2009 Eneco Tour
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Eneco Tour of Benelux was the fifth edition of the Eneco Tour of Benelux
cycling stage race. It took place from 18 August to 25 August 2009 in the Benelux
. Like the previous years, parts of the Netherlands
and Belgium
were covered. It was part of the inaugural UCI World Ranking
. It began with a short individual time trial
in Rotterdam
and ended with a longer one in Amersfoort
.
event, all 18 ProTeams were invited automatically and obligated to send a squad. Three UCI Professional Continental teams, , , and were also invited to the race, for a total of 21 teams. Each team was allowed eight riders, though sent only seven and had a rider who planned to start withdraw due to injury before the prologue, meaning 166 riders began the event.
The 21 teams participating in the race are:
(Netherlands
), 4.4 km (ITT)
The course for the prologue time trial was a quick, flat trip through downtown Rotterdam, taking a lap around the city's Southern Park. The course was not at all technical; it contained only gentle turns to form a rectangle, along with long straightaways.
Quick Step's Sylvain Chavanel
picked up his second victory of the season in the prologue. Chavanel was one of the first men to take the course, and had to wait for ninety minutes to see if his time would hold up. His biggest threat game from Garmin-Slipstream rider Tyler Farrar
, who clocked in .23 seconds slower than Chavanel. The Frenchman took the first leader's white jersey.
{|
|Prologue Result and General Classification after the Prologue
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|
|
|align=right| 4' 55"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 1"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 1"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|}
(Belgium
) to Ardooie
(Belgium), 185.4 km
The first mass-start stage was flat, with a couple of small rises in elevation near the finish line.
A five-rider breakaway formed after 18 km in the saddle, involving Lars Bak
, Maciej Bodnar
, Yukiya Arashiro
, Wim De Vocht
, and Pieter Vanspeybrouck
. Their maximum advantage over the peloton was 3'50". The top teams in the general classification, Quick Step and Garmin-Slipstream, worked to bring the breakaway back, since they also had strong sprinters who they wanted to try for the stage win. At the 85 km mark, Bobbie Traksel
, Luis Pasamontes
and Wim Stroetinga
crashed, and Pasamontes and Stroetinga had to leave the race with injuries. The breakaway gradually fragmented because of the pace and the day's heat. Bodnar was the last escapee to be caught, with 5 km to go before the finish.
The mass sprint finish was won by Tyler Farrar
, who became the new race leader. The sprint was perhaps overshadowed, however, by a dramatic crash that took place right behind it. About ten riders deep in the bunch, two riders collided, and the remainder of the peloton, in full sprint, had no chance to avoid them, leading to further crashes. All 144 riders who started the sprint together were given the same finishing time as Farrar, but five riders were injured, most notably Silence-Lotto's Gorik Gardeyn
, who was taken to a hospital with four or five broken ribs, and a double fracture of his right shoulder blade. 's Yoann Offredo
sustained a left shoulder injury. Maxime Vantomme
, Sebastien Turgot
, and Koen de Kort
also sought medical attention, but their injuries weren't considered serious enough for them to have to leave the race.
{|
|Stage 1 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 4h 18' 40"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
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|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 1
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 4h 23' 26"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 9"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 10"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 11"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 11"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|}
|}
(Belgium) to Brussels
(Belgium), 178.1 km
This stage is undulating, with numerous small raises in elevation, including the Muur van Geraardsbergen
, used yearly in the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
The heat combined with the many small climbs caused many riders to drop out of the race. A notable rider to abandon was Astana's Andreas Klöden
due to injuring his wrist after crashing going around a roundabout. A 5-man breakaway formed after 18 km, comprising Juan José Haedo
, Mathew Hayman
, Tanel Kangert
, Jeremy Roy
, and David Deroo. Their maximum advantage was just under two minutes, and they began to splinter 76 km from the finish. By that point, the leading peloton in pursuit of the breakaway was only about 80 riders strong. Several riders from that leading peloton tried to counterattack as the morning's breakaway was caught, and a group including Edvald Boasson Hagen
was able to get away briefly. As Boasson Hagen began the stage fourth overall, the contenders weren't willing to let him get very far up the road, and limited the advantage of this breakaway to just 48 seconds before it was caught. Numerous other breakaways saw riders briefly get away, and Nick Nuyens
had a gap of 20 seconds inside the final kilometer, but a mass sprint finish still took place. The sprint was won by race leader Tyler Farrar
, who extended his overall lead, though he expressed doubt in his ability to hold it when asked after the stage.
{|
|Stage 2 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 4h 17' 53"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 2
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 8h 41' 09"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 24"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 24"
|}
|}
(Belgium) to Hasselt
(Belgium), 158.3 km
This course is similar in profile to the one previous, bumpy but without any imposing rises in elevation.
A breakaway formed 39 km into this stage, with Romain Villa
, Niki Terpstra
, and Albert Timmer the escapees. Their maximum advantage was about three minutes before the Quick Step and Garmin Slipstream-led peloton set to reeling them in. Timmer and Terpstra eventually dropped Villa after repeated attacks and counterattacks, but the peloton was all one with 6 km left to ride. was the first team to try to deploy their leadout train, working for Francesco Chicchi
, but they were quickly overwhelmed by Garmin, Quick Step, and Team Columbia-HTC. Edvald Boasson Hagen
attacked within the final kilometer, on the last turn before the finish, but the mass sprint took him back in. The first across the line was Belgian national champion Tom Boonen
, gaining his first victory with that jersey on his shoulders.
{|
|Stage 3 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 3h 43' 19"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 3
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 12h 24' 22"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 10"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 30"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 30"
|}
|}
(Belgium) to Libramont
(Belgium), 221.2 km
This is the Eneco Tour's longest stage, and it is the only one with any real heights to speak of. It begins at a higher point than is previously reached in the Tour and climbs in several places, including a slight uphill to the finish.
This stage began very quickly, with the first hour of racing covering almost 50 km. At the 60 km mark, Damien Gaudin
broke away and was the lone leader for a time before being joined by Reinier Honig and Niki Terpstra
. Their maximum advantage over the peloton came at the 90 km mark, an advantage of 7' 45". Garmin-Slipstream and Rabobank drove the peloton to catch the breakaway, and they easily did, with over 50 km left to race. Several further breakaways were attempted, and the pace needed to bring them back combined with the stage's hilly terrain made it so the leading group was for a time only about 30 riders strong. Top contenders Bradley Wiggins
, Vincenzo Nibali
, and Sylvain Chavanel
, among with many others, all tried to break away after the morning's initial escapees were caught, but none ultimately succeeded. A group of 79 was together for a surprising mass sprint finish. Though this was thought to be the first stage that would not end in a field sprint, race leader Tyler Farrar
and other sprint specialists like fellow stage winner Tom Boonen
never lost contact with the leading peloton. It was initially thought that Edvald Boasson Hagen
had won the sprint, but close examination of the photo finish showed that Farrar in fact was the first across the line, for his third stage win of the Tour.
{|
|Stage 4 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 5h 27' 01"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 4
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 17h 51' 13"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 20"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 35"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 39"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 40"
|}
|}
(Netherlands) to Sittard
(Netherlands), 204.3 km
This course is jagged, beginning at near sea level but including a number of rises, with gradients reaching as high as 7.3%. The final 25 km to the finish are either flat or on rises of less than 4% gradient. It is thought of as the Tour's most difficult stage, and it has been called a "little Amstel Gold Race
."
Two kilometers into the stage, three riders broke clear of the main field. These were Sergio De Lis
, David Deroo, and Jens Mouris
, and they obtained a maximum advantage of close to 18 minutes, at the 75 km mark. By the 105 km mark, it had fallen all the way to 10 minutes, as the peloton began their chase in earnest and the terrain became difficult for the escapees. A 15-man chase broke clear of the peloton 20 km later, headed by Columbia-HTC, Rabobank, and some other overall contenders. Race leader Tyler Farrar
and teammate Bradley Wiggins
, who had been thought to be a contender for the race overall, were not in the chase and neither were any of their teammates. Wiggins would end up finishing the stage 10'21" behind the stage winner and dropping well away from contention.
The leading groups continued to attack one another and splinter, and by 48 km to go, the original three breakaway riders were brought back into the fold. Thirteen riders were together for the final 20 km circuit in Sittard, and though their advantage continually fell as they neared the line, they
finished with a 31 second advantage over the main chase group, that included Farrar. The decisive attack for the stage win came with about 1 km to go. Lars Bak
sprinted out of the leading group and went à bloc to survive to the line, saying later that he felt faint for a while after the stage win. Edvald Boasson Hagen
assumed the race overall leadership, by 15 seconds over Farrar and Bak.
{|
|Stage 5 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 5h 13' 16"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 5
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 23h 04' 55"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 15"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 15"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 28"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 28"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|}
|}
(Belgium) to Roermond
(Netherlands), 163.3 km
This stage was flat. Vincenzo Nibali
, who had been in fifth overall and was considered an important rider for Italy at the world championships, did not start this stage due to a season-ending broken collarbone sustained the previous day.
This was a very straightforward day of racing. A three-man breakaway, comprising Rick Flens
, Huub Duyn
, and Alexander Serov
, came clear after 34 km. The peloton kept their advantage under tight control, as it did not extend beyond 90 seconds at any point. The catch easily occurred at the 12 km to go mark. The two Italian teams, and , drove the peloton in the stage's final kilometers, to try to weaken the field to the advantage of their sprinters. Team Columbia-HTC came forward inside the final kilometer and race leader Edvald Boasson Hagen
jumped from an early leadout, just after a right-hand turn in the road, to sprint away to the stage win. Tyler Farrar
had been caught off guard, and could not make up the ground to Boasson Hagen, finishing third as the young Norwegian took the stage win. Boasson Hagen, like Farrar before him, expressed his doubts after the stage that he could hold on for the overall win.
{|
|Stage 6 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 3h 28' 58"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
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|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 6
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 26h 33' 33"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 31"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 33"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 35"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 38"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 38"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 39"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 42"
|}
|}
(Netherlands), 13.1 km (ITT)
The course for the second time trial is more challenging and technical than the first. There are several sharp turns and curves in the road, and only one long straightaway.
The early best time was set by Saxo Bank rider Alex Rasmussen
. An hour after Rasmussen's ride, Tony Martin
and Thomas De Gendt
both bettered his time by a few seconds, as rain began to fall. Bradley Wiggins
, who had fallen well out of contention on Stage 5 but would figure to be a favorite in any time trial, had the best time at the intermediate time check. He did not, however, finish the course, opting instead to simply pull off shortly after the 5.9 km mark, as the rain continued to fall. The rain caused Joost Posthuma
to spin out and crash after a right-hand turn, costing him such time that he fell from fifth on GC all the way to 11th after the stage. Race leader Edvald Boasson Hagen
was the last man to take the course and managed to just beat the times set by the Rabobank duo of Sebastian Langeveld
and Maarten Tjallingii
set shortly before his run to win the stage. Tyler Farrar
, who had been in second overall, decided to skip this time trial in order to better concentrate on the Vuelta a España
. The win sealed the first-ever stage race victory for Boasson Hagen.
{|
|Stage 7 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 16' 07"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 16"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 20"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|}
||
|Final General Classification
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 26h 49' 40"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 45"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 47"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 06"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 12"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 22"
|}
|}
Eneco Tour of Benelux
The Eneco Tour of Benelux is a road bicycle racing stage-race. Its name refers to its main sponsor, the energy company Eneco Energie. It is part of both the UCI ProTour and the UCI World Ranking calendar.-History:...
cycling stage race. It took place from 18 August to 25 August 2009 in the Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
. Like the previous years, parts of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
were covered. It was part of the inaugural UCI World Ranking
2009 UCI World Ranking
The 2009 UCI World Ranking is the first edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union , replacing the rankings previously part of the UCI ProTour. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 20 January, and consists of 13 stage races and 11 one-day...
. It began with a short individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and ended with a longer one in Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
.
Teams
As the Tour of Benelux is a UCI ProTourUCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
event, all 18 ProTeams were invited automatically and obligated to send a squad. Three UCI Professional Continental teams, , , and were also invited to the race, for a total of 21 teams. Each team was allowed eight riders, though sent only seven and had a rider who planned to start withdraw due to injury before the prologue, meaning 166 riders began the event.
The 21 teams participating in the race are:
Prologue
18 August 2009 - RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
(Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
), 4.4 km (ITT)
The course for the prologue time trial was a quick, flat trip through downtown Rotterdam, taking a lap around the city's Southern Park. The course was not at all technical; it contained only gentle turns to form a rectangle, along with long straightaways.
Quick Step's Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003...
picked up his second victory of the season in the prologue. Chavanel was one of the first men to take the course, and had to wait for ninety minutes to see if his time would hold up. His biggest threat game from Garmin-Slipstream rider Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, who clocked in .23 seconds slower than Chavanel. The Frenchman took the first leader's white jersey.
{|
|Prologue Result and General Classification after the Prologue
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|
|align=right| 4' 55"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 1"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 1"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|}
Stage 1
19 August 2009 - AalterAalter
Aalter is a municipality located between Bruges and Ghent in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Aalter, Bellem, Lotenhulle and Poeke. It is bordered on the north by Knesselare, on the east by Zomergem and Nevele, on the south by Deinze, and on the west by...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) to Ardooie
Ardooie
Ardooie is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Ardooie proper and Koolskamp. In 2006 Ardooie had a total population of 9,147. The local inhabitants are called Ardooienaren.-Sights:* St...
(Belgium), 185.4 km
The first mass-start stage was flat, with a couple of small rises in elevation near the finish line.
A five-rider breakaway formed after 18 km in the saddle, involving Lars Bak
Lars Bak
Lars Ytting Bak is a Danish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He became a professional in 2002 for Team Fakta where he rode with fellow Dane Allan Johansen...
, Maciej Bodnar
Maciej Bodnar
Maciej Bodnar is a Polish professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam Liquigas.-Palmares:20062007-External links:...
, Yukiya Arashiro
Yukiya Arashiro
Yukiya Arashiro is a Japanese road bicycle racer who rides for French UCI Professional Continental team . In 2005 he was the Japanese U23 National Time Trial and Road Race Champion and in 2007 he was national road race champion.In 2009 he was selected by his team to ride the Tour de France...
, Wim De Vocht
Wim De Vocht
Wim De Vocht is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .- Palmares :* Ronde van Vlaanderen - U23 version U19 Road Race Champion * 2nd, National U19 Time Trial Championship...
, and Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Pieter Vanspeybrouck is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team Topsport Vlaanderen.-External links:...
. Their maximum advantage over the peloton was 3'50". The top teams in the general classification, Quick Step and Garmin-Slipstream, worked to bring the breakaway back, since they also had strong sprinters who they wanted to try for the stage win. At the 85 km mark, Bobbie Traksel
Bobbie Traksel
Bobbie Traksel is a Dutch professional racing cyclist for . In 2000, Traksel showed considerable promise by winning the Under-23 version of the Ronde van Vlaanderen and turned professional in 2001 with . In 2002, Traksel's surprise win at the Veenendaal–Veenendaal showed his speed and bicycle...
, Luis Pasamontes
Luis Pasamontes
Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez is a Spanish racing cyclist with UCI ProTeam .- Palmares :* Tour de Wallonie - 1 stage, Mountains Classification & Sprints Classification...
and Wim Stroetinga
Wim Stroetinga
Wim Stroetinga is a Dutch professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:# 2002: 1º in World Championship, Track, Scratch, Juniors# 2003: 2º in European Championship, Track, Team Pursuit, Juniors, Moscou...
crashed, and Pasamontes and Stroetinga had to leave the race with injuries. The breakaway gradually fragmented because of the pace and the day's heat. Bodnar was the last escapee to be caught, with 5 km to go before the finish.
The mass sprint finish was won by Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, who became the new race leader. The sprint was perhaps overshadowed, however, by a dramatic crash that took place right behind it. About ten riders deep in the bunch, two riders collided, and the remainder of the peloton, in full sprint, had no chance to avoid them, leading to further crashes. All 144 riders who started the sprint together were given the same finishing time as Farrar, but five riders were injured, most notably Silence-Lotto's Gorik Gardeyn
Gorik Gardeyn
Gorik Gardeyn is a Belgian professional road racing cyclist currently riding for .- Cycling career :20012005-External links:*...
, who was taken to a hospital with four or five broken ribs, and a double fracture of his right shoulder blade. 's Yoann Offredo
Yoann Offredo
Yoann Offredo is a French road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .-Palmares:20062007- External links :...
sustained a left shoulder injury. Maxime Vantomme
Maxime Vantomme
Maxime Vantomme is a Belgian professional racing cyclist. In 2009 he joined Team Katusha as a neopro.-Career highlights:# 2002: 1º in Gouden Fiets Eddy Merckx, Wolvertem...
, Sebastien Turgot
Sébastien Turgot
Sébastien Turgot is a French road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .His biggest result came when he came in third in the 2008 Paris–Tours after leading in the last 100 metres, but was beaten by Philippe Gilbert of Francaise des Jeux and Jan Kuyckx of Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner...
, and Koen de Kort
Koen de Kort
Koen de Kort is a Dutch professional cyclist. He grew up in Liempde in Noord Brabant. From 2002 to 2004, he was in the development team of the Rabobank cycling team. De Kort had a promising amateur career with wins in the Under 23 version of Paris–Roubaix...
also sought medical attention, but their injuries weren't considered serious enough for them to have to leave the race.
{|
|Stage 1 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 4h 18' 40"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 1
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 4h 23' 26"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 9"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 10"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 11"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 11"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|}
|}
Stage 2
20 August 2009 - ArdooieArdooie
Ardooie is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Ardooie proper and Koolskamp. In 2006 Ardooie had a total population of 9,147. The local inhabitants are called Ardooienaren.-Sights:* St...
(Belgium) to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
(Belgium), 178.1 km
This stage is undulating, with numerous small raises in elevation, including the Muur van Geraardsbergen
Muur van Geraardsbergen
The Muur van Geraardsbergen is a steep narrow road with cobblestones located in Geraardsbergen, Belgium. It is also known as Kapelmuur, Muur-Kapelmuur or simply Muur. The hill starts near the river Dender at 18 m and reaches the top of the Oudenberg at 110 m...
, used yearly in the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
The heat combined with the many small climbs caused many riders to drop out of the race. A notable rider to abandon was Astana's Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
due to injuring his wrist after crashing going around a roundabout. A 5-man breakaway formed after 18 km, comprising Juan José Haedo
Juan José Haedo
Juan José Haedo is an Argentine professional road racing cyclist and former track cyclist on . He is the brother of Lucas Sebastian Haedo...
, Mathew Hayman
Mathew Hayman
Mathew Hayman is an Australian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Hayman is an experienced and respected domestique, as he typically takes on a supporting role within his team.-Palmares:1996...
, Tanel Kangert
Tanel Kangert
Tanel Kangert is an Estonian road bicycle racer for . After the 2009 season, he was sacked by his team, , because of a knee injury that nearly ended his career.- Palmares :2005 - U19WD = withdrew- External links :*...
, Jeremy Roy
Jérémy Roy
Jérémy Roy is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team . He was named the most aggressive rider of the 2011 Tour de France after escaping into breakaways on many stages and continuiously attacking from inside the breakaway.-Biography:Roy turned professional...
, and David Deroo. Their maximum advantage was just under two minutes, and they began to splinter 76 km from the finish. By that point, the leading peloton in pursuit of the breakaway was only about 80 riders strong. Several riders from that leading peloton tried to counterattack as the morning's breakaway was caught, and a group including Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
was able to get away briefly. As Boasson Hagen began the stage fourth overall, the contenders weren't willing to let him get very far up the road, and limited the advantage of this breakaway to just 48 seconds before it was caught. Numerous other breakaways saw riders briefly get away, and Nick Nuyens
Nick Nuyens
Nick Nuyens is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . His biggest wins to date include the semi-classics Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, Omloop Het Volk, Paris–Brussels and the classic Tour of Flanders. He is generally viewed as a classics rider. He is married to the Belgian multiple...
had a gap of 20 seconds inside the final kilometer, but a mass sprint finish still took place. The sprint was won by race leader Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, who extended his overall lead, though he expressed doubt in his ability to hold it when asked after the stage.
{|
|Stage 2 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 4h 17' 53"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 2
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 8h 41' 09"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 13"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 24"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 24"
|}
|}
Stage 3
21 August 2009 - NielNiel
Niel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Niel proper. On January 1, 2006 Niel had a total population of 8,798. The total area is 5.27 km² which gives a population density of 1,669 inhabitants per km².-Famous inhabitants:* Jan...
(Belgium) to Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
(Belgium), 158.3 km
This course is similar in profile to the one previous, bumpy but without any imposing rises in elevation.
A breakaway formed 39 km into this stage, with Romain Villa
Romain Villa
Romain Villa is a French road bicycle racer.-External links:...
, Niki Terpstra
Niki Terpstra
Niki Terpstra is a Dutch racing cyclist with UCI ProTeam . He is the silver medal winner of the team pursuit in the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, together with Levi Heimans, Jens Mouris and Peter Schep...
, and Albert Timmer the escapees. Their maximum advantage was about three minutes before the Quick Step and Garmin Slipstream-led peloton set to reeling them in. Timmer and Terpstra eventually dropped Villa after repeated attacks and counterattacks, but the peloton was all one with 6 km left to ride. was the first team to try to deploy their leadout train, working for Francesco Chicchi
Francesco Chicchi
Francesco Chicchi is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Pro Tour team .- Major results :200220052006...
, but they were quickly overwhelmed by Garmin, Quick Step, and Team Columbia-HTC. Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
attacked within the final kilometer, on the last turn before the finish, but the mass sprint took him back in. The first across the line was Belgian national champion Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
, gaining his first victory with that jersey on his shoulders.
{|
|Stage 3 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 3h 43' 19"
|-
|2
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 3
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 12h 24' 22"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 10"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 30"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 30"
|}
|}
Stage 4
22 August 2009 - HasseltHasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
(Belgium) to Libramont
Libramont-Chevigny
Libramont-Chevigny is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg.On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 177.86 km², had 9,981 inhabitants, giving a population density of 56.1 inhabitants per km²....
(Belgium), 221.2 km
This is the Eneco Tour's longest stage, and it is the only one with any real heights to speak of. It begins at a higher point than is previously reached in the Tour and climbs in several places, including a slight uphill to the finish.
This stage began very quickly, with the first hour of racing covering almost 50 km. At the 60 km mark, Damien Gaudin
Damien Gaudin
Damien Gaudin is a French road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .-Palmares:2003...
broke away and was the lone leader for a time before being joined by Reinier Honig and Niki Terpstra
Niki Terpstra
Niki Terpstra is a Dutch racing cyclist with UCI ProTeam . He is the silver medal winner of the team pursuit in the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, together with Levi Heimans, Jens Mouris and Peter Schep...
. Their maximum advantage over the peloton came at the 90 km mark, an advantage of 7' 45". Garmin-Slipstream and Rabobank drove the peloton to catch the breakaway, and they easily did, with over 50 km left to race. Several further breakaways were attempted, and the pace needed to bring them back combined with the stage's hilly terrain made it so the leading group was for a time only about 30 riders strong. Top contenders Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
, and Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003...
, among with many others, all tried to break away after the morning's initial escapees were caught, but none ultimately succeeded. A group of 79 was together for a surprising mass sprint finish. Though this was thought to be the first stage that would not end in a field sprint, race leader Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
and other sprint specialists like fellow stage winner Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
never lost contact with the leading peloton. It was initially thought that Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
had won the sprint, but close examination of the photo finish showed that Farrar in fact was the first across the line, for his third stage win of the Tour.
{|
|Stage 4 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 5h 27' 01"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 4
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 17h 51' 13"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 20"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 35"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 37"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 39"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 40"
|}
|}
Stage 5
23 August 2009 - RoermondRoermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
(Netherlands) to Sittard
Sittard
Sittard is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands.On the east Sittard borders on Germany . It has some 48,400 inhabitants . Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen...
(Netherlands), 204.3 km
This course is jagged, beginning at near sea level but including a number of rises, with gradients reaching as high as 7.3%. The final 25 km to the finish are either flat or on rises of less than 4% gradient. It is thought of as the Tour's most difficult stage, and it has been called a "little Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
."
Two kilometers into the stage, three riders broke clear of the main field. These were Sergio De Lis
Sergio De Lis
Sergio de Lis de Andrés is a retired Spanish professional road bicycle racer who rode for two seasons for UCI ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi. He retired at the age of 24, citing family reasons....
, David Deroo, and Jens Mouris
Jens Mouris
Jens Mouris is a Dutch racing cyclist.Mouris represented the Netherlands at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney where he took part in the 4 km team pursuit together with John den Braber, Robert Slippens and Wilco Zuijderwijk. They ended up in seventh position after being lapped by the Ukraine...
, and they obtained a maximum advantage of close to 18 minutes, at the 75 km mark. By the 105 km mark, it had fallen all the way to 10 minutes, as the peloton began their chase in earnest and the terrain became difficult for the escapees. A 15-man chase broke clear of the peloton 20 km later, headed by Columbia-HTC, Rabobank, and some other overall contenders. Race leader Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
and teammate Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, who had been thought to be a contender for the race overall, were not in the chase and neither were any of their teammates. Wiggins would end up finishing the stage 10'21" behind the stage winner and dropping well away from contention.
The leading groups continued to attack one another and splinter, and by 48 km to go, the original three breakaway riders were brought back into the fold. Thirteen riders were together for the final 20 km circuit in Sittard, and though their advantage continually fell as they neared the line, they
finished with a 31 second advantage over the main chase group, that included Farrar. The decisive attack for the stage win came with about 1 km to go. Lars Bak
Lars Bak
Lars Ytting Bak is a Danish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He became a professional in 2002 for Team Fakta where he rode with fellow Dane Allan Johansen...
sprinted out of the leading group and went à bloc to survive to the line, saying later that he felt faint for a while after the stage win. Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
assumed the race overall leadership, by 15 seconds over Farrar and Bak.
{|
|Stage 5 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|
|align=right| 5h 13' 16"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 2"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 5
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 23h 04' 55"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 15"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 15"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 28"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 28"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 29"
|}
|}
Stage 6
24 August 2009 - GenkGenk
Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...
(Belgium) to Roermond
Roermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
(Netherlands), 163.3 km
This stage was flat. Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
, who had been in fifth overall and was considered an important rider for Italy at the world championships, did not start this stage due to a season-ending broken collarbone sustained the previous day.
This was a very straightforward day of racing. A three-man breakaway, comprising Rick Flens
Rick Flens
Rick Flens is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Rabobank.-Palmares:2006...
, Huub Duyn
Huub Duyn
Huub Duyn is a Dutch racing cyclist who rides for Donckers Koffie-Jelly Belly. His best result to date was winning the Paris-Tours under 23 race.-Notable results:2006-Former teams:...
, and Alexander Serov
Alexander Serov (cyclist)
Alexander Sergeyevich Serov is a Russian professional road and track racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team Katusha.- Palmarès :2002Alexander Sergeyevich Serov is a Russian professional road and track racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team Katusha....
, came clear after 34 km. The peloton kept their advantage under tight control, as it did not extend beyond 90 seconds at any point. The catch easily occurred at the 12 km to go mark. The two Italian teams, and , drove the peloton in the stage's final kilometers, to try to weaken the field to the advantage of their sprinters. Team Columbia-HTC came forward inside the final kilometer and race leader Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
jumped from an early leadout, just after a right-hand turn in the road, to sprint away to the stage win. Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
had been caught off guard, and could not make up the ground to Boasson Hagen, finishing third as the young Norwegian took the stage win. Boasson Hagen, like Farrar before him, expressed his doubts after the stage that he could hold on for the overall win.
{|
|Stage 6 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 3h 28' 58"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| s.t.
|}
||
|General Classification after Stage 6
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 26h 33' 33"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 21"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 31"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 33"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 35"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 38"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 38"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 39"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 42"
|}
|}
Stage 7
25 August 2009 - AmersfoortAmersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
(Netherlands), 13.1 km (ITT)
The course for the second time trial is more challenging and technical than the first. There are several sharp turns and curves in the road, and only one long straightaway.
The early best time was set by Saxo Bank rider Alex Rasmussen
Alex Rasmussen
Alex Nicki Rasmussen is a Danish professional racing cyclist. Rasmussen specialises in track cycling, and was the Scratch world champion in 2005. Rasmussen has also found success on the road, winning the 2007 Danish national championship road race...
. An hour after Rasmussen's ride, Tony Martin
Tony Martin (cyclist)
Tony Martin is a German professional road bicycle racer riding for the UCI ProTeam . Martin is known as a time trial specialist: in 2011, he won a time trial stage in the Tour de France and in the Vuelta a España, and became world champion...
and Thomas De Gendt
Thomas De Gendt
Thomas De Gendt is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who rides for UCI ProTeam Vacansoleil-DCM. He previously rode for .-Palmares:20072008...
both bettered his time by a few seconds, as rain began to fall. Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, who had fallen well out of contention on Stage 5 but would figure to be a favorite in any time trial, had the best time at the intermediate time check. He did not, however, finish the course, opting instead to simply pull off shortly after the 5.9 km mark, as the rain continued to fall. The rain caused Joost Posthuma
Joost Posthuma
Joost Posthuma is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer. He rides on the UCI ProTour for the professional cycling team...
to spin out and crash after a right-hand turn, costing him such time that he fell from fifth on GC all the way to 11th after the stage. Race leader Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian professional road racing cyclist riding for the UCI ProTour team . He is the Norwegian Time Trial Champion and also considered as one of the biggest rising talents in the sport, being ranked as no...
was the last man to take the course and managed to just beat the times set by the Rabobank duo of Sebastian Langeveld
Sebastian Langeveld
Sebastian Langeveld is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Rabobank. His biggest win is Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2011. On the 17 of August 2011, Langeveld was confirmed to be riding for Australian team GreenEdge in 2012.- Palmarès :2006...
and Maarten Tjallingii
Maarten Tjallingii
Maarten Tjallingii is a Dutch professional racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam Rabobank. His biggest win was the 2006 Tour of Belgium.-Palmares:2001...
set shortly before his run to win the stage. Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, who had been in second overall, decided to skip this time trial in order to better concentrate on the Vuelta a España
2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
. The win sealed the first-ever stage race victory for Boasson Hagen.
{|
|Stage 7 Result
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 16' 07"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 4"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 5"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 14"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 16"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 19"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 20"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 23"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 25"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 27"
|}
||
|Final General Classification
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Cyclist
!Team
!Time
|-
|-
|1
|'
|align=right| 26h 49' 40"
|-
|2
|
|
|align=right| + 45"
|-
|3
|
|
|align=right| + 47"
|-
|4
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|5
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|6
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|7
|
|
|align=right| + 58"
|-
|8
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 06"
|-
|9
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 12"
|-
|10
|
|
|align=right| + 1' 22"
|}
|}