Tacconi-Sport's Gianluca Bortolami has won the 85th Ronde van Vlaanderen, beating Erik Dekker (Rabobank) and Denis Zanette (Liquigas) in an eight man sprint. The former World Cup winner rode an intelligent race, saving everything for the finale while the stronger riders wore each other out. He also profited from the lack of co-operation between the favourites (Tchmil, Museeuw, Bartoli, Vainsteins etc.), who were in a chasing group but not willing to close it down.