With 20 kilometres to go and riding through "Camphin-en Pévèle" cobblestones sector, Fabian Cancellara attacked and gained a few metres along with Vladimir Gusev over the rest of the leaders. The difference soon increased to 20 seconds when, hitting "Carrefour de l'Arbre", Cancellara began a solo effort to Roubaix after Gusev couldn't hold on the pace by the Swiss time-trial specialist. In this same sector Leif Hoste attacked while Gusev was losing contact with Cancellara. Peter Van Petegem followed him, while Tom Boonen, Juan Antonio Flecha and Alessandro Ballan were close behind them. Hoste and Van Petegem would eventually catch Gusev trying to catch Cancellara, who wouldn't stop increasing his advantage, eventually winning over a minute in Roubaix Velodrome.