Gallery: A day in the Boonen/Cancellara rivalry at Harelbeke

Fabian Cancellara's fans line the rider sign-in chute, waiting patiently in the cold Belgian morning for an autograph. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Fabian Cancellara, in good spirits before the start of his Belgian classics swing in Harelbeke. Cancellara started the day chasing the demons of a broken collarbone suffered on these same roads in the Tour of Flanders in 2012. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Cautiously optimistic could describe defending champion Tom Boonen's mood at the start in Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen arrives at the start stage for rider sign-in, seemingly irreverent to the busy scene around him. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen and Philippe Gilbert exchange brief greetings behind the stage at the start in Harelbeke. The world champion hails from Wallonia, Belgium's French-speaking southern region. Boonen is Flemish and there is no Belgian athlete bigger than the two of them. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen poses backstage for pictures and interviews with the event VIPs while donning the E3 Harelbeke 5x winner's jersey. Boonen has won the race more than any other rider. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen signs dozens of autographs for fans who line the stairs to the main stage. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

A sea of media and fans greet Tom Boonen at the rider sign-in. Having won this race five times, all eyes were on the local hero on Friday morning. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen speaks with one of the many television crews asking his thoughts on how the race will play out, minutes before the start. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Fabian Cancellara shares a few moments with the Belgian Sporza TV crew in front of the stage at the start in Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

The riders are off — a cold and grey sky lingers above Tom Boonen's bright Belgian national champion's jersey as the peloton rolls out of Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Boonen played it safe throughout the race's opening 120km, always staying near the front with his team surrounding him. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Dutch champion Niki Terpstra leads a strong chain of Omega Pharma-Quick Step riders bracing against the wind and protecting Tom Boonen on the first cobbled section of the course. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

As the peloton enters La Houppe, the third climb, Tom Boonen sits safely tucked in behind his teammates. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

In contrast with Boonen, Cancellara is settled in the bunch with just one teammate nearby. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Niki Terpstra leads the Omega Pharma-Quick Step train and Tom Boonen on the pavé. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen almost always attacks on the Taaienberg. Friday was no different. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen makes an escape with Jurgen Roelandts on his favorite climb of all the classics, the Taaienberg. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

While Tom Boonen attacks on the Taaienberg, Fabian Cancellara follows Edvald Boasson Hagen. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

After a massive attack on the Kwaremont, Fabian Cancellara rides the final 10km of the course solo. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Radioshack-Leopard press officer Tim Vanderjeugd looks elated and anxious as he waits for Fabian Cancellara to arrive alone to the finish in Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Fabian Cancellara rode away on the Kwaremont en route to his third E3 Harelbeke win.. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Tom Boonen won the group sprint for seventh in Harelbeke, over two minutes back of Fabian Cancellara. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

RadioShack-Leopard press officer Tim Vanderjeugd escorts Fabian Cancellara to the podium presentation. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

The bike of defending champion Tom Bonnen sits outside the team bus as reporters and TV crews wait for team reactions after E3 Harelbeke. Boonen won the field sprint for seventh after bonking and losing contact with the front of the race on the Kwaremont. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Omega Pharma director Wilfred Peeters addresses the media scrum after the finish. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Disappointed yet loyal fans wait for a sign of Tom Boonen outside the team bus in Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Fabian Cancellara's winning Trek Domane rests outside the Harelbeke press room. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

The photo pool's flashes pop as Fabian Cancellara approaches the podium. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara, and Daniel Oss pop the champagne in Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

After the podium presentation, Fabian Cancellara makes his way to a live TV interview on Sporza. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

The winner's flowers and trophy patiently wait outside the portable TV studio. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Cancellara provides his account of today's victory in the E3 Harelbeke. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Fabian Cancellara makes a brief appearance on the side of the Vacansoleil-DCM bus during his post-race Sporza interview. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

An all-too brief moment to soak it all in, Fabian Cancellara waits for the first question at his post-race press conference. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

Everyone is listening as Fabian Cancellara discusses his win in Harelbeke and what it means for his 2013 classics season. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

A packed press room greets race winner Fabian Cancellara. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

VeloNews reporter Matthew Beaudin and contributor Gregor Brown listen as Fabian Cancellara answers questions about how the race played out to his advantage. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com

As team buses and cars pull away from the finish in Harelbeke, the lone black Radioshack-Leopard car stays late for the race winner's departure. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | VeloNews.com