27 March 2011

Gent - Wevelgem

Back in Belgium this morning
Last weekend those of us who are online fans (as in armchair travelers) were watching the live race in Italy, this Sunday morning the race is in Belgium. Back to the COBBLES!

Watching Live Video at: http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-5.php
Reading live ticker-tape at: http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/gent-wevelgem-upt
Rosters and who is riding (in the right column) at: http://www.steephill.tv/classics/gent-wevelgem/
Photos from CyclingNews.com at: Gent-Wevelgem: start line gallery
PezCycling crew rode the race route before: A Closer Look: Gent-Wevelgem Pre-Ride
Great weather in Belgium today: Current Time, Weather and Wind Direction in Wevelgem, Belgium
Other interesting articles: Relocation of Gent-Wevelgem may be the death of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 
 Approximate Finish: 16:27 CEST (8:27:00 AM MST)  I think it will be sooner than that!

BOONEN!
That was an amazing and surprising finish! An incredible leadout, fast speeds by Gert Steegmans (Quick step). Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek) was second, Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) was third and Andrei Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) was fourth.

Watch all the race highlight videos located on this link: Boonen viert een tweede keer in Gent-Wevelgem. This was Tom Boonen's second win at Gent-Wevelgem, his first win was in 2004 at age 23.

I hope that Yoann Offredo (FDJ) and then Leonard Ducque (Cofidis), are both okay after colliding with the cameraman/photographer at the finish line (why were they allowed to be in the road?)
Next Classic on the schedule is Tour of Flanders next Sunday: Tour of Flanders on Steephill.TV or Flanders Classics website Ronde van Vlaanderen. And since I came pretty close to hopping a plane last minute to Belgium to see the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix this week, I will certainly be watching these races online, but wishing I was there (I instead settled for next year, maybe with a trip back to Italy as well).