Greig Leach

Perhaps it is true that there is strength in numbers. Once a group of 16 had managed to join forces off of the front of the peloton, the break finally started to build up a bit of a gap on the fast riding peloton behind. Tacked onto the pack of the group was Matthew Hayman (Orica-GreenEdge). Some of those ahead of the Australian were Michael Morkov (Katusha), Tim Declercq (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Marko Kump (Lampre-Merida). All along the route, the gendarmerie race ahead to warn the riders of dangers along the road. Once the riders have swung past, the officers jump onto their motorcycles and rush past the race to take up their warning job again.