Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thorton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) rode aggressively on this morning’s stage 3a of the Three Days of De Panne in Belgium, being in the running for the stage win until five kilometres to go.
The former Belgian champion went on the attack with Dieter Capelle (Verandas Willems), Aleksejs Saramotins (HTC-Columbia), Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Euskaltel – Euskadi), Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team), Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator ) five kilometres into the 112 kilometre stage.
He then pushed on ahead with Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) towards the end, being joined by
Andy Cappelle (Verandas Willems). However the trio were caught five kilometres from the line, paving the way for a big bunch sprint won by the American Tyler Farrar (Garmin Transitions). He beat Robert Wagner (Skil - Shimano), Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Skil - Shimano) and Robbie McEwen (Team Katusha) to the line in De Panne.
Mark McNally was best of the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly riders in 35th. Kenny Lisabeth and Pieter Ghyllebert – who unsuccessfully attacked after Eeckhout was caught – also finished in the same time as Farrar.
Irish rider Conor McConvey was 113th, losing time.
The race then concluded this afternoon with a 14.75 kilometre time trial. David Millar (Garmin Transitions) won the test, beating Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) and Svein Tuft (Garmin - Transitions) by five and 24 seconds respectively, and sealed his overall win.
McNally was best of the An Post riders in 57th place, one minute 59 seconds back. McConvey was next, six places and seven seconds further behind.
Millar’s final margin of victory was 35 seconds over Andry Grivko (Astana). Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) was third, one minute and seven seconds back.
Pieter Ghyllebert was first of the An Post squad, finishing 32nd overall. Niko Eeckhout (45th), Mark McNally (58th), Conor McConvey (83rd) and Kenny Lisabeth (96th) were the team’s other finishers.
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KBC-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde, Belgium (2.HC, March 30 - April 1)
April 1, Stage 3a: De Panne:
1, Tyler Farrar (Garmin - Transitions) 112 kilometres in 2 hours 31 mins 30 secs
2, Robert Wagner (Skil - Shimano)
3, Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Skil - Shimano)
4, Robbie McEwen (Team Katusha)
5, Wilde Sjef De (Verandas Willems)
6, Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) all same time
Other :
35, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
39, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
93, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) all same time
100, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 1 min 14 secs
113, Conor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 8 mins 58 secs
DNF: Stijn Minne (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
DNF: Maxim De Busschere (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly)
Intermediate Sprint:
1, Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 3 pts
2, Klaas Lodewyck (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) 2
3, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 1
Teams:
1, Verandas Willems, 7 hours 34 mins 30 secs
2, Skil - Shimano
3, Landbouwkrediet
4, Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
5, BBox Bouygues Telecom
6, Omega Pharma – Lotto, all same time
Other:
18, An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly, same time
General Classification:
1, Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) 12 hours 1 min 40 secs
2, Andry Grivko (Astana) same time
3, Frédéric Amorison (Landbouwkrediet) at 9 secs
4, David Millar (Garmin - Transitions) at mins 12 secs
5, Sébastien Turgot (BBox Bouygues Telecom) at 1 min 30 secs
6, Jens Mouris (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 37 secs
Other:
34, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 17 mins 13 secs
51, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 27 mins 32 secs
68, Mark Mcnally (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 33 mins 4 secs
96, Conor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 48 mins 29 secs
103, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 50 mins 19 secs
Sprints Classification:
1, Andry Grivko (Astana) 6 pts
2, Gendt Thomas De (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) 6
3, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 3
Other:
12, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 1
Mountains Classification:
1, Floris Goesinnen (Skil - Shimano) 36 pts
2, Andry Grivko (Astana) 25
3, Bert Scheirlinckx (Landbouwkrediet) 20
Teams Classification:
1, Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team, 36 hours 11 mins 27 secs
2, Team Katusha, at 5 mins 30 secs
3, Garmin – Transitions, at 14 mins 4 secs
4, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 14 mins 14 secs
5, Verandas Willems, at 17 mins 42 secs
6, Landbouwkrediet, at 18 mins 42 secs
Other:
17, An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly, at 56 mins 4 secs
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April 1, Stage 3b: De Panne:
1, David Millar (Garmin - Transitions) 14.75 in 18 mins 44 secs
2, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at 5 secs
3, Svein Tuft (Garmin - Transitions) at 24 secs
4, Bert Grabsch (Team HTC - Columbia) at 30 secs
5, Dominique Cornu (Skil - Shimano) at mins 34 secs
6, Hayden Roulston (Team HTC - Columbia) at 35 secs
Other:
57, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 1 min 59 secs
63, Conor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 2 mins 6 secs
65, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) same time
71, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 2 mins 16 secs
93, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 3 mins 16 secs
Teams:
1, Garmin – Transitions, 58 mins 9 secs
2, Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team, at 7 secs
3, Team HTC – Columbia, at 15 secs
Other:
18, An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team, at 4 mins 14 secs
Final general classification:
1, David Millar (Garmin – Transitions) 12 hours 20 mins 36 secs
2, Andry Grivko (Astana) at 35 secs
3, Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) at 1 min 7 secs
4, Frédéric Amorison (Landbouwkrediet) at 1 min 25 secs
5, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at 2 mins 16 secs
6, Jens Mouris (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at 2 mins 26 secs
Other:
32, Pieter Ghyllebert (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 19 mins 17 secs
45, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 29 mins 26 secs
58, Mark McNally (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 34 mins 51 secs
83, Conor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 50 mins 23 secs
96, Kenny Lisabeth (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) at 53 mins 23 secs
Points classification :
1, Luca Paolini (Acqua e Sapone) 33 pts
2, David Millar (Garmin - Transitions) 22
3, Andry Grivko (Astana) 22
Irish:
12, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) 8
Sprint classification :
1, Andry Grivko (Astana) 6 pts
2, Gendt Thomas De (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) 6
3, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) 3
Other:
10, Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team) 1
Mountains classification:
1, Floris Goesinnen (Skil - Shimano) 36 pts
2, Andry Grivko (Astana) 25
3, Bert Scheirlinckx (Landbouwkrediet) 20
Teams classification:
1, Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team, 37 hours 9 mins 43 secs
2, Team Katusha, at 6 mins 10 secs
3, Garmin – Transitions, at 13 mins 57 secs
Other:
15, An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team, at 1 hour 11 secs