Marcus Burghardt, Fabian Cancellara, and Tom Boonen. Those names alone scare many in the peloton, and with good reason - their being touted as the men to watch for today. With some solid teams built around them, they're sure to get the support they need to.
Speaking of teams though, surely you cannot overlook Festina or Auber - Look. Both teams may not contain top top favourites, but are packed with riders, who on their good days, may figure in the finale of cobbled races.
Likewise, there are plenty of other riders who could well surprise the bigger names, such as Alessandro Ballan, Enrico Franzoi, Nick Nuyens, Nikolas Maes and Baugnies (whose first name I forget). Plus, Accumalux has, for one of the first times in many a season, a cobbler! Bakari is here too, with one of the strongest cobble stats in the professional peloton.
Lets have a look at todays profile.
Nothing seriously hard for the riders to cope with, just the usual hills, cobbles and pain.
So, as we pick up the action after 80 km, there has been little in the way of any events. A few domestiques have picked up the occasional puncture from litter strewn across the roads in the Belgian countryside, but no big names have yet to fall foul of bad luck.
As we hit our first cobbles of the day, with 117km left to go, surprisingly, there are still no events of note to have occured.
And finally! We have our first crash for a cobbler. Kruijswik took a tumble, but as everyone else managed to avoid him, it wasn't that bad.
Plus the team, Wikipedia, get him back in easily.
But at the other end of the field?
Joseph (Pearl) is attacking away. Finally the first attack of the day!
It's not long before Drucker also gets a gap and manages to join Joseph. Behind, Ten Dam and Portal also push on.
The peloton have begun to split on every climb too.
It's taken them a few km, but our first attack has gained 3 minutes on the peloton. A good solid break here, especially for Drucker. 4 strong men.
66.7 km to go in this years Omloop and the 4 men have a 3 minute gap. We're finally hitting a tough climb, which can be called the start of the race really.
Again, there are no attacks from the favourites on the climb once the peloton reaches it, but Burghardt is making sure to mark Boonen closely over the top of the climb. Will there be any splits though?
There weren't any splits this time. But as can be seen, both Nolf and Maes are both miles back in the peloton and really need to move up. They're both wasting theirs and their team mates energy in having to chase back to the end of the peloton should any splits occur.
And this is just how far back they are.
Uhoh! Sibilla has just punctured! He has a team mate close by to give him a wheel, but even so, it'll be a long hard chase back to the front of the peloton.
We now have 47 km left to go, and the group of 4 brave men are off the front by 2 minutes still. Behind them is a group of 27-60 riders which we can kind of call the peloton. It all depends on whether they're on a climb, or over the top of one. It just keeps splitting and stretching.
Oh no. Ten Dam has now left the front group. No, he hasn't attacked, it's his turn for a puncture.
Over the top of the penultimate climb, we've got a proper split finally. 24 riders trail the leader, Drucker, by a couple of minutes still, as he's moved on from his fellow break-away-ees on the same climb.
Up front then, in the following group are; Summerhill, Baugnies, Cancellara, L'hotellerie, Ballan, Maes, Franzoi, Nolf, Aulas, Boonen,
Jacobs, Bewley, Sieberg, Flecha, Burghardt, Gaudin, Steurs, Devolder, De Haes, De Vocht, Coyot, Ista, Reihs and Broers.
But who has been unfortunate enough to miss out?
Well, we've only got to look at the fact that Wyss is leading this group to know that Nuyens is here. But who else? Well, Vesuvio have their leader here too! Go Bakari!
Wow, over the top of the final climb we've got an attack!! Who is it? Burghardt! He's decided with 40km left to run it's time to try for the win.
As we come off the descent, we find that he's already caught Joseph and Portal. Ten Dam having already been caught and passed on the climb.
He's pushing on well, and knocking down the 1 minute 45 second lead that Drucker has still got.
By pushing on alone, Burghardt has dropped the gap in just 10km to one minute to Drucker. So with 30km left to go, it looks likely that he'll catch the brave Dutchman.
The pack behind him has rejoined, and resplit so the group behind is now 21 riders strong (or weak) with a little bit of a different combination.
The pack, being led by Ballan has (as well); Nuyens (who rejoined on the climb), Boonen, Baugnies, Cancellara, Franzoi, Steurs, Nolf, Bewley, De Haes, Maes, Flecha, Summerhill, De Vocht, Devolder, Wyss, Gaudin, Jacobs, L'hotellerie, and Aulas. With Ista just about hanging on.
But not for long as here come the attacks and splits. Bewley and Franzoi try to go off the front, whilst Gaudin, Flecha, and L'hotellerie are dropped with Carmeuse's spare riders...
Meanwhile, up front, Burghardt leads now. He's just managed to overtake Drucker with 23km to go. they're on the penultimate cobble section.
And nearly 2 minutes behind, Boonen leads a group of 5 chasers, all pushing the pace up. Nuyens, Cancellara, Franzoi and Baugnies.
But behind that group by only 35 seconds is Bewley, Steurs and De Vocht
Another group behind that one seems to have missed out too. 8 talented riders are in this compact group. Summerhill, Ballan, Nolf, Devolder, Portal, Joseph, Maes, and De Haes.
Back to the front, and Burghardt rides through 15km to go with a minute and 20 second gap.
Drucker has now been caught. But a great ride by him so far! The group of 5 have caught up and are attacking each other continually.
Wow, even Steurs is giving it some against Bewley.
With De Vocht having been dropped from those two, he is most likely to be picked up by the 8 from behind.
Burghardt comes through the 10km to go, 1minute 15 second lead.
Then it's the group of 5 again.
Drucker has been tailed off, but is still fighting. Bewley and Steurs are just behind though, baring down on him.
It's the final 5km, and Burghardt has 1 minute 10 seconds still!
Bbut behind, watch out! Cancellara and Nuyens have forced a split!
And now Boonen is trying to get across with 4km to go.
Easy! Boonen has just flown past Cancellara and Nuyens as if they were standing still.
But regardless of what is happening behind, no one was equal to this man, Marcus Burghardt. A truely inspirational win.
And, as is often the case, Nolf falls over. He was only on for a top 15, but even so, that'll be a struggle now.
Fabian and Nick battle it out for 3rd and 4th, whilst Boonen's late attack means he rolls over the line for 2nd place.
Boonen takes 2nd
Whilst Fabian Cancellara takes the final podium spot, and Nick Nuyens in 4th.
Baugnies fights on for 5th whilst Enrico Franzoi takes the 6th spot.
But ride of the day goes to this man, Drucker! He hung on in there for 7th, what a great attack.
Steurs holds off the group behind for 8th, whilst Bewley takes the 9th
and Ballan the final top 10 position. De Vocht just misses out in 11th.
Maes comes home in 12th spot
De Haes pinches 13th spot, ahead of Summerhill, Devolder and Joseph.
