70th Gent-Wevelgem April 9, 2008

« 2009 Gent Wevelgem Live Dashboard

Photos Page 1:  The start and flats  Full Results and Report

2003 Paris-Roubaix winner, Peter van Petegem, is still a blur on and off the bike. Seen here with Robbie McEwen	Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) will be in more photos later on	The start in Deinze under partly-cloudy skies
	Tom Boonen saving some of his energy early on
		Crash
	Credit Agricole's Mark Renshaw (Aus) about to check out early	Bad timing at this railroad crossing
Killing time mid-race

Photos Page 2:  Twice over the Kemmelberg  Full Results and Report

Starting the 1st of two times up the Kemmelberg		Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) of Rabobank looking comfortable on the climb
Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) and Matti Breschel attack the peloton in pursuant of the race leader	Matti Breschel (Team CSC) leads Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) over the top of Kemmelberg with a gap on the main pack and 4'46" behind the leader.	Off they go in search of Ermanno Capelli who left at km 107 (roughly the halfway point)
Quick Step's Stijn Devolder (Bel) fresh off his Tour of Flander's win is content to be nestled in the chasing peloton	Rabobank's Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) and Quick Step's Tom Boonen (Bel)	Lampre's Alessandro Ballan (Ita) with Robbie McEwen on his wing
		Italian Ermanno Capelli (Saunier Duval-Scott) much earlier rolled off the front at km 107 or 102 km to go
Kemmelberg fans waiting for a second visit by the peloton	The 22 year-old Capelli held a lead of nine minutes at one point	39 km to go: It was unfortunate for the three man chase that Matti Breschel flatted. It greatly reduced the chances of Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) and Philippe Gilbert (Francaise des Jeux) to hold off the peloton
A group formed behind with Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank), They got a small gap over the main group, which was being led by Rabobank for Freire.
A nice unobstructed view of the cobbled climb for race leader Capelli	At the top, the 2nd time over, Capelli had a 45" lead over Pozzato and Gilbert.	Gilbert and Pozzato 45 seconds back
	The 2nd chase group nearing the top	Back in the peloton, George Hincapie
Several pure sprinters where still in the mix including Erik Zabel and	... Robbie McEwen

Photos Page 3:  Finish and the podium  Full Results and Report

27 km from Wevelgem, Gilbert and Pozzato tagged Capelli who was able to hold onto the back. Now, 2 km later the peloton led by Rabobank is about to make it gruppo compatto.	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank makes good on his team's hard work to bring the race back together	A bike throw wasn't necessary but what the hell
1st Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank in 4.53.06 (42.784 km/h) ahead of grimacing Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom and Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step in the middle
The winner post-race being guarded/directed by the race marshals	Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) post-race was smiling just like he was at the start	Podium: 3rd Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step
Podium: 2nd Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom	The winner Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) of Rabobank acknowledges the crowd
Podium: L-to-R: 2nd Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom, 1st Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank, 3rd Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step