After the hard cobble stage yesterday we fence an easier parcour today. A pretty flat stage for the sprinters which looks harder than it actually is.
So top favourites of course Tom Boonen and Sam Bewley. Both of them are still in a good overall position and will try to grab the bonus seconds to improve.
12 riders in the break of the day. Schwarmes Gallego Martin, Allonca Florencio Boeckmans Riber-Sellebjerg Weiss Orozco Ratto Kruopis Lhotellerie Vorontsov
Florencio as 16th with just a bit more than 10min pretty well placed.
Festina for race leader Pozzato and Milka for Bewley do the pace. Obviously Bewley feels strong again and wants to challenge Tom Boonen today.
First intermediate is reached.
1. Aidis Kruopis (Bacardi)
2. Kris Boeckmans (Webeffect).
3. Denis Vorontsov (UBS)
No real fight for the points here.
100km and more than 7min. Time to increase the pace. Mainly Bewley`s helpers but also some Nestle riders now.
60km and still 4'35. Not fast enough for Milka. They send more guys to the front and really give everything now. The Nestle guys only go in the wind a few rare times and save energy for the sprint preparations.
Ouch bad moment for yesterdays winner to puncture. Burghardt is 11th with just 4'26 back but is now very unlucky as the pace is incredibly fast.
Immediately 5 helpers drop and help him to come back. A bit surprising also Steegmans was ordered back although as 12th overall he is also well placed and was also a solid bet for a good stage result today.
No time to wait for the Bacardi guys. Wikipedia is coming to the front now accelerating with 10km to go for Van Heerden.
The breakaway is still a bit ahead and is fighting for their chance.
But with just under 5km they are caught. Just ahead of the entree of the velodrome for the 3rd day in the row. The sprinters need to position now for the final sprint.
Wikipedia still keeping the speed up. But bad for them that their sprinter Van Heerden is hanging on the back of the peloton.
Just like Avellino or Vanoverschelde.
Pozzato excellent placed just behind the train while Boonen, Bewley and Vanderbiest are all not that bad placed but also not good being quite blocked in ~20. position.
Wikipedia is ignoring Van Heerden`s position and is still pacing. We already reached the 2km mark and nobody starts this very unorganised sprint.
Just 1,4km to go and now Vanderbiest coming on the inside lane with Boonen right of him a bit blocked. Probably the outside lane would be the better choice here. None of the others like Pozzato or Bewley sprint so the Milka team should be very pissed after working all day.
Vanderbiest somehow reached the front and is next to a pure Wikipedia Armada.
Pozzato still hangs behind his lead-out Drapac while Boonen tries Vanderbiest`s lane but is blocked behind Cancellara. Pretty weird sprint here.
Vanderbiest really makes it. He was the first to start his move and so he totally deserves this victory.
Behind him pretty weird scenario.
Wikipedia can be happy as Summerhill still finishes 3rd just behind Festina`s Drapac, who was supposed to lead-out Pozzato who comes in 4th not taking bonus seconds. Boonen as 7th probably as disappointed as Bewley without sprinting as 17. today.
Tough day for the Bacardi guys. After yesterdays excellent result they lose more than 2min today which means falling from 11./12. to 13./14.
