Tour of Flanders 2008

92nd edition of the Tour of Flanders one-day classic, held over 264km on April 6.

Belgian champion Stijn Devolder, of Quick Step, won the 92nd edition of the Tour of Flanders one-day classic, held over 264km from Bruges to here Sunday.

Boonen leads the rest over the Koppenberg - Pic Chris Wallis

Cofidis rider Nick Nuyens finished second with Rabobank's Juan Antonio Flecha in third after both riders had launched respective late attempts to close the gap to Devolder.

Devolder proved the wiliest rider throughout a day of drama-filled racing on the cobblestones and climbs which litter the race to claim his first ever victory on the 'Ronde'.

The Belgian, initially primed to help team leader Tom Boonen claim a third career victory here, carved open his chance when it looked as though Boonen was struggling to launch a real challenge.

Devolder went for broke and raced ahead of a small leading group of riders with 26km to go after they had just been caught by another small group.

Efforts by Boonen, Flecha, defending champion Alessandro Ballan and Nuyens in the final 15 km all came to nothing as Devolder maintained an impressive pace on the final two climbs of the race.

He held a 25-sec lead on a six-man chasing group prior to the penultimate, climb at Bosberg and maintained that advantage in the final 10km.

With six kilometres to the finish Devolder was closing in on certain victory however Flecha, 19 secs in his wake, launched a late bid to steal his thunder.

The Spaniard reduced the gap to only nine seconds with four kilometres to race, but he simply couldn't close the gap further.
A kilometre later the Spaniard was stunned to see Nuyens catch up, and as Nuyens came over the finish with disbelief written all over his face, his fellow Belgian coasted to second place ahead of Flecha.

Boonen, Ballan and American George Hincapie finished seconds later in a large bunch of chasers.

Boonen had led the race over the Koppenberg and despite fears, the leaders were not forced to dismount. The early snow and sleet finally gave way to sun,

Results

1 Devolder Stijn Quickstep 6u24'02"
2 Nuyens Nick Cofidis 15"
3 Flecha Juan Antonio Rabobank
4 Alessandro Ballan Lampre 21"
5 Hincapie George Team High Road
6 Pozzato Filippo Liquigas
7 Arvesen Kurt-Asle Team CSC
8 Van Avermaet Greg Silence Lotto
9 Spilak Simon Lampre
10 Labbe Arnaud Bouygues Télécom
11 Eisel Bernhard Team High Road
12 Maaskant Martijn Slipstream Chipotle
13 Rast Grégory Astana
14 Terpstra Niki Milram
15 Gilbert Philippe Francais de Jeux
16 Muravyev Dmitriy Astana
17 Boonen Tom Quickstep
18 Langeveld Sebastian Rabobank
19 Hoste Leif Silence Lotto
20 Klier Andreas Team High Road
21 Tjallingii Maarten Silence Lotto
22 Elmiger Martin Ag2r - La Mondiale
23 Cancellara Fabian Team CSC
24 Barredo Carlos Quickstep
25 Tombak Janek Mitsibushi Jartazi 25"
26 Guesdon Frédéric Francais de Jeux 43"
27 Hushovd Thor Credit Agricole 3'18"
28 Hovelynck Kurt Topsport Vlaanderen
29 Horrillo Pedro Rabobank
30 Chavanel Sylvain Cofidis
31 Verbrugghe Rik Cofidis
32 Hammond Roger Team High Road
33 Mengin Christophe Francais de Jeux
34 Davis Allan Mitsibushi Jartazi
35 De Waele Bert Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner
36 Ivanov Serguei Astana
37 Quinziato Manuel Liquigas
38 Marcato Marco Cycle Collstrop
39 Tankink Bram Rabobank
40 Freire Oscar Rabobank
41 Kroon Karsten Team CSC 3'29"
42 Kopp David Cycle Collstrop 9'14"
43 Backstedt Magnus Slipstream Chipotle
44 Wrolich Peter Gerolsteiner
45 De Weert Kevin Cofidis
46 Willems Frederik Liquigas
47 Sentjens Roy Silence Lotto
48 Reynes Vicente Team High Road
49 Golas Michal Cycle Collstrop
50 Oroz Juan Jose Euskatel
51 Giling BAstanaiaan Cycle Collstrop
52 Goesinnen Floris SKS
53 Grabsch Ralf Milram
54 Farrar Tyler Slipstream Chipotle
55 Hoj Frank Cofidis
56 Scheirlinckx Staf Cofidis
57 Longo Borghini Paolo Barloworld
58 Breschel Matti Team CSC
59 Mikhailov Guennadi Mitsibushi Jartazi
60 Tosatto Matteo Quickstep
61 Steegmans Gert Quickstep
62 Baldato Fabio Lampre 10'55"
63 Cooke Baden Barloworld 14'55"
64 Grabsch Bert Team High Road 15'14"
65 Garcia Acosta José Vicente Caisse d'Epargne 17'35"
66 Capelli Ermanno Saunier Duval - Scott
67 Kuschynski Aleksandr Liquigas
68 Zabel Erik Milram
69 Kuyckx Jan Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner
70 Sieberg Marcel Team High Road
71 Verheyen Geert Mitsibushi Jartazi
72 Knees Christian Milram
73 Stannard Ian Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner
74 Erviti Imanol Caisse d'Epargne
75 Vandenbergh Stijn Ag2r - La Mondiale
76 Del Nero Jesus Saunier Duval - Scott
77 Haselbacher René Astana
78 Bodrogi Laszlo Credit Agricole
79 Pagliarini Luciano Saunier Duval - Scott
80 Drujon Mathieu Caisse d'Epargne
81 Van Hecke Preben Topsport Vlaanderen
82 Hesjedal Ryder Slipstream Chipotle
83 Calcagni Patrick Barloworld
84 Fornaciari Paolo Lampre
85 Bandiera Marco Lampre
86 Ljungqvist Marcus Team CSC
87 Irizar Markel Euskatel
88 Offredo Yoann Francais de Jeux
89 Selvaggi Mirko Cycle Collstrop
90 Fischer Murilo Liquigas
91 Haussler Heinrich Gerolsteiner
92 Krauss Sven Gerolsteiner
93 Sabatini Fabio Milram
94 Pichot Alexandre Bouygues Télécom
95 Ladagnous Mathieu Francais de Jeux
96 Delage Mickael Francais de Jeux
97 De Vocht Wim Silence Lotto
98 Vansevenant Wim Silence Lotto
99 Minard SébAstanaien Cofidis
100 Wijnants Maarten Quickstep
101 Cretskens Wilfried Quickstep

Key Moments

A group of riders took an early lead, including Janek Tambak (Mitsubishi/Jartazi) but by the time the race really got serious at the climb of the Oude Kwaremont at 81k to go, their advantage was doomed as Team High Road drove the race.

Oscar Friere launched a great solo attack - Pic Chris Wallis

Over the Oude Kwaremont and toward the Paterberg, urgency was turned up a notch when Lief Hoste (Silence Lotto), Rick Flens (Rabobank), Tom Boonen (Quickstep) and Tomas Vaitkus (Astana) went clear. On the Paterberg, Fabian Cancellera (CSC) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) moved ahead as the race absorbed the escapees.

Next up was the feared Koppenberg climb at 72km to go, this steep climb had seen all the favourites work hard to be near he front and the race was torn into groups. Thankfully, the leaders rode the hill with Boonen to the fore.

Just after, Hoste had a mechanical and it would take many, many kilometres for him to get near the race front, and his race with hindsight was done.

Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) and Sebastian Langerveld (Rabobank) went clear in a three man break at this point, but at the Taaienberg (60k left) the break was joined by others and was soon over. Quickstep put Stijn DeVolder on the front for yet another stint by this man, to police the race for Boonen.

With 53k left to ride Oscar Friere (Rabobank) attacked and gained a 30 second lead before he was caught by the chasing Quickstep team.

Devolder, Phillipe Gilbert (FDJ), Langerveld next went clear and were soon joined by George Hincapie (High Rd), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) and Karsten Kroon (CSC). They combined into one lead group as Nick Nuyens (Cofidis), Spilak (Lampre) and Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) bridged the gap.

Just behind were now Boonen, Cancellera and Ballan and it wasn't long before the lead group had grown in size. Langerveld made another move at this juncture, and as Quinziato punctured, his Liquigas team mate Filippo Pozzato jumped across from a chasing group now containing Hoste.

At 36 to go, Ballan, Hincapie, Devolder, Langerveld and Kroon had moved away and had gained 27 seconds on the next group whilst Cofidis took up the chase.

When once more the head of the race combined, Devolder attacked, seemingly acting as a foil for Boonen, and after a little hesitation, Gilbert responded, by the time Devolder reached the Muur, he had 26 seconds on the chasers. Cheered up the climb, the Belgian champion was now being chased by a group full of potential winners, with Fleche up front.

The race now saw Devolder in the lead, Fleche chasing, and Nuyens, Boonen, Ballan and Niki Terpstra (Milram) at 31 seconds. The latter riders were to be scooped up by more riders including Langerveld, who went straight through to the front.

On the Bosberg, the final climb of the day, Langerveld was joined by Fleche, Terpstra and Gregory Rast (Astana). From this group Fleche went after Devolder who had 19 seconds in hand, and behind Nuyens jumped away as he chased after the lead two.

The rest is history.