Yauheni Hutarovich book-ended his season with victories, taking out the closing race on the Belgian calendar, the Sluitingsprijs Putte-Kapellen in a photo-finish sprint over newcomer Joeri Stallaert (Landbouwkrediet), while Dutchman Wim Stroetinga claimed the final podium place.
Hutarovich began his season with a stage victory in the Etoile de Bessèges and second place in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, then followed up with wins in the Coppa Bernocchi and Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne before taking out the finale in today's season closer.
"I'm happy but it very nearly didn't happen," said Hutarovich. "Delage took me into the sprint, and I went around in the last 250m." His long sprint was not as well-timed as his previous, more dominating sprint wins. Stallaert came on strong, but said he needed another 10 centimeters to beat Hutarovich.
"The race went well. There was always a fast pace, and I was able to drift quietly into the sprint," said Stallaert. "At 200 meters from the finish, I gave it everything, but I didn't quite make it."
The sprint finish was preceded on the 183km course by a five-man breakaway which never threatened to stay clear. Stijn Devolder, Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil), Wim De Vocht (Veranda's Willems-Accent), Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen) and David Boucher (Omega Pharma-Lotto) gained 3:25 before Boucher attacked with 45km to go.
FDJ kept the pace high, reeled in the break with 32km remaining, and despite a few last-ditch efforts from Klaas Lodewyck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Dieter Cappelle (Veranda's Willems-Accent), delivered Hutarovich to the front for his fourth win of the year.
Hutarovich's sprint evoked some anger from Skil-Shimano sprinter Kenny Van Hummel, who, according to Sporza.be, felt that Hutarovich closed the door on him.
The Belarussian denied any intentional blocking of Van Hummel. "I felt Van Hummel approaching. I did not close the door, but a
strange curve on the course narrowed the road so he got trapped. Naturally that infuriated him, but I am always a fair sprinter. I did not close the door that way."
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ | 4:00:35 |
| 2 | Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 3 | Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 4 | Yoeri Havik (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 5 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
| 6 | Steve Schets (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | |
| 7 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 8 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
| 9 | Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 10 | Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
| 11 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
| 12 | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
| 13 | Kevin Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 14 | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 15 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
| 16 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
| 17 | Philip Vandaele (Bel) Colba - Mercury | |
| 18 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
| 19 | Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland | |
| 20 | Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | |
| 21 | Francesco Van Coppernolle (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 22 | Nicky Van Der Lijke (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 23 | Jan Oelerrich (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18 | |
| 24 | Niels Wytinck (Bel) Colba - Mercury | |
| 25 | Johim Ariesen (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 26 | Alexander Schmitt (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland | |
| 27 | Gilles Devillers (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
| 28 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 29 | Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 30 | Kevin Verwaest (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 31 | Sjef De Wilde (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
| 32 | Gediminas Kaupas (Ltu) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 33 | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 34 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 35 | Jurgen Francois (Bel) Colba - Mercury | |
| 36 | Srefan Poutsma (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 37 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
| 38 | Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
| 39 | Boris Dron (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
| 40 | Kévin Thome (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
| 41 | Pirmin Lang (Swi) Atlas Personal | |
| 42 | Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 43 | Walt De Winter (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 44 | Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 45 | Tom Vermeer (Ned) Colba - Mercury | |
| 46 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 47 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
| 48 | Dieter Cappelle (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
| 49 | Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 50 | Frank Dressler-Lehnhof (Ger) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 51 | Timothy Vangheel (Bel) Colba - Mercury | |
| 52 | Phillip Schulz (Ger) Colba - Mercury | |
| 53 | Raphael Addy (Swi) Atlas Personal | |
| 54 | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 55 | Bob Schoonbroodt (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 56 | Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
| 57 | Christian Poos (Lux) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 58 | Alex Meenhorst (NZl) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 59 | Jim Vercruyce (Bel) Colba - Mercury | |
| 60 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 61 | Jesse De Haan (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 62 | Peter Kusztor (Hun) Atlas Personal | |
| 63 | Sjoerd Kouwenhoven (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 64 | Tom Thill (Lux) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 65 | Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 66 | Tjarco Cuppens (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 67 | Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 68 | James Spragg (GBr) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | |
| 69 | Ike Groen (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 70 | Stefan Van Winden (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 71 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Skil - Shimano | |
| 72 | Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly | |
| 73 | Vytautas Kaupas (Ltu) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de | |
| 74 | Nicolas Baldo (Fra) Atlas Personal | |
| 75 | Hamish Robert Haynes (GBr) Colba - Mercury | |
| 76 | Matthias Bertling (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland | |
| 77 | Rene Hooghiemster (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 78 | Rikke Dijkxhoorn (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 79 | Remco Te Brake (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | |
| 80 | Florian Salzinger (Ger) Atlas Personal | |
| 81 | Steven De Neef (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 82 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 83 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | |
| 84 | Florent Serry (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
| 85 | Jasper Hamelink (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 86 | Jarno Gmelich (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 87 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ | |
| 88 | Rens Te Stroet (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | |
| 89 | Arne Hassink (Ned) TT Raiko Argon 18 | |
| 90 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | |
| 91 | Mark McNally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
| 92 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 93 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | |
| 94 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
| 95 | Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
| 96 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 97 | Hans Dekkers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | |
| 98 | Willem Wauters (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
| 99 | Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:20 |
| 100 | Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ | 0:00:27 |
| 101 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:31 |
| 102 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 103 | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:00:42 |
| 104 | Dominique Cornu (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:59 |
| 105 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:01:09 |
| 106 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 107 | Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:01:27 |
| 108 | Emmanuel Van Ruitenbeek (Ned) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland | |
| 109 | Niek Hooghiemster (Ned) Netherlands | |
| 110 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 111 | Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
| 112 | Evert Verbist (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | 0:01:38 |
| 113 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:01:53 |
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