The final day of the Driedaagse De Panne features one short (112km) panflat stage in and around De Panne plus the maybe crucial short ITT (11km).
The flat stage has no cobbles and also the wind ain't blowing as it did the two days before: a chance for the pure sprinters to shine. Will Haussler finally show off? How will Nepomnyachsniy do here? Maksimov again at the front? Does GC-leader Joseph have to fear his lead?
Again the first breakaway attempt is allowed for a comfortable gap early into the stage. 5 riders went clear, with no one inside the most dangerous GC's Top-39:
Hansen Hristov Boaro (GC's 40th, + 2.52) Coyot Konrad
So TT-specialist Boaro as the best-placed in GC. He may hope for this group to survive to be back in contention for a higher placement eventually.
The Italian is therefore the only one to challenge for today's only Intermediate Sprint, which he takes easily ahead of Hristov. Any second may count, you never know.
The peloton though won't give away that chance so easily, for obvious reasons: 80km to go and the bunch - led by BelarusBank, Project: Africa and also Lierse - starts to build a nice looking pursuit. The gap's at 4'20" at this point.
And down to 1'50" with now only 35km remaining. La Vie joined the chasing teams in the meantime. A sign of Haussler to feel better today?
14km to go now and the chase is still the most interesting yet. The escapees keep working well, but their lead is down to 45"..
It ain't that easy for the peloton to bridge the gap though: 6km to go now and the breakaway holds on to a 38"-gap, as mostly Project: Africa (Maksimov), La Vie (Haussler) and BelarusBank (Hutarovich) fight to close the gap.
Unsurprisingly (sad enough), Vantomme is again dropped. No news, but worth being mentioned.
It's a huge fight by the escapees, but with the sprint-trains now being built (2km before finish), it seems that the breakaway will be reeled in soon. Let's have a look at the sitation behind:
Redecker
Lay
Wijerathna
Maksimov
Haussler
Kankovsky
Peeters
Debusschere
Hutarovich
Thomas
Turgot
Steegmans
Nepomnyachsniy
Traksel
Veelers
Van Hummel
So most of the top-favorites in the mix and Africa with a possible two-headed monster in Lay/Maksimov.
As well organized as the situation looked a few moments before, as chaotic kicks off the actual sprint once the early escapees got swallowed!
1.3km to go and there's no more sign of any train and two riders, who looked like the final leadout, establish a gap on the others:
Kankovsky and Lay! The escapees make for some confusion behind..
Haussler leaves his leadout to go for his sprint..
Ahead of the final corner (about 500m to go), it's getting closer again, with another possible GC-threat joining the mix at the front:
Steegmans moved forward in the meantime, with Nepomnyachsniy using his slipstream to do the same!
Thomas tries to hang on, so does Turgot and Hutarovich.
And this could make for a thrilling finish! 4 riders enter the short finishing stretch almost head-to-head:
Lay, Kankovsky, Nepomnyachsniy and Haussler!
Maksimov ain't far behind, same goes for Steegmans and Thomas!
The battle for the win may be down to 3 riders a few moments later though, as Haussler loses speed and the three ahead still being head-to-head!
The line comes closer.. Kankovsky suffers more and more and Nepomnyachsniy overtook Lay! Is this it?
It is: Nepomnyachsniy takes the second stage-win in two days! Another huge win and this bonus seconds will also help him for the GC, obviously!
Lay and a struggling Kankovsky complete the podium! Maksimov came close, but has to settle for 4th. Both Thomas and Haussler with some better showings today, even though Haussler might have hoped for more.
Steegmans couldn't keep his speed and finishes 8th and all GC-contenders finish safely in the bunch today.
We do have a notable change in the GC though: Nepomnyachsniy takes over the race-lead from Joseph, now leading by 4" on the Belgian. Blot keeps a podium-spot for now, but the following ITT is likely to mix things again.
Question is, how much "damage" this rather short timetrial will do to riders such as Nepomnyachsniy. De Maar and Bibby (+ 0.32) as the maybe biggest threats, but some more strong TTlers like Westra, Koren, Danacik or Van Zandbeek (+ 0.40) may fancy their chances to even attack the GC-lead.
