Gilbert prevails at Ster ZLM Toer

Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) defended his slim general classification lead on the final stage of the Ster ZLM Toer to win overall for the second time in three years while Leigh Howard (HTC-Highroad) took home stage honours in Etten-Leur. The 20-year-old Australian outkicked Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Saxo Bank Sungard) and stage two winner Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) for his first win of the season.

"Our goal for today was to work for Leigh in the sprint, but it was a very difficult stage with a lot of rain, wind and storms," said HTC-Highroad sports director Jan Schaffrath.

"The run-in was not easy either, I counted five speed bumps in the last couple of kilometers and other 'road furniture' too, but Leigh came through well. He was protected from the wind when he needed to be then given the perfect lead out and the rest he could handle for himself.

"It's a great way to complete the event for him, and for the team too. We've had victories at both ends of the race and we led overall for the first three days too. It's difficult to ask for more."

Overnight race leader Gilbert began the day only one second ahead of Dutch road champion Niki Terpstra (Rabobank) and with time bonuses on hand at two intermediate sprints plus the finish, the Belgian and his Omega Pharma-Lotto teammates would have to remain attentive.

The day's early break escaped after 30km of racing as Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano) and Bertjan Lindeman (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) jumped clear. Reinier Honig (Landbouwkrediet), too, attacked the peloton to form a leading trio.

The three escapees swept up all the time bonus seconds at the first intermediate sprint at 67.6km, but their stint off the front came to a conclusion approximately half way through the 191km stage.

Omega Pharma-Lotto controlled the peloton's tempo through to the crucial intermediate sprint located at 160.1km, as the field began the first of three 10.6km finishing circuits.

Gilbert won the final intermediate sprint and picked up a three-second time bonus and was followed across the line by teammate Klaas Lodewyck, but Terpstra claimed third and its one-second time bonus. Gilbert's general classification lead now stood at three seconds over Terpstra, but 10, 6 and 4 seconds were still up for grabs at the finish line.

With 25km remaining a three man break formed comprised of Gianni Meersman (FDJ), Alex Dowsett (Sky) and Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Cervelo). Navardauskas's presence in the escape also posed a threat to Gilbert as the Lithuanian started the day in third overall, and now trailed overall by 15 seconds.

The trio's escape would soon come to a conclusion, however, under the impetus of Omega Pharma-Lotto.

As the teams of the sprinters lined up at the head of affairs in the race finale, none other than race leader Philippe Gilbert launched a solo flyer inside of the final kilometre.

The Belgian's bid to claim his second straight stage win came up short as he was swept up with 400 metres remaining, but as the sprinters claimed all of the bonus seconds on offer at the finish line Gilbert had done enough to win overall.