twisting, narrow lanes on the way, the first stage was a mini Tour of Flanders and the riders rode aggressively as they fought to get in the break they knew could perhaps stay away and so shape the final overall standings of the three-day race.

Several early breaks went off the front of the bunch but they were never allowed to get away and the first serious move only formed after 100km. 10 riders were in it and quickly got a two-minute gap but Liquigas, Quick Step and Acqua & Sapone dragged the peloton after them.

The 10 became seven over the Berendries, 40km from the finish and then Liquigas sprinter Daniel Bennati led the chasers up the steep cobbled Valkenberg, taking a select few other riders. 13 riders formed at the front. Adam Hansen (HTC-Columbia) was there but lost contact after touching a wheel and crashing.

The Kruisberg, 16km from the finish and then Korte Keer split the front group into two as the strongest climbers emerged. Frederic Amorison (Landbouwkrediet) had opened a small gap before it and so stayed up there with Millar, Paolini, Westra, Gasparotto, Chainel and Daniele Oss (Liquigas) getting across to him over the top. The others tried to chase and get back on with the help of some motorbike slipstreams but the seven worked together to make sure they would fight out for the stage win.

Paolini and Gasparotto must have thought they were going to win but then Chainel burst through to surprise them. Chainel won two stages of the Tour de la Manche and the Circuit de Lorraine in 2008 but his win in De Panne, confirmed he is more than just a cyclo-cross rider.

Thanks to time bonuses, he leads Paolini by four seconds, with Gasparotto third overall, at six seconds. Chainel will wear the race leader’s jersey during Wednesday’s 214km second stage from Zottegem to Sint Idesbald.