Pim Ligthart of Vacansoleil-DCM was the surprise winner of the Netherlands road race, winning the sprint of a six-man group after 243 kilometers. Rabobank's Bram Tankink was second, with third place going to Reinier Honig of Credit Agricole.
"When we went into the last corner, I knew I was going to be champion," said Ligthart, according to the ANP news agency. "It was a very nervous race with an early escape. I knew that the wrong Rabos were in the group and that they would counter.”
"Rob (Ruijgh) rode very strongly, great work by him.I am grateful to him."
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) surprisingly abandoned the race whilst in a leading group. The team explained that he only returned from altitude training in San Moritz on Saturday, and had not yet readjusted from that.
The race covered 18 laps of a 13.5 km course which included four climbs. Very early a six-man group formed, which eventually grew to 11 riders, five of whom rode for Rabobank. The team was unable to take advantage of its majority, though, as Gesink abandoned, and Theo Bos and Laurens Ten Dam had to fall back.
Pieter Weening (Rabobank) and Vacansoleil's Joost Van Leijen took the lead with two laps to go, but they too were caught.
Bauke Mollema and Bram Tankink of Rabobank were in the final six-man group which stayed away to the end, together with Vacansoleil's Rob Ruijgh and Ligthart, Floris Goesinnen (Drapac), and Honig.
Skil-Shimano led the chase to catch the group, but the sextet stayed together until the end, with the 23-year-old Ligthart proving to have the fastest legs in the closing sprint.
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 2 | Bram Tankink (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 3 | Reinier Honig (Landbouwkrediet) |
| 4 | Floris Goesinnen (Drapac - Porsche Cycling) |
| 5 | Bauke Mollema (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 6 | Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 7 | Theo Bos (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 8 | Stefan Van Dijk (Veranda's Willems - Accent) |
| 9 | Tom Veelers (Skil-Shimano) |
| 10 | Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 11 | Michel Kreder (Team Garmin - Cervélo) |
| 12 | Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 13 | Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 14 | Karsten Kroon (BMC Racing Team) |
| 15 | Remco Te Brake (Cycling Team De Rijke) |
| 16 | Dennis Van Winden (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 17 | Jan Bos (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) |
| 18 | Lars Boom (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 19 | Pim De Beer (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) |
| 20 | Arne Hassink (Test Team Raiko - Argon 18) |
| 21 | Emmanuel Van Ruitenbeek (Eddy Merckx - Indeland) |
| 22 | Joost Posthuma (Leopard Trek) |
| 23 | Bart Van Haaren (Ubbink-Koga Cycling Team) |
| 24 | Wout Poels (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 25 | Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 26 | Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet) |
| 27 | Koen De Kort (Skil-Shimano) |
| 28 | Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 29 | Addy Engels (Quickstep Cycling Team) |
| 30 | Tom Stamsnijder (Leopard Trek) |
| 31 | Niki Terpstra (Quickstep Cycling Team) |
| 32 | Jens Mouris (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 33 | Joost Van Leijen (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 34 | Robin Chaigneau (Skil-Shimano) |
| 35 | Roy Curvers (Skil-Shimano) |
| 36 | Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 37 | Pieter Weening (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 38 | Remco Broers (Team Differdange) |
| 39 | Luc Hagenaars (Eddy Merckx - Indeland) |
| 40 | Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil - DCM) |
| 41 | Thomas Rabou (RealCyclist.com) |
| 42 | Huub Duyn (Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly Cycling ...) |
| 43 | Jos Van Emden (Rabobank ProTeam) |
| 44 | Boy Van Poppel (UnitedHealthcare Presented By Maxxis) |
| 45 | Tom Vermeer (Colba - Mercury - Dourphonie) |
| 46 | Thijs Al (ZWC D.T.S. Zaandam) |
| 47 | Maarten De Jonge (Endura Racing) |
| 48 | Thijs Van Amerongen (RTV Vierakker-Wichmond) |
| 49 | Johim Ariesen (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) |
| 50 | Matthe Pronk (Marco Polo Cycling Team) |
| 51 | Cornelius Van Ooijen (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) |
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