Filippo Pozzato (Francaise des Jeux) has won the Omloop Het Volk, the unofficial start of the classics season. The Italian sprinted into the lead in the last 300 m to win the 200-km race in 5:04:38. Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) outsprinted Tom Boonen (Quick Step) for second at 0:02.

One hundred ninety-five riders began the race in wind and rain. After two abortive sallies and a number of crashes, Gert Steegmans and Sebastien Rosseler (both from Quick Step), Johan Van Summeren (Predictor), Sebastien Minard and Geoffroy Lequatre (both from Cofidis), Lorenzo Bernucci (T-Mobile), Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), and Jeremy Hunt (Unibet.com) escaped on the Oude Kwaremont ( 51 km). Behind them, the peloton split, with the first group consisting of about 70 riders, including all of the favorites.

At 82 km, defending champion Philippe Gilbert (Francaise des Jeux) attacked from the peloton on the Muur. Eight km later, just before the base of the Eikenberg, the fugitives' lead was about 1:30. On the climb, Steffen Wesemann (Wiesenhof) and Jimmy Casper (Unibet.com) attacked from the bunch. At this point, the break's advantage was 0:47. Wesemann dropped back, but Jan Kuyckx (Landbouwkrediet) joined Casper on the Berendries. The escapees' lead grew to more than 2:00.

With 60 km left, the leading octet had 2:20 on the field. Rabobank took up the chase. The Dutch squad's pursuit brought the field together with 40 km remaining.

Bas Gilling (Wiesenhof) attacked, and Bert Roesems (Predictor) and Marco Zanotti (Unibet.com) followed. Roesems dropped his companions. Behind, Gilbert attacked again, and Steven De Jongh (Quick Step), Mathew Hayman (Rabobank), Murilo Fischer (Liquigas), Gorik Gardeyn and Laurens Ten Dam (both from Unibet.com) and Gilling followed.

Boonen attacked, and Flecha followed him immediately, with several others joining later. With 14 km remaining, a group containing Stuart O'Grady (CSC) caught Roesems, and the Australian countered immediately. Only Flecha followed.

Boonen attempted to bridge up to the pair, and Pozzato, Baden Cooke (Unibet.com), and Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) joined him. With five km left, Flecha and O'Grady led the chase group by 0:12. The chase group dropped Cooke. 

Flecha and O'Grady decelerated to prepare for the sprint while the chase group closed the gap. Nuyens attacked, Boonen countered, and Pozzato overtook both. Flecha attempted unsuccessfully to get the Italian's wheel.

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