Eneco Tour 2008 - 1

The eight day Eneco Tour started on Wednesday August 20 with a prologue in Sittard and ends a week later in Mechelen, Belgium, with a time trial. The race begins in the Netherlands and Belgium taking in some iconic sections of historic road such as the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg.

Stage One Beek/Roermond (NL) (173,8 km)
A mass sprint decided the 173.8 kilometre first stage from Beek to Roermond. The fastest on the day was Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) ahead of Italian Daniele Bennati (Liquigas).

Milram manager Marlies van Gerwen said of Fabio Sabatini's third spot - "When you are so narrowly beaten by Boonen and Bennati, as Fabio Sabatini was, then you are really good in form, Our team has done very well here. Everyone worked together and prepared the sprint in the finale very well. That looked good and was rewarded with a podium place and a top ten finish.“

The early part of the stage was marked by two escapees when Dutch riders Floris Goesinnen (Skil Shimano) and Bram Tankink (Rabobank) got away and built up a lead of up to nine minutes. On the largely flat course, though, it was clear that they would not make it alone to the end. The peloton gathered them back in 10 kilometres before the finish.

Tom Boonen said - “I already wanted to do well in yesterdays Prologue - says Boonen - but the rain unfortunately penalized my trial. Today the entire team did an exceptional job and in the final part De Jongh guided me to perfection. I'm very happy, this victory gives me confidence leading up to my participation in La Vuelta España and in anticipation of the World race in Varese at the end of September.”

José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) remains top of the general classification.

1 Tom Boonen Quick Step 4.16.17 (41,11km/h)
2 Daniele Bennati Liquigas
3 Fabio Sabatini Team Milram
4 Jürgen Roelandts Silence / Lotto
5 Heinrich Haussler Gerolsteiner
6 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team Columbia
7 Angelo Furlan Crédit Agricole
8 Kenny Robert Hummel Skil/Shimano
9 Elia Rigotto Team Milram
10 Aurélien Clerc Bouygues Telecom
11 Cycril Lemoine Crédit Agricole
12 Sébastien Turgot Bouygues Telecom
13 Daniele Righi Lampre
14 Luciano André Scott/American Beef
15 Alexandre Blain Cofidis/Le Crédit par Téléphone
16 Laurent Mangel AG2R La Mondiale
17 Roy Curvers Skil/Shimano
18 Mathieu Claude Bouygues Telecom
19 Aaron Kemps Astana
20 Jimmy Engoulvent Crédit Agricole

General Classification
1 José Gutierrez Caisse d'Epargne 4.21.46
2 Cycril Lemoine Crédit Agricole 0.02
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen Team Columbia 0.03
4 Sébastien Rosseler Quick Step 0.05
5 Michael Rogers Team Columbia 0.06
6 Koen De Kort Astana
7 Daniele Bennati Liquigas
8 Jurgen Van Goolen Team CSC / Saxo Bank 0.07
9 Jimmy Engoulvent Crédit Agricole
10 Jürgen Roelandts Silence / Lotto 0.08
11 Marlon Alirio Perez Caisse d'Epargne
12 Joost Posthuma Rabobank 0.09
13 Luis Leon Sanchez Caisse d'Epargne 0.1
14 Stijn Devolder Quick Step
15 Michiel Elijzen Rabobank
16 Bram Tankink Rabobank
17 Thomas Frei Astana 0.11
18 André Greipel Team Columbia 0.12
19 Francisco Perez Sanchez Caisse d'Epargne
20 Bram De Groot Rabobank

Stages
Aug 20 Prologue: Sittard/Geleen (NL) (4,4 km)
Aug 21 Stage 1 Beek (NL) - Roermond (NL) (173,8 km)
Aug 22 Stage 2 Roermond (NL) - Nieuwegein (NL) (173,3 km)
Aug 23 Stage 3 Nieuwegein (NL) - Terneuzen (NL) (185,9 km)
Aug 24 Stage 4 Terneuzen (NL) - Ardooie (B) (213 km)
Aug 25 Stage 5 Ardooie (B) - Oostende (B) (167 km)
Aug 26 Stage 6 Maldegem (B) - Brussel (B) (186 km)
Aug 27 Stage 7 Mechelen (B) (TT 18,8 km)
Total: 1.122,2 km

Website - www.sport.be/enecotour/