Tour of Flanders (2012) Photos April 1st

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Preparing the barriers to hold back an estimated 10% of the Belgian population	Many changes to the 2012 route, but the Koopenberg remains at the 185 km (70 km to go) point in the race	Recreational cyclists approaching the Koppenberg
Daniel Oss and Liquigas teammates doing Koppenberg recon	Cobble close-up	These recreational riders must have seen the photos from last year. Best to know your limits...
Remember last year? 2011 race recon on the Koppenberg was made harder with old farts strewn all over the road. More photos from 2011 recon	The top of the Koppenberg	Europcar on the Koppenberg
Danilo Hondo (Lampre) on the Koppenberg	Vacansoleil-Dcm on the Koppenberg	Koppenberg panoramic
Oude Kwaremont (along with the Paterberg) are now prominent in this year's race	Oude Kwaremont close-up	Circuits on the Paterberg this year
Three times up the Paterberg	Recreational cyclists on the Paterberg	Paterberg panoramic
	French national champ and recent Driedaagse de Panne winner, Sylvain Chavanel is one of the favorites

Stage 2:    Full Results and Report

The picturesque start in Brugge, Belgium in front of the usual huge crowd	The first 1/3 of the route is fairly flat with some traditional scenery	Winding, narrow roads; although the race draws huge crowds and this shot was taken early on, there didn't seem to be as many fans by the roadside?
The pleasant scenery gave way to some ugly crashes; two-time Tour of Flanders winner, Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil-DCM) crashed on the first descent of the Paterberg on the way to the Koppenberg. (Thanks, Andreas, Kristoff and Eric for the placement info).	Devolder flags down one of his teammates...	Stijn Devolder tries to saddle a teammate's bike, but unfortunately Mirko Selvaggi looks about a foot taller than Devolder
Ouch! Stijn Devolder is back in the race but he didn't finish. And things would get worse for riders like Fabian Cancellara and Sebastiaan Langeveld who broke collarbones in separate falls.	The early break on the first climbs here led by Tyler Farrar (Garmin)	Good crowds but not huge
Race favorites Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara on the first of three passes over Old Kwaremont	Belgian national champ Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) put in a dig on the Koppenberg, but Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack) wasn't impressed. Cancellara would crash out shortly afterwards.	Tom Boonen and Daniel Oss on the Molenberg
The race had thinned considerably, the second of three times up the Paterberg	Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) drew out the contenders by attacking on the Paterberg with 18 km to go	Ballan was joined by Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) and Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia)
When some encouragement, Tom Boonen was able to hang on going over the top	Peter Sagan (Liquigas) crested Paterberg on his own 20s back, but he drifted back to the chase after spending some time in no man's land	Different finish this year, but like last year, three riders reached the finish together
The three worked together well and stretched out a lead of almost 1 minute before some cat and mouse then a two man sprint	Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) wins ahead of Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) while Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) coasts across for third	The end to a tumultuous 255 km of racing
Tom Boonen celebrates his record-tying third Tour of Flanders win	Field sprint: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC RAcing) on the left caught and passed Luca Paolini (Katusha) on the right for 4th	Disappointment with second, but Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) announced he's back today. Pozzato: ‘I’m first of the idiots’ at Flanders
The popular Flemish winner today, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep)	Always nice to see good gamesmanship on the podium	Your 2012 Tour of Flanders podium: 2nd Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia), 1st Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) and 3rd Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing)