Stijn Devolder's bold move on the Côte Bois de la Dame, accompanied by Ben Hermans, changed the outcome of the Tour of Belgium in the waning kilometers of the week-long race. While Hermans took the day's win, Devolder celebrated the overall title. Previous leader Dominique Cornu saw his four-second advantage evaporate in a dramatic final where Philippe Gilbert once again had bad luck and punctured at a crucial time in the race.
Devolder had problems earlier and was even dropped at La Redoute, but fought his way back to the front group. He then stormed away with Hermans, increased the lead over the Cornu group to as much as a minute and held on in the final steep section, the Côte de Stalis.
There were 14 little climbs on the profile today and while they aren't nearly as long as something like the Giro riders enjoyed yesterday, the constant accelerations and tempo changes ahead of the rises made sure the bunch would soon break up.
So it was no surprise that after only 15km, the peloton was already split in five groups. Four leaders - Leif Hoste (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Geoffroy Lequatre (Team RadioShack), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) - were dominating, while the rest was struggling behind. The gap was a minute after 30km. Skil Shimano controlled the field in protection of Cornu's black leader's jersey.
After 73km, Christophe Kern (Cofidis, le Crédit en Ligne) et Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur - Sojasun) joined the leaders. Soon thereafter, Hoste took the intermediate sprint before Freire and Lequatre.
Despite some merges earlier, the peloton remained essentially split, with many riders abandoning along the course. Stijn Devolder was briefly dropped on La Redoute, after 110km covered. In the second sprint, 38km from the finish, it was Freire this time, ahead of Lequatre and Engoulvent. But the bunch was now only 25 seconds behind.
The break was caught before the second time up the Côte de Bouny, where Gilbert attacked and moved on with Lequatre and Freire. Ben Hermans, Thomas De Gendt and Philipp Walsleben countered to make it a six-man front group.
As if Gilbert wasn't unlucky enough to be the only top rider to encounter rain during the time trial, he flatted with 29km to go. Despite a quick bike change he was gone off the front group, but was helped by teammate Greg van Avermaet to stay with the Cornu group.
The front group reshuffled, with Devolder getting his second wind and breaking away, accompanied by Hermans. The duo was ahead of Freire and Walsleben by around half a minute with 10km to go. Gilbert, Cornu and Bram Tanking formed the third group on the road, almost a minute behind.
The duo held on and while Hermans was allowed to win the stage, Devolder took home the overall title.
“Everything went so well today,” explained Hermans following his first victory as a professional. “Since teammate Geoffroy Lequatre was in a break the whole day, I could save my legs. In the end I had the advantage that Stijn Devolder gave everything to gain as many as seconds as possible. He was riding for that black leader’s jersey. We worked well together. I could take the stage victory, Stijn the overall.
"This is a big step forward in my career. I am happy that after three nervous flat stages I could show my good legs again, as I also did in the time trial of yesterday. Honestly I was fed up a few days ago after losing one and a half minutes in the first stage because of two flat tires. When you see now that I only missed 1:21 for the overall victory...”
Results final stage
1. Ben Hermans (RadioShack)
2. Stijn Devolder (Quick Step)
3. Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma Lotto)
Final Overall Standings
1. Stijn Devolder (Quick Step)