Team Discovery Channel?s Stijn Devolder won the second professional event of his young career today in his home country of Belgium, taking the overall at the Three Days of the Panne stage race.

Devolder placed fifth in the afternoon time trial stage in De Panne, good enough to claim the overall by 16 seconds over Italian Alessandro Ballan.

Devolder's teammate, Viatcheslav Ekimov, helped make it a double for the Discovery Channel team when he won the TT stage from Belgian Bert Roesems by less than one second.

The overall win was a sweet one for Devolder, who has been close to victory numerous times this spring but has come up just short, until today, confirming his condition for this Sunday's important Tour of Flanders.

"He's so happy," said Dirk Demol, the team's assistant sports manager. "For Stijn, it's great because he has been looking for this win the whole season.  He's been close many times and his aggressive way of riding, always attacking, has paid off.  Plus, it's a big win for him.  Honestly, I was a bit afraid that if he wasn't able to win, mentally it would have been a huge disappointment for him, one that might have stayed with him for a while.  Now with the victory, it's just the opposite.  He can do no wrong at the moment."

Devolder's key move in the race was making Tuesday's opening stage breakaway of ten riders that rode clear halfway through the 202 km stage.  From there, Devolder chased down Ballan, who had attacked the lead break, with just over 20 kms remaining.  The duo then worked together to remain clear of the rest of the lead group before Ballan jumped around the young Belgian in the final sprint to win the stage.  However, Ballan and Devolder both finished 19 seconds ahead of third place while the main peloton placed nearly five minutes back.  Ballan then maintained his four second lead over Devolder - obtained via a ten second time bonus against Devolder's six second bonus in stage one - through stages two and three leading into the final time trial.

"He was immediately in a good position, just four seconds down on Ballan," added Demol.  "Yet, Ballan is a good time trial rider, as three years ago he was the Italian amateur champion, so there was nothing easy in this for Stijn."

The Discovery Channel's Leif Hoste also came through with a solid ride in today's time trial, placing sixth, two seconds back of Devolder.

Next up for Devolder, Ekimov and Hoste is Sunday's Tour of Flanders.  The three riders will join Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Roger Hammond, Hayden Roulston and Antonio Cruz for Sundays' ProTour event.

Devolder won the junior Tour of Flanders twice and, according to Demol, "It's his dream race.  He rode well last year, finishing in the second bunch [21st, at 01:38], so the distance isn't a problem for him."  Also last year, Hoste placed third while riding for Lotto-Domo and Hincapie 10th.

Final overall rankings: Three Days of the Panne:

1 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel       13:15:16

2 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                    0.16

3 Nico Mattan (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                         0.24

4 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros             0.44

5 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                             0.45

6 Servais Knaven (Ned) Quickstep                              1.01

7 Michael Albasini (Swi) Liquigas - Bianchi                   1.25

8 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank                             1.31

9 Roy Sentjens (Ned) Rabobank                                 1.34

10 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Domina Vacanze                     2.04

11 Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Fran?aise des Jeux          2.15

12 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Discovery Channel          4.48

13 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas - Bianchi            4.59

14 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel                        5.09

15 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                                5.11

16 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) Gerolsteiner                             5.24

17 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld - Valsir                       5.31

18 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - T Interim     5.32

19 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                         5.46

20 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Liquigas - Bianchi                5.49

21 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Barloworld - Valsir

22 David Boucher (Fra) MrBookmaker.com - SportsTech     5.50

23 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) Rabobank                               5.51

24 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Davitamon - Lotto                          6.01

25 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Fran?aise des Jeux                        6.02

26 Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spa) Bouygues Telecom                   6.08

27 Roger Hammond (GBr) Discovery Channel                     6.11

28 Gr?gory Rast (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems                 6.12

29 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld - Valsir                6.15

30 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quickstep                            6.16

31 Angel Castresana Del Val (Spa) MrBookmaker.com - SportsTech   6.17

32 Dimitri De Fauw (Bel) Quickstep                               6.23

33 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                     6.26

34 Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel

35 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Fassa Bortolo              6.31

36 Dean Podgornik (Slo) Tenax                                    6.33

37 Nicola Loda (Ita) Liquigas - Bianchi                          6.36

38 Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - T Interim          6.37

39 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Fran?aise des Jeux                       6.38

40 Luciano Andr? Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Liquigas - Bianchi    6.43

41 Daniel Musiol (Ger) Wiesenhof                                 6.45

42 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                     6.50

43 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Fran?aise des Jeux                        6.51

44 Erwin Thijs (Bel) MrBookmaker.com - SportsTech

45 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quickstep                                6.58

46 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Domina Vacanze                            6.59

47 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Flanders                              7.00

48 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                        7.06

49 Wesley Van Der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - T Interim     7.12

50 Simone Cadamuro (Ita) Domina Vacanze                          7.32

51 Francis Mourey (Fra) Fran?aise des Jeux                       7.45

52 Andrus Aug (Est) Fassa Bortolo                                8.01

53 Frank Hoj (Den) Gerolsteiner                                  8.35

54 Fr?d?ric Mainguenaud (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                   9.04

55 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                           9.43

56 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Liberty Seguros              10.44

57 Jochen Summer (Aut) Elk Haus - Simplon                       10.48

58 Giosu? Bonomi (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                         11.02

59 Mads Christensen (Den) Quickstep                             14.04

60 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                         18.10

61 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner                            18.26

62 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Domina Vacanze                   18.47

63 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank                          18.52

64 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems                  19.02

65 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Wiesenhof                            19.14

66 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Jartazi Granville Team                   19.16

67 Robert Hunter (RSA) Phonak Hearing Systems                   19.17

68 Raimondas Vilcinskas (Ltu) Jartazi Granville Team            19.25

69 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Rabobank                               19.26

70 Andr? Greipel (Ger) Wiesenhof                                19.33

71 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Liberty Seguros                            19.40

72 Stefan Van Dijck (Ned) MrBookmaker.com - SportsTech          19.53

73 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                       19.54

74 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile                                19.54

75 Jan Valach (Svk) eD'system - ZVVZ                            19.58

76 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago             20.07

77 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                         20.08

78 Ren? Obst (Ger) Wiesenhof                                    20.13

79 Steven De Neef (Bel) Bodysol- Win for Life - Jong Vlaanderen

80 Tom Steels (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                           20.22

81 Marco Righetto (Ita) Liquigas - Bianchi                      20.29

82 Michal Precechtel (Cze) eD'system - ZVVZ                     20.40

83 Rafael Nuritdinov (Uzb) Domina Vacanze                       20.44

84 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Domina Vacanze                        20.45

85 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros                            20.47

86 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre - Caffita                      21.06

87 Fr?d?ric Guesdon (Fra) Fran?aise des Jeux                    21.17

88 Wesley Van Speybroeck (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - T Interim    21.18

89 Zoran Klemencic (Slo) Tenax                                  21.52

90 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - T Interim           22.00

91 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                        22.15

92 Mathieu Criquielion (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago          22.29

93 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Fran?aise des Jeux                   23.01

94 Peter Ronsse (Bel) Jartazi Granville Team                    23.34

95 Jeroen Van Rij (Bel) Bodysol- Win for Life - Jong Vlaander   23.44

96 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                            24.20

97 Johan Svensson (Swe) Jartazi Granville Team                  25.05

98 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Flanders                                  25.09

99 Martin M?ller (Ger) Wiesenhof                                25.11

100 David Kupka (Cze) eD'system - ZVVZ                          25.14

101 Leonardo Duque (Col) Jartazi Granville Team                 25.35

102 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Liberty Seguros        26.43

103 Matej Jurco (Svk) Domina Vacanze                            26.51

104 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                         27.33