Leading from stage 1, Loix was never to be headed over the course of the 18 stage event. Bryan Bouffier took second, 1min 41.6secs off Loix' flying Skoda. S2000 novice Hans Weijs Jr. took third, driving another Skoda Fabia.
Polish driver Michal Solowow took fourth in his Ford Fiesta S2000, over 6mins off the lead. Peugeot UK driver Guy Wilks had an up-down rally, being sat in second and setting consistent times over day one and went fastest over Day 2's opener, but a double puncture on SS10, a slow puncture on SS15 and another puncture on SS16 put paid to his podium aspirations. The Briton did fair better than his Peugeot team-mate Theirry Neuville. A pre-event favourite, the Belgian broke a wheel on SS1 and had to drive on it for over a kilometre to find a place to pull in. It transpired when he stopped his suspension had broken, causing his retirement. He returned on Day 2 but hit a concrete block, breaking the suspension again.
Karl Kruuda took sixth in his Fiesta S2000, while seventh and eighth were Toni Gardemiester and European Rally Champion Luca Rossetti.
Another driver to be forced to retire was Andreas Mikkelsen, who landed his Fabia in a rather deep Belgian ditch. He attempted to extract the car from the ditch, but hit a concrete block and retired on the spot. He returned on Day 2 and took four stage wins.
Pieter Tsjoen, six-times and reigning Belgian Rally Champion, held third overnight, but suffered a strange accident on Day 2. Heading to Stage 11, Tsjoen stopped by the side of the road for a short break before the 9km stage. He pulled away from the side of the road, but hit a metal pole, which pierced the radiator of the 207 S2000. He made it through the stage, going 10th fastest, only losing 6secs. However, all the water leaked out of the cooling system, despite the best efforts of Tsjoen and co-driver Lara Vanneste, substituting for the injured Eddie Chevaillier, and advice from other crews, forcing retirement.
The Irish had a good representation in this rally, with Robert Barrable taking 10th overall in his Skoda Fabia S2000. Tommy Doyle took his Renault Clio R3 to second overall in the IRC 2WD Cup.
In the IRC 2WD Cup, Kris Princen won the rally after Kevin Abbring wedged his Citroen DS3 R3T in a ditch on Stage 14, losing 3mins in the process. He fought back to fourth over the remaining four stages. Reigning 2WD Champion Harry Hunt exited the rally on Saturday's opening loop.
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