Okay last stage and it is our time trial so we will decide our winner in the race of truth (or is that against the truth!). Mikhail Ignatiev is here in case I have not mentioned over the previous day’s action and yesterdays stage eliminated all but Elizen (Highroad), Gusev (Cillit Bang), Craven (Bimbo Nutella) and his own team mate Hermans from the GC running. Marcel Wyss of Falcon made the front group but he is not really a Time Triallist and will lose time over this flat 16.7km test.
Plenty of teams have bought really strong Time Triallers here though they lost time in yesterdays tough hilly stage they will have stage win ambitions.
Early on we had one of our willing breakaway men who happens to be a good Time Trialler set an early benchmark.
Ericsson of Pokerstars sets 17.51
His time was the first under 18 minutes and suggested that the front runners would need to get round somewhere between 17 and 18 minutes to win the day. Rory Sutherland of Bbox, who had lost time on the opening stage due to the wind based split set a much stronger benchmark.
Struggling Bbox may be buoyed by this effort, Sutherland sets 17.30
That was an impressive time, the full scale of this was appreciated when Ian Stannard came home six seconds slower.
Ian Stannard sets 17.36, any position but 1st is a disappointment
However another well known decent TTer on the flat Miles Olman showed better form going six seconds the other way on Sutherlands time. The Bimbo Nutella man sets a new best time.
Strewth: Miles Olman pastes them – 17.24
Beat that if you can you Russian menace! As we get into the top 20 riders, plenty of guys are pushing for something extra as a number of riders are not separated by a lot. Ghysellink produced a stunning rider just four seconds slower than Olman.
Taking the Highroad – Ghysellink sets 17.28
We come into our top five riders to watch for the overall, remember the Wiggle pair of Hermans and Ignatiev have 20 and 12 seconds on the other respectively. Let’s face it they are probably fighting for second place! Anyway here is Gusev.
Vlad the failer sets 17.29
Nambia's finest sportsman since Frankie Fredericks had Miles Olman’s checks to aid him and yes he manages to set a time just inside Cillit Bang’s Marquee riders time.
Dan is craving a podium here – Bimbo man also sets 17.29
Then comes probably Ignatievs only real challenger today, Highroads Elizen – he sets a new overall fastest time as well.
Elizen planned his journey well for Highroad TomTom – he sets 17.19!
Also sneaking in somewhere before this was a fantastic time by Unicredits Vandborg.
Off the camaras the Dane sets 17.22
Meanwhile GC leader going into todays stage was making a fine job of defending his jersey, he would lose his lead to Elizen though finishing 30 seconds back, but he is just ahead of Craven and Gusev as it is ridiculously close in those places.
Hermanator faces judgement day – 17.49
So fantastic win then for Highroad here. Vantomme took an earlier stage win and Elizen battled his way up the climb yesterday and trounced his rivals here in Belgium.
Oh yeah of course another rider came in and set an unbelievable time of 16.56... I give you the actual winner of the Tour of Belgium Mikhail Ignatiev.
Taking the Mikhail – 16.56 this puts any doubts in the Russian to rest
Wiggle really rode hard all race as did Highroad, these two teams caused the split on stage one and both rode tactically well on stage four. Both also ended with a road stage each, but Ignatiev is the difference maker! Bimbo Nutella will not complain after Van Avermart’s sweet treble and 4th place overall for Craven. Everyone else was along for the ride!
