Ballan sprints to Tour of Flanders victory

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2007

MEERBEKE, Belgium (AFP) — Italian Alessandro Ballan of the Lampre team used his sprint prowess to seal victory in the 91st edition of the Tour of Flanders, held over 259km between Bruges and here Sunday.

Ballan, who becomes the first Italian since Andrea Tafi in 2002 to win the race known as the 'Ronde', surged ahead of Leif Hoste of the Predictor team to snatch victory from the Belgian in the closing metres.

It was the biggest win of Ballan's ever-impressive career, but the third, agonising, runner-up place for Hoste in four editions.

After a day of drama which saw numerous crashes and futile attacks, Ballan and Hoste pulled ahead of the pack as the climbed the Grammont, the 18th and last of the race's series of steep and often cobbled climbs.

Their...