2009 Tour of Flanders

The 2009 Tour of Flanders cycle race is the 93rd edition of the monument classic and took place on 5 April. The course is 259.7 km long and goes from Brugge to Meerbeke.[1][2] The weather during the race was sunny and warm at 12 °C. The race was the fifth event in the inaugural UCI World Ranking series.

2009 Tour of Flanders
2009 UCI ProTour, 2009 UCI World Ranking
Stijn Devolder, with Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas)
and Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen)
in Geraardsbergen.
Race details
Dates5 April 2009
Stages1
Distance259.7 km (161.4 mi)
Winning time6h 01' 04"
Results
  Winner  Stijn Devolder (BEL) (Quick-Step)
  Second  Heinrich Haussler (GER) (Cervélo TestTeam)
  Third  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) (Silence–Lotto)

Pre-race favorites included Filippo Pozzato (winner of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and a stage in the Three Days of De Panne), Tom Boonen (winner in 2005 and 2006), Stijn Devolder (winner in 2008), Nick Nuyens (2nd in 2008) and Heinrich Haussler (2nd in Milan – San Remo, 4th in Dwars door Vlaanderen, several other impressive results in 2009).[3]

In a victory highly similar to the 2008 Tour of Flanders, Stijn Devolder powered away late to the win. With what pundits called the strongest team in the race behind him, the QuickStep rider was able to ride away, while other teams marked teammates Tom Boonen and Sylvain Chavanel. With riders such as favorite Pozzato watching Boonen, Devolder found the strength to solo to victory. Haussler, who was riding in support of Thor Hushovd planned not to contest the victory but said he was told by Hushovd to challenge Devolder.

Following the race CNN reported:

[The race] was brought to life with 50km remaining when Italian Manuel Quinziato, Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel and three-time runner-up Leif Hoste led a six-rider breakaway. However, they were gradually caught by race favorites Devolder, compatriot and dual winner Tom Boonen and Italian Filippo Pozzato. Devolder made his decisive move over the crest of the penultimate climb, the Muur-Kapelmuur, and by the time he had reached the final climb, the Bosberg, he had an unassailable advantage. The rest of the breakaway riders were eventually caught by the peloton and German Haussler won the sprint for second place which was marred by a nasty crash on the final straight into Meerbeke.[4]

General standings
Heinrich Haussler at the start of the race.
Cyclist Team Time UCI World Ranking
Points
1  Stijn Devolder (BEL) Quick-Step 6h 01' 04" 100
2  Heinrich Haussler (GER) Cervélo TestTeam + 59" 80
3  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Silence–Lotto s.t. 70
4  Martijn Maaskant (NED) Garmin–Slipstream s.t. 60
5  Filippo Pozzato (ITA) Team Katusha s.t. 50
6  Matti Breschel (DEN) Team Saxo Bank s.t. 40
7  Marcus Burghardt (GER) Team Columbia–High Road s.t. 30
8  Björn Leukemans (BEL) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team s.t. 20
9  Martin Elmiger (SUI) Ag2r–La Mondiale s.t. 10
10  Bert De Waele (BEL) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago s.t. 4

Almost exactly one minute after Devolder crossed the line 29 other riders arrived, and all were awarded the same time. Beyond the top ten, these included: 11 Alexandre Pichot, 12 Johnny Hoogerland, 13 Roger Hammond, 14 Karsten Kroon, 15 Nick Nuyens, 16 Roy Sentjens, 17 Kevin Van Impe, 18 Frederik Willems, 19 Bert Scheirlinckx, 20 Tom Boonen, 21 Gerben Löwik, 22 Staf Scheirlinckx, 23 Serguei Ivanov, 24 Andreas Klier, 25 Preben Van Hecke, 26 Assan Bazayev, 27 Leif Hoste, 28 Paolo Longo Borghini, 29 Frédéric Guesdon, 30 Juan Antonio Flecha.

A crash during the group sprint for second place marred the finish of some riders in this group, including Thor Hushovd, George Hincapie, Bernhard Eisel, and Gregory Rast.

197 riders started the race.[5]

Individual 2009 UCI World Ranking standings after race
Rank Name Team Points
1  Allan Davis (AUS) Quick-Step 182
2  Heinrich Haussler (GER) Cervélo TestTeam 167
3  Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP) Caisse d'Epargne 111
4  Mark Cavendish (GBR) Team Columbia–High Road 110
5  Michele Scarponi (ITA) Diquigiovanni–Androni 107
6  Stijn Devolder (BEL) Quick-Step 107
7  Fränk Schleck (LUX) Team Saxo Bank 88
8  Stuart O'Grady (AUS) Team Saxo Bank 87
9  Stefano Garzelli (ITA) Acqua & Sapone–Caffè Mokambo 85
10  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Quick-Step 77

Course

The 16 Ronde van Vlaanderen hills were:[2]

Number Kilometer Name
1131.2Molenberg
2140.5Wolvenberg
3180.0Oude Kwaremont
4183.7Paterberg
5190.2Koppenberg
6195.7Steenbeekdries
7198.0Taaienberg
8203.2Eikenberg
9208.2Varent
10213.8Leberg
11218.1Berendries
12223.5Valkenberg
13230.3Tenbosse
14235.8Eikenmolen
15245.8Muur-Kapelmuur
16249.7Bosberg
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References
  1. "Timetable". Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  2. "The hills of the Tour 2009". www.rvv.be. 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  3. "Don't miss a single climb of the tour of Flanders" (in Dutch). sporza.be. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  4. "Devolder retains Tour of Flanders crown - CNN.com". CNN. 5 April 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  5. rvv.be participants Archived April 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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