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261 kilometers. 26 sections of pave totaling 49.1 km (listed at the bottom of this page). Live updates and route map below results

Results (41 riders finished):

1. Johan Museeuw (Domo) 6hr 39min 8sec. All alone on the velodrome and covered in mud.

2. Steffen Wesemann (Telekom) beats Boonen in a match sprint for 2nd after making Boonen lead it out. @ 3min 4sec

3. Tom Boonen (US Postal) @ 3min 8sec

4. Tristan Hoffman (CSC Tiscali) @ 4min 2sec

5. Lars Michaelson (Coast) s.t.

6. George Hincapie (US Postal) s.t.

7. Thierry Gouvenou (Big Mat) s.t.

8. Max Van Heeswijk (Domo) s.t.

9. Nico Mattan (Cofidis) s.t.

10. Enrico Cassanni (Domo) s.t.

11. Raphael Schweda (Coast) @ 4min 9sec

12. Hans De Clercq (Lotto) @ 8min 9sec

13. Servais Knaven (Domo) s.t.

14. Frank Hoj (Coast) s.t.

15. Zbigniew Spruch (Lampre) s.t.

16. Maximilian Sciandri (Lampre) @ 8min 14sec

17. Andrea Tafi (Mapei) @ 9min 11sec

18. Aart Vierhouten (Lotto) s.t.

19. Tom Flamming (Cofidis) s.t.

20. Marc Wauters (Rabobank) s.t.

Weather: Upon entering the first pavé sections, rain and headwind/crosswind.

10 k to go. Wesemann appears to have dropped Hincapie and has Boonen in his sights. Museeuw is 2 1/2 minutes down the road.

Pavé section 3: Hincapie has crashed into a drainage ditch! Boonen continues. Museeuw at 2min over Boonen. Wesemann bridges up to Hincapie, they are at 2min 15sec.

Pavé section 5: Museeuw has extended his lead to 50 seconds.

30 km to go: Posties Boonen and Hincapie have pulled away from the chase group and are working together to bring back Museeuw, who is 24 seconds down the road. The rest of the break is 40 seconds behind.

Pavé sector 8: Bam! Museeuw put the hammer down. Hard! Out of the saddle, huge effort. Big gap! Hincapie and Michaelson try to get things organized.

44 Km to go. The Museeuw-Hincapie group has caught the leaders. In the process, they spit out Domo riders Rodriguez and Knaven. It's now 12 riders off the front. I'm sure the real fireworks work start as the strong men try to reduce the size of the group.

After sector 11: In the lead:Cassani, Van Heeswijk, Bodrogi, De Clercq, Mattan, Schweda, Eriksen, Hofman and Boonen. Chasing at under 50 seconds: a group with Knaven, Museeuw, US Champion Rodriguez & Hincapie. Domo has 5 riders off the front.

65 km to go: Boonen, De Clerq, Mattan in lead group of 7. Knaven has bridged up to Museeuw-Hincapie chase group which has cut the gap to 55sec.

80 km to go: Museeuw-Hincapie break is now within 2 min 15 seconds of the lead group.

Out of the Arenberg: a small group with Hincapie, Museeuw and Wesemann have detached themselves from the peloton. They have closed to within 3 minutes of the break.

100 km to go. About to enter the Arenberg. Cobbles are very, very slippery. 14 riders left in break, only 1 Mapei (Bodrogi) left. Posties working hard in the peloton. Gap is down to 3min 51sec.

2:05 local time, about 120 km to go. 16 riders have 1 4 1/2 minute lead on the pack. This is real, with Hunter, De Clercq, Mattan, Hondo, Klier, Cassani, Van Heeswijk and Bodrogi in the break.

With 4 pavé sections completed, a break of about 12 riders with Domo and Mapei well represented are away by 4 1/2 minutes. Postal's only rider in the break is Boonen.

Pavé sections:

#26, Km 99.8: TROISVILLES, 2200 meters
#25, Km 106.3: VIESLY, 1800 meters
#24, Km 108.5: QUIEVY, 3700 meters
#23, Km 113.7: QUIEVY à SAINT-PYTHON, 1500 meters
#22, Km 121.9: HAUSSY, 900 meters
#21, Km 128.6: SAULZOIR, 1200 meters
#20, Km 132.9: VERCHAIN-MAUGRE à QUERENAING, 1600 meters
#19, Km 136: MAING, 2500 meters
#18, Km 139.2: MONCHAUX SUR ECAILLON, 1600 meters
#17, Km 145.8: HASPRES, 1700 meters
#16, Km 158.3: HAVELUY, 2500 meters
#15, Km 166.5: FORET D'ARENBERG,2400 meters
#14, Km 173.2: WALLERS, 1000 meters
#13, Km 179.5: HORNAING à WANDIGNIES-HAMAGE, 3700 meters
#12, Km 186.9: WARLAING à BRILLON, 2400 meters, Km 190.4, TILLOY à SARS et ROSIERES 2400 meters
#11, Km 201.5: ORCHIES, 1700 meters
#10, Km 207.6: AUCHY-LEZ-ORCHIES à BERSEE, 2600 meters
#9, Km 213.2: MONS EN PEVELE, 1000 meters
#8, Km 219.8: MERIGNIES, 700 meters
#7, Km 223 PONT-THIBAUT, 1400 meters
#6, Km 229: LE MOULIN DE VERTAIN , 500 meters
#5, Km 235.8 5: CYSOING, 1000 meters, Km 237.1; BOURGHELLES, 400 meters
#4, Km 242: CAMPHIN-EN-PEVELE, 1800 meters
#3, Km 244.8: LE CARREFOUR DE L'ARBRE, 2100 meters, Km 247,0 GRUSON, 1100 meters
#2, Km 253.6: HEM, 1400 meters
#1, Km 260: ROUBAIX , 300 meters

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