Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Etixx) tried to bridge the gap to the two leaders after a good attack on the Horenberg in the finale of the Belgian road race championships but was ultimately countered. "Given the circumstances, we did everything we could to save the race," Boonen said.

It was Greg Van Avermaet who opened the battle on the last climb of the day. Boonen was strong but in the endthe move came too late.

"In the last lap we were at a good distance from the two leaders. When we rode up the Horenberg, it had to happen," Boonen told Het Nieuwsblad. "But in a false flats ection, too many riders could rejoin us. There were also riders from Lotto and Topsport Vlaanderen. They would obviously not do anything to catch the leaders."

"The gap could be closed but then I would have been beaten by teams with numerical superiority. During the chase, I thought that (teammate, ed.) Van Keirsbulck was with Roelandts and Van Hecke, but that information proved not to be correct," a disappointed Boonen added.