Ballan conquers the Mur

Ballan escaped from a group of favourites on the day's penultimate climb with the Belgian Hoste, now a three-time Ronde runner-up, following on the Lampre leader's wheel.

"Hoste really wanted to win because he's a Belgian on a Belgian team," Ballan said, "so we worked well together when we got away.

The duo managed to stay away from a strong attack by Karsten Kroon and Thomas Vaitkus in the final 15 kilometres, as two-time champion Tom Boonen and his world champion team-mate Paolo Bettini faded at the end.

With a chase group making up time on the leaders in the final kilometre, Ballan slowed the finale to a crawl with Hoste still holding onto the Italian's wheel.

Hoste then launched the sprint about 300 metres from the line, but it was too soon for the Predictor-Lotto leader as Ballan managed to overtake him at the line to claim the narrowest of victories.

"I took a risk in the final kilometre because I paused to catch my breath and Hoste jumped hard. That's why I struggled to get on his wheel," Ballan said.

"Then I pulled out something I didn't have and just got past him on the line.

"I want to dedicate this win to my family and father Adone, who died ten years ago. I'm sure he was watching from above."

Ballan, who claimed last week's Three Day De Panne as a precursor to Sunday's victory, becomes the eighth Italian to win the cobbled classic.

Liquigas' Luca Paolini took third-place in a sprint from Kroon to put a second Italian on the podium.