Good morning and welcome. There's been a lot of rain overnight, leading to slippery surfaces, but the weather is quite clear this morning. The 4 climbs today will really sort out the bunch, and we start off today joining Deignan of Ag2r on a break with two control riders.
100km to go: We've been past the first cobble section, and are rapidly approaching the second. The break's lead is at 4'39, but T-Mobile are keeping the escapees in check
88.1 km: We'be been over the 3.3 km long Stavele section of cobblestones, and Tom Boonen had his guys setting a fast pace up front into a fairly strong headwind. No luck though, the group stretches out, but doesn't break.
Over the Moteberg, and somehow the peloton is still intact!!!
On the descent, and THAT'S A HUGE CRASH, Boonen has got his Quickstep guys setting a ferocious pace, whilst we sort out who's gone down there.
OK, we have the news, there were a lot of riders in the crash:
11 riders got clear at the front (Boonen, Hoste, Hushovd, O'Grady, Cancellara, Nuyens, Klier, Franzoi, Van Impe, De Jongh, Cretskens)
The rest of the peloton either went down or was caught behind it.
23 riders have now abandoned, at least 1 from each team - Pozzato, Flecha, Thomas, Burghardt and 5 Cofidis riders make for a lot of work for the ambulance, and a lot of favourites are out
Van Petegem was the only other big name to fall, but after attention from the doctor's car, he somehow manages to continue, but looks hurt
OK, we're out of the cobbles, and the race looks like this:
Group Boonen (Boonen, Hoste, Hushovd, O'Grady, Cancellara, Nuyens, Klier, Franzoi, Van Impe, De Jongh, Cretskens)
At 2 minutes
Oscar Freire
Robbie McEwen
Luca Paolini
Fabio Baldato
Xavier Florencio
Lorenzo Bernucci
Bernhard Eisel
George Hincapie
Evert Verbist
Stijn Devolder
These are all that will contest for places, as Boonen's sets his domestiques to maintain this gap. Van Petegem is way back now, he's in a lot of pain
We're approaching the finish line, and its only 8 riders left in the front group - all Boonen's domestiques have been dropped, but he's the heavy favourite now - surely only Hushovd or O'Grady can spoil his day?
And the sprint goes, Boonen grabs hold of Leif Hoste's wheel, they are leagues ahead of every one else with 500m to go, and Boonen nips round to take the victory - another great day for him, and its already shaping to be a superb season.
Thor Hushovd fades a lot, but holds off O'Grady for third
