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KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde - 2.HC
Belgium, April 1-3, 2008
2007 results Schedule Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - April 1: Middelkerke - Zottegem, 192km
- Stage 2 - April 2: Zottegem - Koksijde, 228km
- Stage 3a - April 3: De Panne - De Panne, 119km
- Stage 3b - April 3: De Panne - De Panne ITT, 13.7km
Flanders form tuner
By Gregor Brown in Gent, Belgium
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The KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (Three Days of De Panne) is expected to give those riders who are in with a chance for Ronde van Vlaanderen a last opportunity to polish off their form. The three-day, four-stage race, run in West Flanders, was in fact won last year by Italian Alessandro Ballan, who three days later went on to win the big daddy of Flanders.
The parcours for the four stages of De Panne, located on Belgium's North Sea coast, is similar to that of 2007, with the final day consisting of two semi-stages.
On Tuesday's stage one, the riders will race inland 192 kilometres from the coastal town of Middelkerke to Zottegem. It was here last year that Italians Luca Paolini and Ballan got the critical 11-second gap that decided the overall race. Wednesday, from Zottegem to Koksijde, the riders head back towards the coast with the longest stage of the race at 228 kilometres. However, the finale of the stage is flat and should suit the sprinters that can handle the winds coming off the water.
The race will conclude with two stages on Thursday: stage three, a 119-kilometre circuit starting and ending in De Panne, and stage four, a 13.7-kilometre time trial in the same city.
Tom Boonen has never won this race, but will not be ruled out as the favourite for the race's white jersey. His Quick Step team-mate, Gert Steegmans, should also be considered. Other riders who will be honing their form for Flanders and have a good chance in De Panne include Ballan, Leif Hoste (Silence-Lotto) and Stijn Devolder (Quick Step). Hard man-type sprinters who could win the overall are Robbie McEwen (Silence-Lotto), Tomas Vaitkus (Astana) and Luca Paolini (Acqua Sapone-Caffè Mokambo).
Cyclingnews will be in De Panne for daily coverage of this Flemish classic.
Start list
Lampre Quick Step 1 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) 11 Stijn Devolder (Bel) 2 Fabio Baldato (Ita) 12 Tom Boonen (Bel) 3 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) 14 Steven De Jongh (Ned) 4 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) 15 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) 5 Marco Bandiera (Ita) 16 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) 6 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) 17 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) 7 Christian Murro (Ita) 18 Wouter Weylandt (Bel) 8 Simon Spilak (Slo) 19 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Astana Saunier Duval - Scott 21 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) 31 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) 22 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) 32 Alarcon Garcia (Spa) 23 Vladimir Goussev (Rus) 33 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) 24 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) 34 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) 25 René Haselbacher (Aut) 35 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) 26 Aaron Kemps (Aus) 36 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) 27 Grégory Rast (Swi) 37 Denis Flahaut (Fra) 28 Michael Schär (Swi) 38 Angel Gomez (Spa) Silence - Lotto Rabobank 41 Leif Hoste (Bel) 51 Bram Tankink (Ned) 42 Robbie McEwen (Aus) 52 Jan Boven (Ned) 43 Wim De Vocht (Bel) 53 Joost Posthuma (Ned) 44 Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) 54 Rick Flens (Ned) 45 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) 55 Graeme Brown (Aus) 46 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) 56 Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) 47 Roy Sentjens (Bel) 57 Michiel Elijzen (Ned) 48 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team High Road Bouygues Telecom 61 George Hincapie (USA) 71 Yohann Gène (Fra) 62 Andreas Klier (Ger) 72 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) 63 Mark Cavendish (GBr) 73 Rony Martias (Fra) 64 Servais Knaven (Ned) 74 Erki Pütsep (Est) 65 Bert Grabsch (Ger) 75 Franck Renier (Fra) 66 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) 76 Julien Belgy (Fra) 67 Roger Hammond (GBr) 77 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) 68 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) 78 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Liquigas Française des Jeux 81 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) 91 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) 82 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) 92 Gianni Meersman (Bel) 83 Frederik Willems (Bel) 93 Timothy Gudsell (NZl) 84 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) 94 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) 85 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) 95 Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) 86 Claudio Corioni (Ita) 96 Christophe Mengin (Fra) 87 Alberto Curtolo (Ita) 97 Yoann Offredo (Fra) 88 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Team Milram Elk Haus - Simplon 101 Martin Velits (Svk) 111 Stefan Rucker (Aut) 102 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) 112 Jochen Summer (Aut) 103 Markus Eichler (Ger) 113 Robert Lauscha (Aut) 104 Artur Gajek (Ger) 114 Wolfgang Murer (Aut) 105 Brett Lancaster (Aus) 115 Björn Thurau (Ger) 106 Christian Kux (Ger) 116 107 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) 117 Steffen Radochla (Ger) 108 Niki Terpstra (Ned) 118 Harald Starzengruber (Aut) Tinkoff Credit Systems Barloworld 121 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) 131 Baden Cooke (Aus) 122 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) 132 Robert Hunter (RSA) 123 Nikita Eskov (Rus) 133 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) 124 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) 134 Diego Caccia (Ita) 125 Bernardo Riccio (Ita) 135 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) 126 Pavel Brutt (Rus) 136 Daryl Impey (RSA) 127 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) 137 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) 128 138 Carlo Scognamiglio (Ita) Cycle Collstrop Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30 141 Steffen Wesemann (Swi) 151 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) 142 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) 152 Steven Cozza (USA) 143 Borut Bozic (Slo) 153 Huub Duyn (Ned) 144 Bastian Giling (Ned) 154 Tyler Farrar (USA) 145 Michal Golas (Pol) 155 Michael Friedman (USA) 146 Sergey Kolesnikov (Rus) 156 William Frischkorn (USA) 147 David Kopp (Ger) 157 Christopher Sutton (Aus) 148 Marco Marcato (Ita) 158 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) PSK Whirlpool - Author Mitsubishi-Jartazi 161 René Andrle (Cze) 171 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) 162 Radek Becka (Cze) 172 Allan Davis (Aus) 163 André Schulze (Ger) 173 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) 164 Tomas Buchacek (Cze) 174 Jens Mouris (Ned) 165 Patrick Keller (Ger) 175 Geert Omloop (Bel) 166 Frantisek Kloucek (Cze) 176 Janek Tombak (Est) 167 Vojtech Dlouhy (Cze) 177 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) 168 Stanislav Kozubek (Cze) 178 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Team Volksbank Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner 181 Pascal Hungerbühler (Swi) 191 Frédéric Amorison (Bel) 182 Philipp Ludescher (Aut) 192 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) 183 Daniel Musiol (Ger) 193 David Boucher (Fra) 184 Olaf Pollack (Ger) 194 Andy Cappelle (Bel) 185 Peter Presslauer (Aut) 195 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) 186 René Weissinger (Ger) 196 Kevin Neirynck (Bel) 187 Josef Benetseder (Aut) 197 Ian Stannard (GBr) 188 198 Tom Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen Skil-Shimano 201 Kenny De Haes (Bel) 211 Robert Wagner (Ger) 202 Kristof Goddaert (Bel) 212 Roy Curvers (Ned) 203 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) 213 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) 204 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) 214 David Deroo (Fra) 205 Johan Coenen (Bel) 215 Long Jin (Chn) 206 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) 216 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) 207 Bart Vanheule (Bel) 217 Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) 208 Pieter Vanspeybroock (Bel) 218 Tom Veelers (Ned) Acqua Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 221 Luca Paolini (Ita) 222 Dario Andriotto (Ita) 223 Alessandro Donati (Ita) 224 Andrei Kunitski (Blr) 225 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) 226 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) 227 Diego Milan Jiminez (Spa) 228 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita)
Past winners
2007 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 2006 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel 2005 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel 2004 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 2003 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Marlux-Wincor Nixdorf 2002 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 2001 Nico Mattan (Bel) 2000 Vjatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) 1999 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) 1998 Michele Bartoli (Ita) 1997 Johan Museeuw (Bel) 1996 Vjatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) 1995 Michele Bartoli (Ita) 1994 Fabio Roscioli (Ita) 1993 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1992 Frans Maassen (Ned) 1991 Jelle Nijdam (Ned) 1990 Erwin Nijboer (Ned) 1989 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1988 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1987 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1986 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1985 Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke (Bel) 1984 Bert Oosterbosch (Ned) 1983 Cees Priem (Ned) 1982 Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 1981 Jan Bogaert (Bel) 1980 Sean Kelly (Ire) 1979 Gustave Van Roosbroeck (Bel) 1978 Guido Van Sweevelt (Bel) 1977 Roger Rosiers (Bel) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
