Three Days in West Flanders

Stage 3: Middelkerke to Ichtegem, 194.5km/121mi

By Cathy Mehl

It was the last and longest stage of Three Days in West Flanders on Sunday as the peloton rode 194.5km from Middelkerke to Ichtegem.  Two climbs, including the Kemmelberg made for a hard day of racing, but Belgian Jens Keukeleire of Cofidis successfully defended hi race lead to capture the overall victory.  Rounding out the podium were Kris Boeckmans (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Bobbie Traksel of Vacansoleil.  It was Keukeleire’s third victory of the season.

The final stage was won by young Belgian talent neopro Boeckmans in a mass sprint.  He beat out Frenchman Yohann Gene (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Keukeleire.

The best-placed Team RadioShack rider was Fumy Beppu in 10^th on the general classification.

A break of six riders established a gap of four minutes but Cofidis made sure to bring them back to protect the lead of Keukeleire and setting the stage for a mass sprint.  Due to high winds and tough conditions, more than fifty riders did not finish the stage, including The Shack’s young riders Sam Bewley and Ivan Rovny. 

Top Ten Results

1          Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator    4:21:36              

2          Yohann Gene (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom                   

3          Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne                         

4          Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil - Shimano                    

5          Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Palmans - Cras                         

6          Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram                  

7          Alexander Porsev (Rus) Itera-Katusha                  

8          Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly                     

9          Evgeny Popov (Rus) Itera-Katusha                      

10         Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun

Team RadioShack on Stage 3

24         Dmitry Muravyev (Kaz)

37         Bjorn Selander (USA)

46         Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

50         Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)

69         Ben Hermans (Bel) 0:01:21

DNF      Sam Bewley (NZl)                       

DNF      Ivan Rovny (Rus)

Final General Classification

1          Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne            12:56:39             

2          Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator    0:00:03              

3          Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team        0:00:07              

4          Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil - Shimano       0:00:08              

5          Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano      0:00:10              

6          Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram     0:00:11              

7          Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun                       

8          Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun              

9          Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank   0:00:13              

10         Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Team Radioshack            0:00:15            

Team RadioShack on Final General Classification

14         Dmitry Muravyev (Kaz) 0:00:17

30         Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) 0:00:18

47         Bjorn Selander (USA) 0:00:44

70         Ben Hermans (Bel) 0:13:05

Photo courtesy of Graham Watson