Eneco Tour 2008 - Stage 5

The fifth stage of the Eneco Tour from Ardooie to Oostende over 167 km is won by young German Carlo Westphal (Germany). In the chaotic sprint of the first bunch, which was split due to the wind, he was faster than Yauheni Hutarovich and Borut Bozic. Race leader André Greipel finished as fourth and remains in the overall lead.

The stage started without the following riders some due to the injuries of a crash and others with an eye on the Vuelta D'Espana. The riders who didn't start were: Glenn D'Hollander (Silence-Lotto), double stage winner Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Maarten Tjallingii (Silence-Lotto), Thomas Fothen (Gerolsteiner), Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner), stage winner Daniele Bennati (Liquigas), Mickael Delage (FDJ), Jelle Vanendert (FDJ), Matti Breschel (CSC), Jurgen Van Goolen (CSC), Aurelien Clerc (Bouygues Telecom) and Olivier Bonnaire (Bouygues Telecom).

Click on photos for a larger image:

Riders are ready for the start - Yoann Offredo (FDJ) comes straight out of bed it seems.
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

After 19 km of racing we got the first break with Lars Bak (CSC) and Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas). Both riders are not dangerous for the overall lead of André Greipel. The two worked well together and had a maximum gap of around the 8.00 after 61 km of racing.

With 80 km to go Quick Step started to chase and the gap of Bak and Bodnar dropped very quickly. The wind was very strong and ideal to set up echelons which they did with about 60 km to go.

Due to the pace of Quick Step, Rabobank, Silence-Lotto and Columbia the bunch broke into several parts. The most important rider who missed the break was virtual overall leader Edvald Boasson Hagen. Hagen turned the virtual overall lead after taking the third place at the intermediate sprints a few minutes earlier. Bodnar won that sprint ahead of Bak.

The first peloton consists of 40 riders with in this bunch the whole Quick Step team. The two leaders Bak and Bodnar tried everything to stay in front but with 36 km to go there break was over. In the meantime the first bunch already had a gap of two minutes on the second bunch with next to Hagen also the wearer of the points jersey Kenny van Hummel.

The second bunch crosses the finish line with 23 km to go minutes behind the first group
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

The final intermediate sprint with 29 km to go was won by race leader André Greipel with Jurgen Roelandts and José Ivan Gutierrez in second and third. The riders also had to do a local lap of 23 km in Oostende but the pace was so high that nobody was able to attack.

With 6 km to go Belgian TT Champion Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) attacked but he was chased down very fast. Also an attack of Steven de Jongh didn't had any luck. In the remaining of the stage no team was able to set up a decent train to prepare the sprint. The sprint was very chaotic as sprinters as Roelandts and Steegmans were wrongly positioned for the sprint and young German Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner) was able to win the sprint while sprinting in the saddle. For Westphal it's his first ever pro victory and a very important one as he has to watch for a new team now Gerolsteiner withdraws its sponsorship.

Next to the 12 non-starters we also had several abandons during the stage namely: Mathieu Drujon (Caisse d'Epargne), Claudio Corioni (Liquigas), Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas), Sergey Lagutin (Cycle Collstrop), Jeremy Hunt, Christophe Kern, Cyril Lemoine and Yannick Talabardon (all Credit Agricole).

The sixth and penultimate stage goes from Maldegem to Brussels over 186 km. Another chance for the sprinters to take a stage win. The final stage on Wednesday will be a 18,8 km time-trial in Mechelen.

Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner) wins the fifth stage in the Eneco Tour!
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

Result - Stage 5
1 Carlo Westphal (Ger) Gerolsteiner 3.57.38
2 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française des Jeux
3 Borut Bozic (Slo) Cycle Collstrop
4 André Greipel (Ger) Team Columbia
5 Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence - Lotto
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step
7 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
8 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
9 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank
10 Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil-Shimano
11 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
12 José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
13 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Crédit Agricole
14 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre
15 Laurent Mangel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

Carlo Westphal can't believe he just won his first pro victory!
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

16 Sergei Ivanov (Rus) Astana
17 Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil-Shimano
18 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank
19 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank
20 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step
21 Anders Lund (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
22 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano
23 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas
24 Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Columbia
25 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step
26 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Astana
27 Koen De Kort (Ned) Astana
28 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia
29 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
30 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step

Ranking after stage 5
1 André Greipel (Ger) Team Columbia 21.57.26
2 José Iván Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.11
3 Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence - Lotto 0.12
4 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step 0.16
5 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia 0.18
6 Koen De Kort (Ned) Astana
7 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 0.21
8 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step 0.22
9 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank
10 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano 0.24
11 Borut Bozic (Slo) Cycle Collstrop
12 Carlo Westphal (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.27
13 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step 0.31
14 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas
15 Laurent Mangel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

André Greipel remains in the overall lead!
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

16 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step 0.32
17 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 0.34
18 Sergei Ivanov (Rus) Astana 0.35
19 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram
20 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.44
21 Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Columbia
22 Servais Knaven (Ned) Team Columbia 0.46
23 Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Columbia
24 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0.48
25 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank 0.50
26 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step 0.51
27 Marco Marcato (Ita) Cycle Collstrop 0.57
28 Anders Lund (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 1.19
29 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 1.49
30 David Kopp (Ger) Cycle Collstrop 1.59

Full Result

Remaining Stages
Stage 6: Maldegem (B) - Brussel (B), 186km
Stage 7: Mechelen (B) - Mechelen (B), 18,8 km

Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) is the new leader in the points ranking
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters


Carlo Westphal and Jurgen Roelandts at the press conference after stage 5.
photo c. 2008 Yoni Peeters

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