Driedaagse De Panne (2014) Photos April 1 - 3

« Driedaagse De Panne 2014 Dashboard

Dutchmen Johnny Hoogerland (Androni Giocattoli), Kenny Van Hummel (Androni Giocattoli) having time for a photo-op in De Panne	Marcel Kittel (Giant - Shimano) heading to the start in De Panne	Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) in De Panne
Luca Paolini (Katusha)	Milan Sanremo winner, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), has also done well here in past having won two stages.	The peloton on the Haaghoek cobbled climb before the halfway point. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) in the shot.
Kevin Peeters (Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace) leading the break on another pass of the Haaghoek climb with almost a 4 minute lead on the peloton...	Peloton with over 2 hours left of racing	The race heading heading toward Leberg for the second time with about 40 km to go
Luca Paolini (Katusha) leading the peloton through Leberg	Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) who has been aggressive in classics racing this year, would be part of the winning break	The sprint finish in Zottegem in full flight
Peter Sagan (Cannondale) looks around and sees his teammate Oscar Gatto coming up the inside	Peter Sagan easing up
Canondale goes 1-2 ahead of Kenneth Van Bilsen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise), Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), Laurens De Vreese (Wanty - Groupe Gobert), Mauro Finetto (Yellow Fluo)	Close-up of the finish with Sagan feathering the brakes	Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) thinks he has it but Peter Sagan crossed first
Oscar Gatto and Peter Sagan post-race	Your reluctant Stage 1 winner, Peter Sagan (Cannondale)	He says he's here for Tour of Flanders training and just wants to avoid the crashes. Well, he's the race leader after stage 1.

Stage 2:  Zottegem → Koksijde, 206 km  Full Results and Report

Race leader Peter Sagan (Cannondale) in Zottegem. As cyclingnews.com reported, with his mind on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, it was no surprise when Sagan sat up and dropped back when the peloton rode over the Kemmelberg. He rolled across the finish line at the end of the first lap in de Panne more than nine minutes back and climbed off his bike.	FDJ.fr strategizing in Zottegem for a sprint finish	Start line perspective in Zottegem
The Kemmelberg, the highest point on the stage at 160m, was climbed at the midway point: 700m long @ 7.8% (Max 17.0%)	The Kemmelberg cobblestone close-up. Not so bad on a sunny day	The break hitting the Kemmelberg with Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise) and James Van Landschoot (Wanty - Groupe Gobert) at the front
About 8 minutes later, Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) attacked off the peloton on the Kemmelberg	Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) about to join the Omega Pharma - Quick Step) attack	Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr) on Kemmelberg was thinking about a sprint finish
Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) and Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) on the outskirts of Koksijde with 20 km to go	Straight but narrow finish in Koksijde	Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) Koksijde
10 km to go: Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) and Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) off the front	The peloton only 20 seconds back with 10 km to go with Davide Cimolai (Lampre - Merida) leading the chase	Conjested sprint finish in Koksijde
Sacha Modolo (Lampre - Merida), Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr) at the front as the Lampre - Merida leadout man, Maximiliano Richeze Ariel, declares the winner	There wasn't room for everyone to wind it up; Marcel Kittel shows his frustration on the left after being boxed in and not able to contest the finish	Sacha Modolo (Lampre - Merida) wins stage 2 in Koksijde
	Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem runner-up, Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr), was also runner-up today	This cameraman got a good close-up of the winner
Sacha Modolo (Lampre - Merida) hits the podium to celebrate his 5th win of the season	Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) is now the new race leader by just 1s over Oscar Gatto (Cannondale)

Stage 3:  Zottegem → Koksijde, 206 km; De Panne 14.3 km ITT  Full Results and Report

First pass through De Panne with Joren Segers (Team 3M) leading the two man break	The peloton just 15 seconds back	The sprint finish in De Panne
Sacha Modolo (Lampre - Merida) wins ahead of Andrea Guardini (Astana) and Kenny Van Hummel (Androni Giocattoli)	Close-up	Two wins in a row for Sacha Modolo (Lampre - Merida)
Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) took a 3s lead into the afternoon time-trial...	Stage 3b in the afternoon: Maciej Bodnar (Cannondale) had the best time on the flat/rolling 14.3 km TT course	1st Maciej Bodnar (Cannondale) in 17:51
2nd Jan Barta (Netapp - Endura) + 3s	4th Luke Durbridge (Orica GreenEDGE) + 7s giving him 2nd overall + 7s as well	5th Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) + 5s to give him the overall win
Nice showing by Marcel Kittel (Giant - Shimano) to finish 6th + 13s	The race leader, Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), finished 17th + 28s dropping him to 3rd overall	Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) had problems with his pedal and finished 19th + 30s
Your stage 3b winner, Maciej Bodnar (Cannondale)	Omega Pharma - Quick Step gets the overall win, but Guillaume Van Keirsbulck wasn't expected to hoist the winner's trophy	Your 2014 podium: 2nd Luke Durbridge (Orica GreenEDGE) + 7s, 1st Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), 3rd Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma - Quick Step) + 8s