The race was won by Luca Paolini (Katusha) who outsprinted Stijn Vandenburgh (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) after the two riders broke away from a 10-man breakaway after the race’s final climb.
Our Belgian photographer Kristof Ramon was there to capture the action and brought back these spectacular images.
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- A Ninja-like David Boucher (FDJ-BigMat) was dressed to impress in the freezing cold.
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- Many riders will be using Ridley’s new “Fenix Classic” on the cobbles of the Spring Classics. The Fenix has seat stays designed to absorb some of the impact from rough roads, with flatter sections in the middle.
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- Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma -Quick-Step) gets caught behind one of the slower-moving riders in the peloton.
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- Juan Antonio Flecha is a Spanish classics rider, loved by the Flemish, who now rides for Vacansoleil after moving from Team Sky this season.
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- The peloton roll through the Haaghoek cobbled sector again.
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- Four happy children cheer on as the lead group passes them by.
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- The peloton passed through the 2km-long Haaghoek cobbled sector three times on the day: after 57km, 111km and 155km.
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- An AG2R-LaMondiale mechanic takes a shortcut across a rather unfertile-looking field.
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- Geraint Thomas (Sky) was suitably rugged up against the near-freezing temperatures of the Belgian winter.
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- John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) had some work to do to get back to the peloton after suffering a mechanical.
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- Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) was one of 10 riders in a breakaway that also featured the eventual winner, Luca Paolini.
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- Eventual winner Luca Paolini sits in the pack beside a George W. Bush lookalike.
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- The lead group ploughs its way through the fields near Gent.
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- Racing up the final climb of the day, the Molenberg, which came after 163km of racing.
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- Eventual runner-up Stijn Vandenbergh drags eventual winner Luca Paolini along the penultimate cobbled sector, the Lange Munte.
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- Luca Paolini offers a victory salute after crossing the line ahead of Stijn Vandenbergh.
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- Luca Paolini pops the cork while Stijn Vandenbergh ponders what might have been.
