The Tour of Belgium kicks off with the first of three consecutive flat stages, a good chance then for a sprinter to spend some time in the leaders black jersey. There are also 3 sprint primes on route which should be taken by a breakaway – who will then need to make sure they are not dropped when the inevitable catch comes.
With the three flat stages here, there are plenty of top class sprinters present Van Avermart, Napiliatano, Cavendish, Chicchi, and Vantomme just to name some of the fantastic fast men here.
Today should be really fascinating because it is very windy on the lowlands of Belgium. This however does not stop breakaway team Bbox from starting the early attacks.
Wei goes on the attack early on
This move attracts the attentions of three other riders who move away from the peleton, they are Ericsson (Pokerstars), Stoltz (Cillit Bang) and Vangenecten (Bimbo Nutella). The wind is making it difficult for the riders in this break to settle and Ericsson and Stoltz are clearly stronger than the other two... at the first prime they are ahead.
Ericsson -> Stoltz - > Vangeneten
It is tough on poor Wei who now is caught in no man’s land, all four in truth are in for a hell of a day the wind is really blowing at times (wind speed 60+). At the second sprint the Pokerstars man takes the prime ahead of Stoltz and Vangenecten.
Pokerstars do like to cash their chips at these primes
Back in the peleton its home team Highroad and the strong 100% Me squad who are setting a pace that is stretching out the peleton.
Echelon day perhaps?
Surprisingly the breakaway riders are maintaining a decent lead with 4 and a half minutes over the peleton. However the pace goes up a notch and the peleton is broken into two distinct parts. Twenty two riders are in the second half and are in serious trouble as 30 seconds becomes 120 seconds in no time at all!
Bye bye GC hopes for a number of riders here
The really big names, the Ignatiev, Craven and Gusev types are not here, but plenty of good top 10 and 20 hopes are here. Also a couple of sprinters too, some of the names in this group are:
Devenyns (Highroad), Traksel (Intesa), Sutherland (Bbox), Guillen (Pokerstars), Van Poppel (Unicredit), Martin (100% Me) and Gavazzi (Unicredit).
Meanwhile the break rolls through the last sprint.
Ericsson - > Stoltz - > Vangenecten
The break are caught pretty fast, as the hammer is really going on at the front. Wiggle and 100% Me are causing a lot of the bother, but the wind does begin to die down. Nethertheless the damage has been done and under the 10km to go banner 31 riders are left in contention for the stage and of course barring strange goings on the overall GC. The gap back is two and a half minutes.
31 riders left in the running
The riders can now get set up for a sprint, it will be a real test of the lead out men today. But there will be no pace snake nobody has the strength to put one of them nasties together.
3900 to go: three trains
Okay the Highraod duo are Ghyselink and Vantomme, in the middle we have the usually slow motion 100% Me train of Lloyd and Cavendish. They have Chicchi and Ignatiev for company, though this one is not as crowded as the strange train on the right. Degenkolb has no Pokerstars team mate to lead out but there he is with Hermans, Capacchi, Bongiorno, Borghessi, Van Avermart and Napitiliano on his wheel. Roy Sentjens is also there for Intesa not really in a train.
2500 to go: Van Avermart makes his move
As the sprint starts nobody really looks superstrong, it has been a tough day here in Belgium so this is no surprise. Tough for everyone that is but local man Van Avermart who rockets away.
Has Van Avermart got an engine in that bike or what
The Bimbo man takes a huge stage winning lead here, only a bizarre fall will stop him from taking the day. Behind the rest are scrambling for second.
Who the second best?
Cavendish is looking good for that ahead of Chicchi and Bongiorno, the Pokerstars man is Clement. But these guys are nowhere near the winner of the day...
Bravo Greg Van Avermart
The Belgium takes the win and the leaders jersey and now will surely be the wheel everyone looks for!
