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World ports classic stage 1: Boonen wins following team effort

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>After Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team put all its efforts into making the front echelon group in the 201km first stage of World Ports Classic — a race in its first year — Tom Boonen sealed off the complete team effort by winning the group sprint on Friday.</p><p>
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Boonen came around Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) on the left side just meters before the line to take the victory. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) was 3rd.</p><p>
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OPQS rider Andrew Fenn had been in a two-rider break until 2.7km remained, attacking out of the front group with 32km to go. He and Michael Morkov (Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank) had a gap of 30" over the Boonen chase group at the most. Eventually, a 2nd chase group that included Greipel caught the Boonen group, setting up an exciting final sprint with the top sprinters of the race.</p><p>
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Even Florian Senechal, stagiaire for OPQS, was in the lead group protecting Boonen for the field sprint in the final kilometers.</p>

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