STAGE 9: Middelkerke - Oudenaarde 198 KM
Stage Favourites:
*****Petacchi(BOR) ****Bozic(PET) ***Steegmans(NOK)
**Hinault(TMO) *Veelers(CAR)
The cobbles make their debut here ....
Tschopp falls!
We haven't even reached the first cobbles of the day with 186 kilometres to go when the Aer Lingus leader falls, not a good sign.
As this happens there are groups as big as 23 trying to make the break including decent cobblers and men on the flat such as : Nys, Willems and vandeWalle.
An 11 man group has finally broken away with 125 KM to go as we hit the first cobbles section. The riders: McEvoy, von Bon, Kamyshev, de Negri, vandeWalle, Stamsnijder, Roth, Parra, Pedraza, B Schierlinckx and Grau.
The first cobble section was a nasty one, despite being small. A total of 105 riders were dropped by the peloton, some more dropped than others. In the rear group on the road we have Schierlinckx and Erviti, they would soon catch up but for how long?
More attacks!
With 86 kilometres to go Keizer attacks and makes his way to the break @ 4'00. With 70 kilometres to go and the break @ 5'00 Vermote and Mizbani attack across to the break.
The cobbles are coming thick and fast now. Pate, Steegmans and Chernetskiy are in the rear group on the road, there day is done.
With 70 km to go and the break @ 6'00 Bluebell Creameries, Aer Lingus and Iberia are the teams on the front of the peloton.
Gruzdev (13th) has just suffered a bad fall and would lose plenty of time today.
Szymd shows his first sign of weakness.
The red jersey can't follow the speed on the front of the peloton with 47 kilometres to go. However, he soon catches up. The Pole is doing remarkably well considering many expected him to suffer more, he is always in the first 25 riders out of trouble.
Serpa is the only big favourite dropped so far. Rosseler, Lemoine and the like are supporting him 1'20 behind the peloton but if he doesn't have it in the legs there is little he can do.
Bodnar on the attack!
At this stage the peloton is down to 43 riders. There is 28 km to go and the break have 2'20 when the Swiss Life rider puts in an attack.
13 KM to go.
Having just dropped Stamsnijder only Vermote and B Schierlinckx are out front and ahead of the peloton @ '47.....
Then O'Grady attacks!
The first time we see the Aussie veteran he puts in one of the biggest attacks of this TOTC, of any TOTC. Grabsch, Bodnar and Sieberg try to go with him but can't, no way.
O'Grady quickly catches the escapees and when he hits the final cobble section ......
He creates a monster gap. Further attackers behind, now including Hansen, surely know the best they can hope for is a podium. Sieberg links up with Vermote and the teammates ride strongly....
Super SmarTone!
One of the best attacks you will ever see pays off for O'Grady. He wins at a cantor with over 1'00 to the next best, I think we have seen the best cobbler here today.
Celesio round off the podium again!
Not for the first time Celesio finish 2-3 on the stage. Sieberg showed really well late on and Vermote did well to have something left in the tank for the finish.
Next home come a strong group of 4 led by Hansen.
Hinault finally delivers!
Hinault looks to be coming into form, he wins the 63 man bunch sprint for 8th place. An assortment of riders come home in this group including Szymd (19th).
Serpa. The Colombian is the big loser in the GC today. He loses almost 3'00 and tumbles out of the GC top 10, as expected he is struggling on the cobbles.
STAGE RESULTS:
| 1 | Stuart O'Grady | SmarTone | 5h11'50 | | 2 | Julien Vermote | Celesio | + 1'00 | | 3 | Marcel Sieberg | Celesio | s.t. | | 4 | Adam Hansen | T-Mobile - Deutsche Post | + 2'19 | | 5 | Maciej Bodnar | SwissLife | s.t. | | 6 | Bert Scheirlinckx | Nokia - Ekspla | s.t. | | 7 | Bert Grabsch | Mota-Engil | s.t. | | 8 | Sébastien Hinault | T-Mobile - Deutsche Post | + 3'11 | | 9 | Borut Božic | Petro China | s.t. | | 10 | Sébastien Minard | Bluebell Creameries | s.t. |
5 UC points: Who Finished 12th? (Send PM) |
That guy is amazing. 
