Dutch veteran outsmarts young German as they escape on the hills of Flanders

koos moerenhoutKoos Moerenhout (Rabobank) won the third stage of the Eneco Tour, starting and finishing in Ronse, Belgium. The veteran Dutchman outsprinted German Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) after the two riders escaped the peloton inside the last 35km of the stage. Australian Allan Davis (Astana) won the sprint for third, celebrating as though he thought he’d taken first, 1’24” behind the leading duo.

The main breakaway of the day came after just 15km of the 187km stage. Enrico Gasparotto (Astana), Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), André Greipel (HTC-Columbia), Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step), Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano)
and Michal Golas (Vacansoleil) were the riders to escape; they managed to build a lead of 6’30” by the time they reached the Edelareberg, the first of the day’s many climbs.

Greipel took the first intermediate sprint, and the 3 second bonus that went with it, meaning that he was now just 1 second behind race leader Svein Tuft (Garmin-Transitions).

As the succession of hills began to take their toll though, the lead began to shrink steadily; they were not caught before Greipel managed to take the second intermediate sprint though, to take him ahead of Tuft. The group finally split and Golas, the final survivor, was caught by a much-reduced peloton with 57km still to race.

A number of unsuccessful attacks were attempted, including one from Alexandre Pliuschin (Katusha), before a five-man move was successful. At 39km to go Martin, Moerenhout and Rabobank teammate Lars Boom, Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) and Simon Geschke (Skil-Shimano) managed to escape on the Mont Saint Laurent; on the Mont d’Ellezelles, 8km later, Martin and Moerenhout managed to get away from the others.

Despite a fruitless chase from Boasson Hagen, the duo continued to build their lead to more than a minute as they crossed the Oude Kwaremont for the last time with 11k to go.

As the two riders came into the finishing straight Martin led with Moerenhout on his wheel. Inside the final 500m the Dutchman launched his sprint to come around the German to take the win.

Davis led the 27-strong chasing group across the line, celebrating as though he had won, while the rest of the peloton came over the line in small groups.

Unfortunately for Greipel his day’s work was wasted and he came in 15’58” behind Moerenhout, with his dreams of the race lead shattered. There was consolation for the HTC-Columbia rider though as teammate Martin started the day just 7 seconds behind Tuft and so he takes the race lead.

Result stage 3
1. Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
2. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Columbia
3. Allan Davis (Aus) Team Astana @ 1’24”
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
5. Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) OmegaPharma-Lotto
6. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
7. Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
8. Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
9. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil
10. Stijn Vandenergh (Bel) Team Katusha

Standings after stage 3
1. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank @ 10s
3. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Transitions @ 1’26”
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky @ 1’28”
5. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank @ 1’32”