Tom Boonen scores his first classic victory.

Before the start in Deinze, a peloton of 186 cyclists observe a minute’s silence in honour of Briek Schotte who has died three days earlier.
This is the final chance for 38-year-old Museeuw to add the most beautiful race of his own region to his impressive record of achievements.

Trouvé, Kuyckx, Krauss and Meys cannot pull away whereas Julien Smink dashes off. In no time, the Dutchman builds up a maximum lead of 6'.

All the efforts of Smink have been in vain when the heavens open and the wind increases. The peloton splits into three echelons.

Quick Step needs only one pass of Mount Kemmel to be in complete control of the further course of the race.

A 24-man breakaway is formed, six of whom from Quick Step: Museeuw, Boonen, Nuyens, Cretskens, Knaven and Bodrogi. The other cyclists are: Rosseler, Steegmans, Farazijn, Förster, Hasselbacher, Hammond, Bernuci, Vaitkus, Cancellara, Flecha, Backstedt, Goussev, Hoffman, Hoj, Casper, Kirsipuu and last but not least Hincapie and Klier, former winners of Ghent-Wevelgem.

Mattan tries in vain to bridge the gap.

When Boonen suffers a puncture at 32 km from the finish, Nuyens waits for him whereas Museeuw and his teammates paralyse the race at the front.

Nuyens and Boonen, followed closely by Mattan and Caspar who escaped from the peloton, rejoin the breakaway rather quickly.

The strategy of team manager Wilfried Peeters is simple: keep everything closed at the front and guide Boonen in a favourable position towards the Vanackerestraat.

Knaven and master Museeuw himself are the last ones in line to guide the Campinois towards his first classic victory.

Boonen breaks away in the sprint and crushes the competition.

RESULT: 186 participants of whom 56 are qualified

1) Tom Boonen, 208 km in 4h 58' 47", an average of 41 km 769 m/h
2) Magnus Backstedt (SWE)
3) Jaan Kirsipuu (EST)
4) George Hincapie (USA)
5) Jimmy Casper (FRA)
6) Roger Hammond (GRB)
7) Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP)
8) Vladimir Goussev (RUS)
9) Sébastien Rosseler
10) Andreas Klier (GER)

© Rudy Neve 2006