Three Days of West Flanders

Team RadioShack Sweeps Overall Podium in West Flanders
Only Team RadioShack riders stood on the final podium in Ichtegem, finishing place of the last stage of the Three Days of West Flanders. Jesse Sergent, who took the yellow leader’s jersey in Friday’s  prologue, defended his jersey with success and with the help of his teammates and is the overall winner of the three-day stage race. Next to the New Zealand rider on the podium were his Belgian and Polish teammates Sébastien Rosseler and 20-year-old Michal Kwiatkowski.  Forty-year-old Niko Eeckhout (An Post) won the last stage in the sprint ahead of Jimmy Casper (Saur-Sojasun). Both riders were part of a group of 21 riders that broke away after only 25K of racing. In that group were also the Team RadioShack riders Sébastien Rosseler, Michal Kwiatkowski, Nélson Oliveira and race leader Jesse Sergent.

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.

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 3rd-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.

Three Days of West Flanders
Stage 1: Kortrijk to Bellegem, 183.5km/114mi
By Cathy Mehl
Friday’s Stage 1 of Three Days of West Flanders put Team RadioShack racing in both Belgium and Spain.  On Sunday a third team will start in the opening stage of Paris-Nice, making for plenty of road action for The Shack.  
In the opening stage in West Flanders, a sprint of some 90-riders put Jens Keukeleire of Cofidis on the top step of the podium and in the first leader’s jersey.