The hardest stage comes first up in this race as the peloton will cover numerous hills and cobbled sections. Over the years, this stage has been the most influential in deciding who wins this race. Let's see if it turns out to be the same this time too.
Favourites
HIL
STA
RES
COB
SPR
ACC
Summerhill
73
76
72
83
70
73
Vanspeybrouck
71
78
71
82
67
69
Spengler
64
72
73
82
61
70
Bakari
55
59
56
82
61
60
Zepuntke
69
79
72
81
72
65
Stallaert
67
76
68
81
79
76
Baugnies
72
80
73
80
65
73
Nolf
66
77
72
80
63
71
Ferreira
68
74
70
79
71
69
Van Keirsbulck
71
75
73
78
70
68
Breen
70
72
72
78
73
72
Orue
64
77
70
78
53
58
Sinkeldam
75
74
70
77
68
68
Debesay
74
75
79
77
69
78
Bohli
68
79
75
77
74
68
Albert
68
74
72
77
62
66
Chatarunga
67
79
72
77
70
68
Kulppi
67
73
69
77
65
70
Kosic
66
74
70
77
59
64
Corwin
66
66
64
77
55
56
Grand
65
74
70
77
65
65
Eeckhout
61
71
71
77
64
57
Ominous clouds loom overhead as the starting flag is dropped and we get underway.
It takes some time, and a couple of attempts before the break of the day is established. Interestingly, it is a very strong group that has been allowed to get away, consisting of strong cobbles riders and a couple of good punchers:
The rain has arrived already as can be seen from our live pictures!
The peloton have just got past the first cobbled section and the damage is already apparent. Just 61 riders remain in the bunch!
Some riders did find their way back to the pack in the flat sections.
Early trouble for Stallaert as he's dropped from the peloton. He has a couple of teammates in support.
Breen, Laporte, Cominelli and Broers are among those further back on the road. This race hasn't started off well for them.
Talking about bad starts, Rowe and Ignatiev are in groups even further back!
Abelouche is dropped from the break and soon after Kosic would suffer the same fate.
Ferreira wins the first intermediate sprint, followed by Kumara and Albert. Marcos is just starting to feel the pace.
Kosic is being caught by a group of six riders, which is what is left of the lead chase group! Baugnies, Sinkeldam, Summerhill, Vanspeybrouck, Ostergaard and Eeckhout are the constituents of this group. Carlsberg with a serious numerical advantage here.
The peloton is now 31 riders strong, with Spengler, Zepuntke, Nolf, Bohli, Van Keisbulck, Flaksis, Grand, Fouquet, Domene, Debesay, Kulppi, Drucker, Van Asbroeck and Gaudin, the riders more suited for what's to come on this stage.
Marcos has got back to the break in the meantime.
The peloton swell to 39 riders with 115 km remaining, having caught the six rider chase group, and trail the break by 2'27". Behind the break, only Breen and Stallaert are not in this group among the pre-stage favourites.
Spengler the next to be in trouble 10 km later. He has a teammate back to help.
Spengler rejoins the peloton with 90 kilometer remaining. Breen is 9 minutes behind the break, while Stallaert is a staggering 21 minutes back.
Marcos is dropped again with 75 kilometers left.
Ferreiara suffers a puncture with 68 km left
Vanspeybrouck is in trouble, having been dropped from the chase group. He's with the next group on the road.
Ferreira catches up to the break just before the second intermediate sprint and has enough in the tank to win it! Orue and Albert come through next.
Vanspeybrouck would make it back to the pack eventually.
Five riders got away from the pack. Summerhill, Baugnies, Eeckhout and Dahl-Olsen out in front, with Drucker now dropped from the initial attackers.
The peloton are down to 23.
Kumara is now dropped from the break.
Dahl-Olsen is soon dropped from the chase group.
A group consisting of a recovering Vanspeybrouck, Nolf, Sinkeldam and Domene catch up to Dahl-Olsen. Debesay, too, has nearly caught them with a solo effort.
13 riders remain in the peloton.
The catch is made at the front with 48 kilometers left! The lead group of the race now consists of Summerhill, Baugnies, Ferreira, Orue, Albert, Eeckhout and Kumara, who's made his way back.
The front two groups would merge 3 km later, with only Sinkeldam unable to make the bridge.
Domene, Debesay, Kumara, Eeckhout and Dahl-Olsen would be dropped another 4 kilometers later.
The gap behind keeps increasing with the peloton now 17 minutes behind the lead group!
The lead group of seven enter the final 20 kilometers. Debesay is now chasing on his own, 3 minutes behind.
The peloton are now 31 riders strong but 18 minutes back. Spengler, Breen and Chaturanga have made their way back to the pack again.
Big development at the front as Baugnies is dropped! Can the Kulczyk man get back in the 13 kilometers that remain?
Orue is the next to be distanced, on the final hill of the day, and with 6 kilometers remaining.
3 kilometers to go for the five leaders.
Baugnies and Orue together now at 1'30". Debesay is at 7'10". The peloton, consisting of Spengler, Zepuntke, Bohli, Van Keirsbulck, Kulppi, Grand, Drucker, Van Asbroeck, Fouquet and Lindeman, is hovering around the 20 minute mark. Chaturanga and Breen have been dropped again.
Inside the final kilometer, and we're having a sprint finish. Nolf leads them out but Ferreira is faster.
Ferreira into the lead inside 500 meters but Summerhill is coming through strongly.
200 meters. Summerhill has the lead and the inside line. Vanspeybrouck now the fastest in the sprint.
100 meters to go for the leading Summerhill. Vanspeybrouck is past Ferreira for 2nd.
Summerhill wins the opening stage in De Panne. Defending champion Vanspeybrouck finishes 2nd today. Ferreira's brave ride at the front all day is rewarded with 3rd place. Nolf and Albert make up the rest of the Top 5.
Orue leads Baugnies to the line for 6th place.
Debesay finishes a lonely 8th.
Domene is 9th.
Sinkeldam ahead of Dahl-Olsen for the Top 10, followed by Eeckhout.
Kumara is 13th.
Ostergaard is 14th.
Kosic is 15th.
Splits in the peloton towards the end...
Zepuntke ahead of Spengler for 16th.
Van Asbroeck, Lindeman and Corwin complete the Top 20. They're followed by Bohli and Bester.
Coronel, Flaksis and Van Keirsbulck through next.
Today's winner - Danny Summerhill.
An incredible stage with a predictable winner. But that hardly tells the story of today! Summerhill the deserved winner but Ferreira's breakaway exploits give him the joint lead in the GC! The latter also leads the Points Standings. Orue's great ride to 6th comfortably gives him U25 leadership. Andorra are the best team overnight. The breakaway turned into a lucrative move for most of it's members!
Huge damage done to some of the GC contenders, with Stallaert the worst hit, losing nearly 39 minutes! But that is just among the finishers. Only 61 riders made the time limit in this ruthless stage, with a lot of the sprinters and the TT specialists eliminated even before they got a chance to showcase their talent.
