Leigh Howard was the top Orica-GreenEDGE finisher today, on a tough 207.5 kilometre course, the longest stage of the 2015 Eneco Tour. Winding through the Walllonie region, the course followed a route that included highlights from the route of Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the final monument of the spring season.

The race saw a 5 man early breakaway melt away as the GC leaders attacked with 60 kilometres until the finish, as the race hit the finishing circuits  

With 20 kilomotres to go a solo attack from Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) saw him heading to a solo victory, that not only won him victory on the stage, but slotted him in as the new race leader, finishing 49 seconds ahead of the chasers.

With the weather worsening as the stage progressed,  the Orica-GreenEDGE team stayed safeiy out of harm's way, casting their aspirations towards the final stage tomorrow.

“Today we had to save energy, we didn’t want to burn out for tomorrow, we wanted them to stay safe for Sunday.  Tomorrow we will put more cards in.” explained sports director Laurenzo Lapage

 “The weather today at the beginning was not so bad but then it started raining after 1.5 hours, pouring rain at the finish and the roads were really dangerous. The rain made it worse. Yesterday Magnus (Cort) was happy, and he agreed today to sit up and save energy for tomorrow.  Tomorrow he has a chance to get result and we are going to try to do everything to help him”

Tomorrow’s stage, the final stage of the Eneco Tour takes the riders on another tribute, this time to the roads and cobbled climbs of fame from the Tour of Flanders.