2012 Tour of Belgium

The 86th Tour of Belgium was a cycling stage race, which took place from 23 to 27 May 2012. It was held in five stages over a distance of 735.4 kilometers and was in the category 2.HC part of the UCI Europe Tour in 2012.

4.1 Stage 1
4.2 Stage 2
4.3 Stage 3
4.4 Stage 4
4.5 Stage 5

Participant

A total of 21 teams participate: seven UCI ProTeam, including the Belgian team Omega Pharma- Quick Step and Lotto Belisol team, eight UCI Professional Continental teams and six Belgian UCI Continental teams. All teams participated with eight riders up to the French Cofidis team, which was launched with seven drivers in part.

Route

The first stage over 162 km resulted from Mechelen to Buggenhout. The mostly flat profile was lined by only a few small increases in the first third of the race.

The second part of this tour led by Lochristi to Knokke -Heist. Also these 170.7 km were mostly flat. 77.2 km walked the stage on the 35- km circuit of which had to be moved twice. A 700 m long section of cobblestone had to be handled each time. The target section was slightly uphill.

Similar to flat as the second stage is designed, the third section of the tour. The 173.5 km from Knokke Heist to Beveren led almost parallel to the Dutch border. Only the finish line was slightly uphill surfaces in this stage.

The fourth stage, a 20.5 km time trial of Turnhout was discharged after Arendonk. In this extremely surfaces stage there were no difficulties to deal with. The route was without a large Verwinkelungen.

The fifth and last stage is not only the heaviest and longest section, it is also the only one that led through the Wallonia in this tour. The profile of this 208.7 km long course was extremely wavy and pointed gradients of up to 12% off. Also on the Mur de Huy, the goal of the race Flèche Wallonne was not waived. The Mur d' Amay had to be dealt with until the final three times before the 1.5 km long and 6% steep final pitch went up.

List of stages

Ratings during the race

The table shows the leaders in their respective standings after each stage.

Stages

Stage 1

Unlike in the previous year, this tour was not opened with a prologue, but with a perfect flat stage for sprinters. After about 20 km Jelle Wallays and Michael Schär ripped off. But the fugitives, who had now got with Egidijus Juodvalkis, Paolo Ciavatta, Leonardo Duque, Simon Geschke, Arnaud Jouffroy and Philippe Legrand gain, 13 km were asked to go. André Greipel won out the expected bunch sprint and pulled up so that the black leader's jersey on.

Stage 2

At the second stage made after about 30 kilometers, five Breakaway up and away. But really did not Pim Ligthart opportunities, Alexey Saramotins, Ramon Sinkeldam, Jay Robert Thomson and Mark McNally. Although they had between a lead of up to five minutes, but the field expressed in time catch up a gear to the fugitives. So it came to a mass sprint of the German André Greipel again could decide for themselves.

Stage 3

Also on the third leg to Breakaway made their way to try their luck. The quintet consisting of Tijmen Eising, Coen Vermeltfoort, Alessandro Donati, Maxim Belkov and Pieter Vanspeybrouck was but a maximum lead of just four minutes left before most mk 25 were hauled in front of the goal. Only Belkov would not give up and came as a soloist even up to 10 km in front of the goal before he was caught. And again, there was a mass sprint at the Greipel won again and thus a hat-trick has succeeded.

Stage 4

On the fourth stage was a secondary Drive with 20.5 flat kilometers. Fastest was the German Tony Martin with 24:04 minutes ago Lieuwe Westra and his teammate Niki Terpstra.

Stage 5

The fifth and final stage was the longest and most difficult section. The hilly course was made for outliers, and so made after several Anfäufen and 35 km Leonardo Duque, Jacopo Guarnieri, Michael Schär and Joan Horrach on the way. A little later she got another company of Pim Ligthart, Laurens De Vreese, Jetse Bol, Maxim Belkov and Martin Kohler. Actually chances are you had not. With a maximum margin of two minutes, they were 40 km from the finish line caught up. Shortly thereafter, a new group was formed. Also present: Carlos Barredo. The fourth in the standings and only a minute behind Tony Martin started his own pace in the field around the Breakaway catch up. One kilometer before the finish it was last year's winner Philippe Gilbert of the sprint the Schlussteigung opened up. Carlos Betancur but in the end had the best legs and was able to secure the day's success. Tony Martin came seventh in the finish, thus securing the overall victory.

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