Tour of Belgium - Stage 3
Silence/Lotto's Greg Avermaet takes the win and the leaders jersey.

Etape 3: Anthisnes - Flemalle (184.5km)
Greg Van Avermaet (Bel - Silence-Lotto) pipped Stijn Devolder to the line and claimed the stage in Belgium. Van Avermaet also captured the overall leader's black jersey. Coming in a minute behind, Serguei Ivanov (Rus) beat Bart De Waele (Bel) and Serguei Lagutin (Uzb) in the three-man sprint for third place at 56 seconds.

135 riders took to the course, with attacks from the beginning of the stage with each being denied any sufficient gap and each in its turn brought back by the peloton as they reached the 35 km mark; but not for long.

43 km into the race we had a 7 man break getting a gap: William Walker (Aus - Rabobank), Andy Cappelle (Bel - Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner), Maarten Den Bakker (Hol - Skil-Shimano), Tom Criel (Bel - Cycle Collstrop), Sven Nevens (Bel - Mitsubishi-Jartazi), Luca Celli (Ita - Team LPR Brakes) and Niels Albert (Bel - Palmans Crass) the group quickly ran up their gap to over four minutes into the field picking up the sprint and climbing points along the way. Quick Step led the chase closing the gap to 01'50" with 68k to go.

The advantage of seven, fell under 40 seconds as the distance to the line fell under 60 kilometres. Unlike their Giro d'Italia colleagues the Ronde escapees, their catch was imminent. Niels Albert realized that, and sped off on his own on the steep Muur de Huy. All seven attackers were caught, but the Muur partially split the field, with Stijn Devolder (Bel - Quick Step) on the move and first at the top of the climb.

Race leader Kenny Dehaes was dropped on the Mur de Huy and lost his leader jersey. Photo © Yoni Peeters

The Huy slopes broke the peloton into smaller groups, a lead group emerged with Belgium's Stijn Devolder, Sven Nys, Greg Van Avermaet, Fabian De Waele, Bart Scheirlinckx, Sven Nevens and Sven Renders as well as Holland's Robert Gesink, Bram Tankink and Koen De Kort, Russia's Serguei Ivanov, Italy's Mirko Selvaggi and Salvatore Commesso plus Spain's Carlos Barredo opening up a small gap with 43k to go.

Stijn Devolder attacks over the top of the  Mur du Huy. Photo © Yoni Peeters

A front quartet formed, containing Serguei Ivanov (Rus), Bram Tankink (Hol), Fabian De Waele (Bel) and Salvatore Commesso (Ita). But their advantage over the closest chasers was very small with about 30k remaining. The next to attack was Stijn Devolder with the finishing line 19 kms away. Attacks and counter-attacks followed as Devolder got the company of Avermaet. The duo managed to get a gap of 50 seconds and hold off the first chase group.

Devolder and Van Avermaet on the last circuit.  Photo © Yoni Peeters

The two riders increased the gap slightly as they went under the 1km to go as Devolder made the bid for victory on the uphill finish; but it was Silence/Lotto's Greg Van Avermaet who won the two up sprint for the stage victory and race lead.

Van Avermaet takes the victory by two bike lengths. Photo © Yoni Peeters

Greg Van Avermaet in the race leaders black jersey. Photo © Yoni Peeters

Stage 3 Results
Anthisnes - Flemalle (184.5km)
1 Greg Van Avermaet Silence-Lotto 4:40:43
2 Stijn Devolder Quick Step 0:00:00
3 Serguei Ivanov Astana 0:00:56
4 Bert De Waele Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:00:56
5 Sergey Lagutin Cycle Collstrop 0:00:56

Salvatore Commesso finishes. 7th in the stage and 7th in the G.C.
Photo © Yoni Peeters

6 Bram Tankink Rabobank 0:01:07
7 Salvatore Commesso Preti Mangimi 0:01:12
8 Leif Hoste Silence-Lotto 0:01:12
9 Maarten Tjallingii Silence-Lotto 0:01:28
10 Luca Celli LPR Brakes 0:01:32
11 Dmitriy Muravyev Astana 0:01:36
12 Johan Coenen Topsport Vlaanderen 0:03:18
13 Sven Renders Topsport Vlaanderen 0:03:31
14 Preben Van Hecke Topsport Vlaanderen 0:03:58
15 Borut Bozic Cycle Collstrop 0:03:58
16 Marco Marcato Cycle Collstrop 0:03:58
17 Daniel Fleeman Sean Kelly 0:04:32
18 Staf Scheirlinckx Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:04:40
19 Robert Gesink Rabobank 0:04:42

Stijn slips into his king of the mountains jersey. Photo © Yoni Peeters

Points Classification
1 Greg Van Avermaet Silence-Lotto 67
2 Allan Davis Mitsubishi-Jartazi 44
3 Gert Steegmans Quick Step 37
4 Kenny Dehaes Topsport Vlaanderen 33
5 Boris Shpilevsky Preti Mangimi 30

Intermediate Sprints
1 Fabio Polazzi Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 24
2 David Boucher Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 16
3 Roy Curvers Skil-Shimano 15
4 Sergio Lagana LPR Brakes 13
5 Steven De Neef Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 11

Climbers Classification
1 Stijn Devolder Quick Step 25
2 Roy Curvers Skil-Shimano 20
3 Tom Criel Cycle Collstrop 17
4 Fabio Polazzi Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 13
5 Greg Van Avermaet Silence-Lotto 12

General Classification after Stage 3
1 Greg Van Avermaet Silence-Lotto 13:40:35
2 Stijn Devolder Quick Step 0:00:08
3 Serguei Ivanov Astana 0:01:06
4 Bert De Waele Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:01:10
5 Sergey Lagutin Cycle Collstrop 0:01:10
5 Bram Tankink Rabobank 0:01:21
6 Leif Hoste Silence-Lotto 0:01:26
7 Salvatore Commesso Preti Mangimi 0:01:26
7 Maarten Tjallingii Silence-Lotto 0:01:39
8 Dmitriy Muravyev Astana 0:01:49
9 Luca Celli LPR Brakes 0:02:43
10 Johan Coenen Topsport Vlaanderen 0:03:32
11 Sven Renders Topsport Vlaanderen 0:03:45
12 Borut Bozic Cycle Collstrop 0:04:12
13 Marco Marcato Cycle Collstrop 0:04:12
14 Staf Scheirlinckx Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:04:54
15 Mirko Selvaggi Cycle Collstrop 0:04:56
16 Koen De Kort Astana 0:04:56
17 Pieter Weening Rabobank 0:04:56
18 Robert Gesink Rabobank 0:04:56
19 Kristof Goddaert Topsport Vlaanderen 0:05:02
20 Daniel Fleeman Sean Kelly 0:06:04
21 Allan Davis Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:08:25
22 Sergio Lagana LPR Brakes 0:08:26
23 Sven Nevens Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:08:30
24 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:08:31
25 Aaron Kemps Astana 0:08:31
26 James Vanlandschoot Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:08:31
27 Sven Nys Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:08:31
28 Daniel Lloyd Sean Kelly 0:08:31
29 Piet Rooijakkers Skil-Shimano 0:08:31
30 Roy Sentjens Silence-Lotto 0:08:31
31 Wouter Mol P3Transfer - Batavus 0:08:31
32 Arnoud Van Groen P3Transfer - Batavus 0:08:31
33 Florent Brard Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:08:31
34 Frank Hoj Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:08:31
35 Marc De Maar Rabobank 0:08:31
36 Kevin Van Impe Quick Step 0:08:31
37 Floris Goesinnen Skil-Shimano 0:08:45
38 Preben Van Hecke Topsport Vlaanderen 0:09:08
39 Carlos Barredo Llamazales Quick Step 0:10:15
40 Alessandro Bertuola Preti Mangimi 0:11:05
41 David Kopp Cycle Collstrop 0:11:29
42 Ward Bogaert Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:11:37
43 Boris Shpilevsky Preti Mangimi 0:12:59
44 David Boucher Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:13:03
45 Gert Steegmans Quick Step 0:13:05
46 William Walker Rabobank 0:13:06
47 Tom Criel Cycle Collstrop 0:13:06
48 Tomas Vaitkus Astana 0:13:07
49 Jurgen Roelandts Silence-Lotto 0:13:09
50 Gregory Joseph Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:13:09
51 Roberto Ferrari LPR Brakes 0:13:09
52 Sergio Marinangeli LPR Brakes 0:13:09
53 Stefan Van Dijk Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:13:09
54 Walter Proch LPR Brakes 0:13:09
55 Aart Vierhouten P3Transfer - Batavus 0:13:09
56 Jonas Ljungblad P3Transfer - Batavus 0:13:09
57 Steven De Jongh Quick Step 0:13:09
58 Tom Boonen Quick Step 0:13:09
59 Alessandro Maserati LPR Brakes 0:13:09
60 Thomas Ongena Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:13:09
61 Kevin Neirynck Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:13:09
62 Kurt Hovelynck Topsport Vlaanderen 0:13:09
63 Wim De Vocht Silence-Lotto 0:13:09
64 Jens Mouris Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:13:09
65 Bastiaan Giling Cycle Collstrop 0:13:09
66 Niko Eeckhout Topsport Vlaanderen 0:13:09
67 Matteo Montaguti LPR Brakes 0:13:09
68 Tom Steels Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:13:09
69 Johan Van Summeren Silence-Lotto 0:13:09
70 Robert Wagner Skil-Shimano 0:13:09
71 Geert Omloop Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:13:09
72 Romain Villa Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:13:09
73 Steffen Wesemann Cycle Collstrop 0:14:27
74 Niels Albert Palmans Crass 0:14:46
75 Philipp Walsleben Palmans Crass 0:14:48
76 Andy Cappelle Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:14:54
77 Kevin Hulsmans Quick Step 0:15:28
78 Roy Curvers Skil-Shimano 0:15:45
79 Tom Leezer Rabobank 0:15:51
80 Pieter Vanspeybrouck Topsport Vlaanderen 0:16:34
81 Kenny Dehaes Topsport Vlaanderen 0:17:06
82 Marco Zanotti Preti Mangimi 0:17:11
83 Sebastian Siedler Skil-Shimano 0:17:13
84 Kenny Van Hummel Skil-Shimano 0:17:16
85 René Haselbacher Astana 0:17:17
86 Tom Veelers Skil-Shimano 0:17:17
87 Ian Stannard Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:17:17
88 Jan Kuyckx Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0:17:17
89 Kenny Lisabeth Sean Kelly 0:17:17
90 Marvin Van der Pluym P3Transfer - Batavus 0:17:17
91 Kenny Terweduwe Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:17:17
92 Alexandre Blain Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:17:17
93 Maarten Den Bakker Skil-Shimano 0:17:30
94 Ken Devaere Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:17:43
95 Jarno Van Mingeroet Mitsubishi-Jartazi 0:17:54
96 Jonathan Henrion Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 0:17:54
97 Glenn D'Hollander Silence-Lotto 0:18:06
98 Gianluca Geremia Preti Mangimi 0:19:00
99 Steven De Neef Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:19:01
100 Sep Vanmarcke Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:19:08
101 Sébastien Portal Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:19:08
102 Fabio Polazzi Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 0:19:50
103 Massimo Mazzanti Preti Mangimi 0:20:25
104 Niek Van Gestel Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:21:50
105 Rudy Rouet Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 0:21:50
106 Matti Helminen Palmans Crass 0:23:46
107 Jean-Eudes Demaret Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 0:25:04
108 Timothy Vangheel P3Transfer - Batavus 0:27:19
109 Jonathan Bertrand Bodysol - Euro Millions - Pôle Continental Wallon 0:27:54
110 Carlo Corra Preti Mangimi 0:27:54
111 Michael Vanderaerden Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:27:54
112 Roel Vanmuysen Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:27:54
113 Sébastien Rosseler Quick Step 0:27:54
114 Frank Van Kuik Sean Kelly 0:27:54
115 Dieter Vanthourenhout Palmans Crass 0:29:42
116 Lars Croket Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:29:58
117 Gianni Denolf Palmans Crass 0:30:36
118 Tom Van De Velde Profel Prorace Continental Team 0:30:36
119 Tim Mertens Davitamon Lotto - Jong Vlaanderen 0:30:49
120 Paidi O'Brien Sean Kelly 0:31:19
121 Stijn Huys Palmans Crass 0:32:40

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