BiciRace.com :: 2006 3 Days of De Panne

2006 3 Days of De Panne, Stage 1

3 Days of De Panne, Belgium

Stage 1, Middelkerke - Zottegem, 194K

28 March

Hoste Continues Disco Domination

Escape Trio, photo: Davitamon-Lotto

Leif Hoste starts off where his American team finished last year, in the GC lead. The 28 year-old Belgian stuck-it to his two escape companions in a close sprint, which Eisel almost won. Behind, the peloton was shattered, with notable (or crazy, if you will) rides by Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Luca Paolini (Liquigas).

De Panne is usually covered with clouds and rain, but the 2006 edition welcomed the peloton with sun and warmth. The weather, combined with the format of the short stage race, made for some aggressive racing. Yes, the Ronde Van Vlaanderen is only five days away!

Jarno Van Mingeroet (Jartazi-7Mobile) was the lone-escapee for the day. Heading west to Zottegem he built up a maximum lead near three minutes. Van Mingeroet had his time in the sun and he was chopped down, and finally caught at 71.

Near -54K a group of around 10 formed, including Stijn Devolder and eventual race winner Hoste, both from Discovery Channel. Shortly after, on the 11% Kloosterbosstraat, the winning move of three formed with Hoste, Bernhard Eisel (Française Des Jeux) and Gert Steegmans (Davitamon-Lotto).

It looked like a lot of ground to cover, with five more climbs remaining, but the Belgian-Austrian formation worked in harmony. They kept a steady gap over an all-star chase that included Sanremo winner Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step), Luca Paolini (Liquigas), Luis León Sánchez (Liberty Seguros-Würth) and Andreas Klier (T-Mobile). Further back was the big gruppo, being lead by Unibet.com, who missed the boat. The green team was being laughed at by Quick-Step and Disco as they flogged themselves to bring back the race.

In the closing kilometers both Paolini and LL Sánchez struck out on their own. Their attempts looked desperate, but LL came the closest, around 20" from closing on the trio.

The riders passed under the 1K banner, and we now had ourselves an exciting sprint on our hands. There wasn't much time for antics, as LL was closing, but Host did slow enough to force Eisel to the front. A wise move, remembering who it was that beat Boonen in Qatar. Around a final right-hander and then the Austrian commenced his sprint from the front. He pushed himself hard over the final 200m as Disco Hoste edged his way up, nipping Eisel at the line.

George Hincapie won the overall 2004 for USPS and last year it was the turn of Stijn Devolder, maybe this year it will be Hoste to continue the USPS/Disco domination. Stay tuned to BiciRace.com for De Panne Coverage.

Results: 4:39'55", 41.584 K/h
1 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel
2 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française Des Jeux
3 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
4 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth 0.12
5 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 0.42
6 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Quick-Step 0.48
7 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
8 Roberto Petito (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano
9 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com 0.58
10 Daniele Colli (Ita) Liquigas
11 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Team LPR
12 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen
13 Igor Abakoumov (Bel) Jartazi-7Mobile
14 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick-Step
15 José Joaquín Rojas (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth
16 Giosuè Bonomi (Ita) Barloworld
17 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Wiesenhof-Akud
18 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
19 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
20 Sven Renders (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
21 Henk Vogels (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
22 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak
23 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
23 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Jartazi-7Mobile
25 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Vorarlberg
26 Michaël Blanchy (Bel) Jartazi-7Mobile
27 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
28 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
29 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team LPR
30 Bas Giling (Ned) T-Mobile

GC:
1 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel 4:39'42"
2 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 0.04
3 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française Des Jeux 0.06
4 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth 0.25
5 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 0.55
6 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Quick-Step 1.01
7 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
8 Roberto Petito (Ita) Tenax-Salmilano
9 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com 1.11
10 Daniele Colli (Ita) Liquigas
11 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Team LPR
12 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen
13 Igor Abakoumov (Bel) Jartazi-7Mobile
14 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick-Step
15 José Joaquín Rojas (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth
16 Giosuè Bonomi (Ita) Barloworld
17 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Wiesenhof-Akud
18 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
19 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
20 Sven Renders (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
21 Henk Vogels (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
22 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak
23 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
23 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Jartazi-7Mobile
25 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Vorarlberg
26 Michaël Blanchy (Bel) Jartazi-7Mobile
27 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
28 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
29 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team LPR
30 Bas Giling (Ned) T-Mobile