Rabo bring it all together, right quickly. Expending plenty of effort these days, TC points out. Astarloa and Bertagnolli jump now.
Both Dekkers, Freire and Boogerd are going the work now. burning match after match. 10 seconds behind the trio of Bertagnolli, Astarloa, and Wesemann, a dangerous set. Rabo are screwed by all these attacks. I'm tabbing Bettini now. No sign on Alessandro Ballan or Valverde, although they could well be in the pack, unseen, ready to pounce.
TC's email gets read and another plug for the Podium Cafe. TC's stranglehold on the first star award continues. Anthony practically demands that we post their logo as a link. For the record, the logo they sent me is the width of the entire screen, and I can't shrink it, but talks are ongoing.
Wesemann is powering away by himself. Only 7 seconds up, but he's making Erik Dekker bloody miserable.
30K to go, Wesemann (a former Flanders winner) has 14 seconds, headed toward the Gulperberg. Den Bakker again goes. When a milram guy attacks, it looks like he's wearing a light blue kit with black panties over the top. On the 2K Gulperberg now. Flecha looks sick in the back.
The plot thickens -- Anthony ticks off every favorite name, and they're all together as they approach the Kreuzberg in 2k. [An editor's note: don't hold me to any spelling right now. Dutch names, foreign keyboard, no coffee... a dangerous combination.]
Wesemann has 15 seconds as he starts the Kruisberg.
No real action, although Wesemann's lead is coming down, as they hit the Eyserbosweg, a little 16% jaunt. Valverde comes to the front with Paoloni, Kroon, Ivanov....
Attacks begin! Kroon first, Ivanov, Bettini, Boogerd, Ballan along. Bettini comes around, Boogerd next. Game on!
