154 riders eager to open the cobbled season.

Many riders try to get in an early break, but RadioShack, QuickStep and BMC keep things together in the early part.

In the end 12 riders get away and enters the first cobbled section 2’45’’ ahead of the peloton.
The 12 are: Valentin (COF), Lasca (CJR), Stamsnijder (ARG), Lamoisson (EUC), Cerny (CCC), Cusin & Aregger (IAM), Van Asbroeck (TSV), Schär (BMC), Premont (CRE), Poux (SOJ) and Miletta (VIN)

RadioShack and QuickStep keep them closely under watch and with 130 km to go the gap starts shrinking again.

Van Keirsbulck leads the peloton into the second stretch of cobbles still with 90 km to go and just over two minutes to the break.

80 km and 1’40’’

70 km and 2’11’’

60 km to go and 2’12’’
The hills and cobbles are starting to get frequent.

When the peloton crosses this hill it already starts breaking up thanks to the hard pace.

15 riders including Boonen, Cancellara, Ballan and McDermott split out slightly on the front.
Only 40 seconds gap though, but with RadioShack and QuickStep continuing to push on Lars Bak is really put to work in the chasing group.

Some riders get back up and some still struggle behind with 50 km to go.


Original break
|
+ 0’52’’
Boonen, Cancellara, McDermott, Ballan, Turgot, Khampan, Sinkeldam
+ 17 others
|
+ 1’20’’
Sithembele, Sagan, Vanmacke, Vansummeren, Nuyens, Roelandst, Degenkolb
+ 26 others
|
+ 1’14’’
Stannard, Boasson Hagen, Lixandru
+ 18 others
|
|

40 km to go. 41 riders reunited in the front group and more use the small descent to push on from behind.

The front keeps looking the same. Here it’s Jaxton McNutt doing the work.

30 km to go and the front group is composed of 46 riders. Not a lot happening at the moment.

Ballan is the first to try an attack with 26,3 km to go.

He is brought back by a wide variety of teams and 24 riders are still together with 15 km to go.

With 13 km to go McDermott follows up on an attack from Ballan and gets a small gap with Thomas, Ballan and Vanmacke.

With 7 km to go the Italian has 12 seconds to a group reunited behind.

5,3 km is the moment where Cancellara decides to make his move.

He has 24 seconds going into the final 3 km.

Vanmacke opens the sprint among the chasers followed by Ballan, McDermott, Krizan, Khampan and Sithembele.

The Kenyan puts in his sprint with 2 km to go, but Cancellara is still ahead.

Cancellara is first into the final km while Breschel and McDermott are sprinting on each their own side of the road.

Khampan goes between into the final 800 m while Boonen has tucked away behind McDermott.
Until he starts his sprint 100 m later that is.

Cancellara made his move a bit early it seems.

Boonen takes the win in dominant style

Saxo – Tinkoff gets a solid 4-6.
Perhaps they should try working together in the next finale instead?