One of two coinciding cobbled races today, it seems that the strong cobbled riders are mostly here in Belgium. There isnt a lot of cobbles on offer: just 7.4km of the 194km of the race, so the likes of Maes, Thomas and Steegmans will have to make the most of them. It's a small field though, so their teams will have to take responsibility to keep control of things.
Four men make it into the breakaway: Valiausa Moren Van der Schueren Squire
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica help out with the pacemaking early on - with the almost inapropriate sight of Costa Rican pure climbers leading the peloton. So they change tactics, and send Meul on the attack instead at 80km to go.
Meul crosses the 5 minutes to the break, and it has left Allianz-BMW to shoulder all of the pacesetting.
Boeing-Vivacom are present near the front, but refuse to help out. With 40km to go, the break leads by 2 and a half minutes.
It seems in control then, but jump to just 15km to go and it still remains above 2 minutes. The peloton need to wake up as the break are sensing victory.
Squire has gone on the attack, pursued by Van der Schueren.
With 2 minutes and 13km, you really have to favour the breakaway. But finally some action comes behind as Maes attacks.
Thomas, Steegmans, Lilholt and Sentjens follow.
With 10km to go for our leader Squire, he has 17 seconds on the rest of the break, and 1'24 on these new attackers. They will need to work together to bridge the gap but Steegmans is refusing to help - teammate Meul is the best cobbled rider in the leading group afterall.
If they were clever, BNCR would have Meul employ the same tactic - not relaying because Steegmans is coming up behind. Instead he is doing most of the work, and leads the way after Squire is caught.
6km to go and still a 1'20 lead.
The race favourites arent going to be able to relay up to the front - the slow chasing of their domestiques means they do not have that luxury. Realising this, Thomas puts in a new attack.
Steegmans follows the move and then sits on the Brit's wheel, as the others slowly get back on terms also. The gap is halved to 30 seconds, but there is just 3.6km to go, and now Thomas finds himself with no help in the chasing.
It's coming down to a sprint then and Geraint Thomas launches straight away, he is going to have to hope he can sprint across the gap, and then pass everyone.
Meul has been forced to lead out, and this is looking very good for Patrik Moren. The Swede has already won a stage in the Tour des Bretagnes this season in a bunch sprint.
Thomas' victory hopes are over as Steegmans charges past him and up towards the back of the break with a kilometre to go.
Valiausa is challenging Meul for 2nd as the final cobbles and finish line come into view. Looking very good for Moren as Steegmans moves up to 4th.
And yes, the peloton got it all wrong tactically and the favourites left it too late. Patrik Moren wins Nokere-Koerse!
It almost worked out for BNCR as Steegmans powers to 2nd place. But with Meul holding on for 3rd, they can be happy with the race's outcome.
A good 4th for Valiausa as Thomas and Maes must settle for 5th and 6th.
Lilholt is a happy 7th, while Sentjens must take 10th - unable to pass any of the breakaway. Van der Schueren and Squire may well have achieved their best performances of the season here.
The peloton almost never got going in this race, but they really stopped once the favourites attacked: all 8 teams being represented in the Top 10 positions. With ranking points down to 25th, it is all to play for in the final sprint though. Boeing are on the front as the sprint begins.
But it is Tom Van Asbroeck who takes 11th place, just ahead of ANC-Halford's British duo of Thwaites and Barclay.
