BiciRace.com :: 2006 Gent-Wevelgem

2006 Gent-Wevelgem, Report

Gent-Wevelgem, Belgium

5 April, 210K

Hushovd Hammers Over Pippo Flyer

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Hushovd Hammers Over Pippo Flyer, photo: Quick-Step

Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) threw down the sprint hammer to win the 68th Gent-Wevelgem. The Norwegian crushed the late flyer by Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step) and the monstrous work of Milram. Finishing behind Hushovd were German David Kopp (Gerolsteiner) and Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Milram).

A clear and sunny day greeted the riders of the 2006 Gent-Wevelgem. The parcours covered 210K, from the start in Deinze, to Wevelgem. Heading east to the North Sea, before turning back towards Wevelgem, covering two passes of the Vidaigneberg - Rodeberg and Monteberg - Kemmel along the way.

From the gun three riders to went clear: Iker Flores (Euskaltel-Euskadi), David Boucher (Unibet.com) and Cyril Lemoine (Crédit Agricole). The trio had their time, before a new escape formed: Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) and Bernhard Eisel (Française des Jeux). The Russian/Austrian alliance built up a max-lead of around 1'30", but this started to crumble with the lack of work from Eisel and the coming of the day's only bergs.

Hincapie & Boonen on Kemmel, photo: Quick-Step

After the top of the first Kemmel (-59K), crossed first by Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC), the affairs were getting dodgy: Bottles were flying left and right, and the stars were moving to the front. This section is notorious for cross-winds, and riders like Hincapie, Hoste, Nuyens, Davis, were vigilant at the head.

The peloton shattered leading to the second run of Kemmel. The climb is awfully steep, but usually ineffective in stopping a sprint finish, due to its distance from the line in Wevelgem, 39K. After the second run up and down the cobbled Kemmel the gruppo had been thinned-down to around 30, with lots of Milram riders, including Alessandro Petacchi. But there was no sign of Boonen: The Belgian was content with his mates who had made the move and decided to rest his legs for Sunday in Hell.

World Champion Time Machine, photo: Gent-Wevelgem/ Dries Verhauwaert

Over the closing kilometers il Treno Milram jammed the accelerator for their man, Ale-Jet. Alessandro Cortinovis, Simone Cadamuro and Erik Zabel were doing loads of work, while behind riders were getting shelled in the cross-winds.

Bert Roesems (Davitamon-Lotto) mixed up affairs with under 10K to go, when he hammered off the front in search of glory. The Belgian's desperate move started to look like a possibility. With his huge body craning over the Ridley machine, Roesems kept a gap of around 10 to 15" over il Treno Milram. It was curtains for Belgian Bert at -2K, Milram closed the deal and it looked like Petacchi would get a win in a Northern Classic.

Pippo After Exhausting Effort, photo: Quick-Step

Petacchi's dream came tumbling down, just like in Milano-Sanremo, thanks to a Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step) flyer. The Italian flew off the front at -1200m. The move, which was scorching the Belgian pavement, broke up the Milram-led gruppo and chaos reigned. Pippo was hunted at the last second, clearing the way for the Hushovd Hammer. The Norwegian flew past Pippo, and held off German Kopp and Italian Petacchi.

A beautiful win for the 28 year-old Norwegian in one of Belgium's classics, but unlucky for Milram, and Ale-Jet, who did the finishing work without reward.

Results: 4:57'33"
1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole
2 David Kopp (Ger) Gerolsteiner
3 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Milram
4 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Quick-Step
5 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel
6 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC
7 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Française Des Jeux
8 Erki Pütsep (Est) Ag2R Prévoyance
9 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros-Würth
10 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
11 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
12 Henk Vogels (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
13 Alexei Markov (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
14 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com
15 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
16 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak
17 Gregory Rast (Swi) Phonak
18 Vicente Reynes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
19 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) T-Mobile
20 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Crédit Agricole
21 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis
22 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
23 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick-Step
24 Koen De Kort (Ned) Liberty Seguros-Würth
25 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano
26 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
27 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
28 Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen
29 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française Des Jeux
30 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick-Step
31 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Française Des Jeux
32 Andreas Klier (Ger) T-Mobile
33 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 0.07
34 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank
35 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux 0.09
36 José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
37 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 0.20
38 Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 0.22
39 Marco Velo (Ita) Milram
40 Christian Knees (Ger) Milram
41 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
42 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Milram
43 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 0.33
44 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner
45 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.42
46 Simone Cadamuro (Ita) Milram 1.20
47 Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC 1.35
48 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Liberty Seguros-Würth 2.55
49 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Cofidis 5.55
50 Alexandre Usov (Blr) Ag2R Prévoyance
51 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
52 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile
53 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak
54 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole
55 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel
56 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Milram
57 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank
58 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis
59 Angel Castresana Del Val (Spa) Unibet.com
60 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators
61 Florent Brard (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
62 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
63 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) Ag2R Prévoyance
64 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Saunier Duval-Prodir
65 Nick Ingels (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
66 David Boucher (Fra) Unibet.com
67 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Skil-Shimano
68 Paul Martens (Ger) Skil-Shimano
69 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Unibet.com
70 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak
71 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Crédit Agricole
72 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen
73 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
74 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Crédit Agricole
75 Rik Reinerink (Ned) Skil-Shimano
76 Matthew White (Aus) Discovery Channel
77 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
78 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Crédit Agricole
79 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
80 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis
81 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner
82 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Française Des Jeux
83 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
84 José Joaquín Rojas (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth
85 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel
86 Marco Righetto (Ita) Liquigas
87 Robert Hunter (RSA) Phonak
88 Marco Milesi (Ita) Liquigas
89 Nico Mattan (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
90 Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank
91 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
92 Marco Serpellini (Ita) Unibet.com
93 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas
94 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel
95 Ivan Mayoz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
96 Matthé Pronk (Ned) Unibet.com
97 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile
98 Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Milram
99 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick-Step
100 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak
101 Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis
102 Lilian Jegou (Fra) Française Des Jeux
103 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française Des Jeux
104 Allan Johansen (Den) Team CSC
105 Frank Hoj (Den) Gerolsteiner
106 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators
107 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators
108 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital
109 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
110 Tom Steels (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
111 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel
112 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank
113 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
114 Koldo Fernández (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
115 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Phonak
116 Servais Knaven (Ned) Quick-Step
117 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step
118 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick-Step
119 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Davitamon-Lotto
120 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
121 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Unibet.com