Three Days of West Flanders

Stage 2: Torhout to Handzame 176.6km/110mi

By Cathy Mehl

An untimely puncture as echelons were forming put Ben Hermans in a time-losing position and young Ivan Rovny was dropped, but all other Team RadioShack riders faired well in Stage 2 of Three Days in West Flanders on Saturday.  A large sprinting group of more than 80 riders arrived together in Handzame with Robert Wagner of Skil-Shimano showing the best kick from the bunch.  In a photo finish just behind him were Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil) and Jens Keukeleire of Cofidis.  Keukeleire’s stage win yesterday and 3^rd-place today keep the Belgian rider in the leader’s jersey with one stage left to race.  He holds a margin of four-seconds over Wagner.

The best-placed Team rider is  Fumiyuki Beppu in 21^st place.  He shares the same time as Markel Irizar and Dmitriy Muravyev.

Sam Bewley checked in after the race, saying it was a “Hard stage today. I made the break of 5 guys, with the wind we were caught 50km to go by a much smaller peleton. Stayed there to finish.”

Tomas Vaitkus did not start today after continuing to suffer from a stomach virus that started two days ago.

The race concludes on Sunday with a 194.5km run from Middelkerke to Ichtegem.

Top Ten Results

1          Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil - Shimano       4:03:21              

2          Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team                     

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

4          Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil - Shimano                          

5          Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly                        

6          Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator                 

7          Barry Markus (Ned) Rabobank Continental                       

8          Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental                  

9          Evgeny Popov (Rus) Itera-Katusha                      

10         Yoeri Havik (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh Elshof

Team RadioShack on Stage 2

29         Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)

44         Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

74         Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz)

90         Bjorn Selander (USA) 0:00:26

94         Sam Bewley (NZl) 0:00:29

109       Ivan Rovny (Rus) 0:06:09

118       Ben Hermans (Bel) 0:10:20

DNS     Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu)

General Classification after Stage 2

1          Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne            8:35:07              

2          Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil - Shimano       0:00:04              

3          Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team        0:00:05              

4          Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano      0:00:06              

5          Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:07              

6          Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun          0:00:08              

7          Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank   0:00:09              

8          Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram     0:00:10              

9          Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly           0:00:11              

10         Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator    0:00:12

Team RadioShack on General Classification

21         Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)  0:00:14

30         Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

59         Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz)

72         Bjorn Selander (USA) 0:00:40

90         Sam Bewley (NZl) 0:03:20

94         Ivan Rovny (Rus) 0:06:31

122       Ben Hermans (Bel) 0:11:49

Photo courtesy of Graham Watson