It's a long flat stage today which involves a steep but short flat cobbled slope about 60% of the way through. With a couple of big name sprinters in Maxime Vantomme
and Mark Cavendish
you would expect a sprint finish and as such we only get one rider making a dash for the break.
The lonely solo escapee is Ermin Van Wyk
the 25 year old Nambian being one of Rapha Condor - Qhubeka's African stock.
The rider is at 7.11 on GC to the race leader but with virtually the whole field at lead 5.49 back this rider could serious move up on GC with any sort of gap at the finish. Unfortunately being alone on a windy day was not going to be easy for Van Wyk and with Bpost setting a decent pace by the big climb it was not really on the cards.
Bpost set a very fast pace on the steep cobbled climb and created havoc toward the back of the pack, rather surprisingly Vantomme found himself detached with his teammates more interested in helping Lars Boom. Proximus -Trek went for a different tactic and sent virtually their whole squad back to help the dropped Cavendish.
The high pace at the front was maintained however and Cavendish, Vantomme and also Francesco Chicchi
would not be making it back.
Rather than sit and wait for the sprint though last years De Panne stage winner Adam Blythe
attacks with 32km to go.
He is attacking past his teammate Van Wyk here, a classic one-two strategy Nokere Koerse winner Damien Gaudin
spots the potential of the move. However Bpost are smart to the danger and pull it back with 20km to go.
Pokerstars now decide to test the Belgian teams resolve sending Frederik Nolf
forwards.
It quickly balloons to over a minute with Bpost taking a breather second place on GC Arnaud Coyot
decides to make a bid for time gains.
But as they hit the bell for the last circuit Bpost have shut Coyot down, they ease up though with Nolf still 90 seconds down the road.
Pokerstars are yet to record a meaningful result in 2012 until recently, but things seem to be turning around as Nolf takes their second recent stage win with a well timed move.
The newly acquired Belgian cobbles specialist will have been disappointed with his cobbled season thus far but here will move into the top 3 on GC. Behind him it is Thor Hushovd
who wins the sprint for second putting himself in a great position for a high GC also. Bpost did a good job getting Van Loocke up to third ahead of Kluge, Traksel, Tennent, Veelers and Blythe.
Cavendish and Vantomme never made it back, Vantomme in particular having a tough day.
