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Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, seen for a long time as the most promising one-day race rider of his generation, delivered at last with a splendid win in the Paris-Tours cycling classic.

The 26-year-old from Verviers joined a four-man break in the final 15 kilometres and won ahead of compatriot Jan Kuyckx and Frenchman Sebastien Turgot.

It was a belated reward for Gilbert, who had won two Het Volk one-day races but never a top classic event. It also marked his farewell to the Francaise des Jeux team, with whom he started his professional career in 2003, before he moves to Belgium's Silence-Lotto next season.

"It's the greatest victory in my career," said Gilbert. "The Het Volk meant a lot because it's the first big race of the season for us Belgians.

"But I had been waiting a long time for a victory like this, in one of the great classics. I was close many times, I attacked very often and now it's here at last.

"I had promised (team director) Marc (Madiot) that I would not leave without a great win. This was the last chance and I took it.

"It's a team victory and I will never thank (France's) Mickael Delage enough. He did a formidable job for me in the finale and I'm glad I'm taking him with me to Silence-Lotto as my team mate next season."

Delage was with Gilbert in the final move which prevented sprinters from having their say on the 252 km, flat course in the Loire Valley which usually suits them perfectly.

Australia's Robbie McEwen finished sixth, ahead of three-times winner Erik Zabel of Germany who was in his last professional race after 16 years in the professional ranks.

Zabel retires with 212 victories behind him, six Tour de France green jerseys and four Milan-San Remo wins. He had hoped to become the first rider to win the Paris-Tours four times after victories in 1994, 2003 and 2005.

Before the final break, launched by French champion Nicolas Vogondy, who had to settle for fourth on the line, five men had tried to steal the show.

American Lucas Euser, Belgian Sebastien Delfosse, Dutchman Tom Veelers and Frenchman Cycil Lemoine, later joined by another American, time-trial specialist David Zabriskie, went after seven kilometres and had a maximum lead of 11:15 at the 67 km-mark. They were caught with 20 kms to go.

The race started from St Arnoult-en-Yvelines without defending champion Alessandro Petacchi of Italy, whose LPR team were refused entry because they do not contribute to the biological passport used by the UCI to detect doping.

The Paris-Tours classic was also the final race for French team Credit Agricole, who are quitting after 23 years in the peloton after failing to find a sponsor for 2009.

Reuters