Nick Nuyens of Saxo Bank won today's Dwars door Vlaanderen by sticking an attack that lasted to the finish, by no more than a second. Nuyens and Geraint Thomas of Sky battled it out for the final 2km while holding off a charging group of some 30 riders, following an escape of 15km.
Nobody could force the race to take shape until Nuyens and Thomas took responsibility and got a threatening advantage, while long-range attacker Frederic Amorison hitched on as well. A few small attacks tried to chase but nothing stuck until Garmin took up the chase. Garmin fought to the end, and got some help from Quick Step who fancied Boonen and/or Steegmans in the bunch sprint that always seemed on the verge of happening. But Thomas and Nuyens outfought them all. Nuyens in particular was a deserving winner, taking the lion's share of the pulls, and in the process securing his first win of consequence since 2007.
- Nick Nuyens, Saxo
- Geraint Thomas, Sky
- Tyler Farrar, Garmin
- Matt Hayman, Sky
- Marco Marcato, Vacansoleil