Huy
199.5 km
Wednesday 23 April
1- Kirchen (THR)
2- Evans (SIL)
3- Cunego (LAM)
4- Gesink (RAB)
5- Dekker (RAB)
Luxemburg’s Kim Kirchen (THR) eventually captures victory after making his move in the last 100m and overtaking Evans.
Just ahead of Davide Rebellin, Cadel Evans leads the race with 300m to go.
Fabian Wegmann has just been caught by the main pack led by Cadel Evans.
The pack is now just a few metres behind Wegmann. Can he hang on ???
One kilometre to go and still a 20" advantage for Wegmann over the pack. Here come the Mur de Huy.
Fabian Wegmann continues his huge effort. The German still leads with under two kilometres to go. The pack is under 20" behind.
With four kilometres to go, Fabian Wegmann (GST) has just made his effort. He now leads the race on his own with a 10" gap over Efimkin.
In a downhill portion, Gustav Larsson has just suffered a fall. It’s all over for him. With just over 5 kilometres to go, two men lead the Fleche, Efimkin and Wegmann who now have a 20" advantage over the pack.
GUstav Larsson (CSC), Fabian Wegmann (GST) and Alexander Efimkin (QST) can now enjoy a 15" lead over the pack... Six kilometres to go!
Alexander Efimkin (QST) has caught up with the two leaders. Three riders now lead this rainny Fleche Wallonne. 9 kilometres to go!
German national champion Fabian Wegmann (GST) has caught up with Sweden’s Larsson (CSC). Two men now lead with 11 kilometres to go and a very slim advantage over the chasing pack.
With les than 12 kilometres to go, Gustav Larsson (CSC) has just made it alone at the top of the C么te d’Ahin. The chase is on!
In the climb up the penultimate climb of the day, the C么te d’Ahin (km 188,5), Andriy Grivko (MRM) has just been caught by the main pack.
Chasing the leading man Grivko, only fifty riders or so are still in the main pack led by the Caisse d’Epargne riders. The gap has dropped down to 20".
With 16 kilometres to go, the pack has caught up with the eight dropped riders. One man leads the race, Andriy Grivko who has a 30" lead over the pack.
Andriy Grivko has managed a stunning attack at kilometre 179. The Ukrainian has an 8" lead over the first chasing group.
Righi is back in the main pack. Nine riders currently lead the race : Grivko (MRM), Ten Dam (RAB), De Waele (LAN), Lloyd (SIL), Efimkin (ALM), Sorensen (CSC), Maxime Montfort (COF), Engels (QST) and Van Den Broeck (SIL). They have a 30" lead over the pack.
Daniele Righi (LAM) has just broken away from the pack on a counter-attack.
Nine men currently lead the race wit under 30 kilometres to go. Girvko (MRM), Ten Dam (RAB), De Waele (LAN) and Lloyd (SIL) have caught up with the leading five.
Local hero Maxime Montfort (COF) has broken away from the pack on a counter-attack and has just caught up with the front group. We now have fiove riders in the lead. Thirty kilometres to go.
Engels and Van Den Broeck have caught up with the two leaders. Four riders now lead this 72nd edition of the Fleche Wallonne with 33km to go. Next up: the C么te de Bohissau... The pack is 25" behind.
Efimkin (ALM) and Sorensen (CSC) still lead the race with 35 kilometres to go. They can enjoy a 12" lead over Engels and Van Den Broeck. The pack led bt the Caisse d’Epargne boys have caught up all the other riders and is now only 28" adrift.
Sixth of last year’s Vuelta, Vladimir Efimkin (ALM) has taken off, rapidly chased by Nicky Sorensen. Both men are now together in the race lead. Still raining cats and dogs on the riders. At kilometre 160, the pack is now only 25" adrift
Twelve riders have bunched together again in the race lead: Moletta, Efimkin, Kolobnev, Schleck, Sorensen, Martens, Spilak, Tshopp, Engels, Bileka, Van den Broeck and Pinotti
Schleck, Van den Broeck and Efimkin reach the top of the C么te de Bonneville (km 157.5) in the leading positions of a group of seven. Moletta (GST) has indeed caught up with the front group of six.
Efimkin, Pinotti and Martens have closed the gap on the front men. Six men are now in the lead.
In the climb up the C么te de Thon, the leading group has broken up. Three men currently lead the race: Nicky Sorensen, Andy Schleck (both CSC) and Jurgen Van Den Broeck (SIL). They have a 15" lead over the first chasing group and 50" over the pack.
After fine weather conditions during the first hours of racing, the pack is now witnessing heavy rain showers...
Egoi Martinez (EUS), unlucky n掳13 David Lopez Garcia (GCE) and Carlos Sastre (CSC) have suffered a fall in the pack.
Efimkin, Pinotti and Gilbert have made it in the leading three spoitions at the top of the C么te du Haut Bois (km 140). The gap carries on dropping between the leading 19 and the pack: now 55".
Pinoti, Tschopp and Mourey have reached the top of the Cote de Peu d’Eau (km 134.5)in the leading positions. The gap with the pack has dropped down to 1’20.
Among the nineteen front riders are the likes of Philippe Gilbert (FDJ) winner of the Het Volk this year, Andy Schleck (CSC) second of the 2007 Giro d’Italia and Alexander Kolobnev (CSC) winner of a stage of Paris-Nice 2007 and runner-up at the 2007 World Championships.
After having enjoyed a maximum 2’50 advantage over the pack, the front 19 are starting to lose ground over the pack. The latest gap at kilometre 120 is of 2’10.
The three front men have been caught back by the chasing group at km 111. 19 riders are again part of the leading group.
Mourey (FDJ), Kolobnev (CSC) and Moletta (GST) have broken away from the front group at kilometre 107 and can now enjoy a 15" advantage. The main pack is 2’30 behind.
The leading 19 have increased their advantage over the main pack. Now 2’15 at kilometre 107.
Fothen and Moletta (GST), Garcia-Acosta (GCE), Fernandez de la Puebla (SDV), Efimkin (ALM), Andy Schleck and Sorensen (CSC), Tschopp (BTL), Mourey (FDJ), Pauriol (C.A), Engels (QST), Bileka and Van den Broeck (SIL), Pinotti (THR), Duyn (TSL), Kolobnev (CSC), Martens (RAB), Gilbert (FDJ) and Spilak (LAM).
A group of 19 riders together have reached the top of the Mur de Huy for the second time today. Four counter-attackers (all but Donald) have caught up with the front group. At the top Tschopp claimed the most hill points ahead of Efimkin and Pinotti. The pack is now 1’50 adrift.
At kilometre 93, 15 riders lead the race with a 12" advantage over a group of four riders including Kolobnev (CSC), Martens (RAB), Gilbert (FDJ) and Donald (TSL), 20" over Spilak (LAM), and 1’15 over the main pack.
In the climb up the Cote d’Areffe, 15 riders have managed to break away from the pack and currently have a 15" lead. In the front group are: Fothen and Moletta (GST), Garcia-Acosta (GCE), Fernandez de la Puebla (SDV), Efimkin (ALM), Andy Schleck and Sorensen (CSC), Tschopp (BTL), Mourey (FDJ), Pauriol (C.A), Engels (QST), Bileka and Van den Broeck (SIL), Pinotti (THR) and Duyn (TSL)
The ack has reached the top of the second ckimb of the day, the Cote d’Ereffe at kilometre 84. Efimkin (ALM) made it first at the top ahead of Andy Schleck (CSC) and Fernandez de la Puebla (SDV).
Yesterday just after the team manager鈥檚 meeting, letour.fr spoke to Caisse d鈥橢pargne Directeur Sportif Yvon Ledanois. The head of the Spanish squad will of course be counting on his leader Alejandro Valverde but also on other very strong team members.
鈥淰alverde is in shape. Winning Paris-Camembert on the Tuesday and then finishing second of the Amstel Gold Race shows that he鈥檚 in shape. Lets say that he鈥檚 at a reasonable level due to the fact that his season is based on the Tour. He鈥檚 at 90%. He therefore lacks of those 10% that are so important, that can make the difference in a final part like it was the case at the Amstel.
It鈥檒l really depend on the race but I believe that he won鈥檛 be going for victory. The final climb seems more suited for riders like Schleck or Cunego who are more prepared than Alejandro.
We have several options in the Caisse d鈥橢pargne team. Added to Valverde, our natural leader, there are riders like Rodriguez or Luis-Leon Sanchez. Our strength is the team. We can count on Valverde but we can also count on other riders who could be leaders in any other team.鈥
All seven riders have yet again been caught by the very hungry pack.
The three front men have been caught by a group of four counter-attacking riders (Sorensen, Rinero, Kopp and Marcato). Seven riders lead the race.
At kilometre 78, three riders have yet again tried to break free from the pack: Arrieta (ALM), Le Boulanger (FDJ) and Schwab (QST).
The five escapees have been caught just a kilometre after breaking away. The pack doesn’t seem to want anyone to enjoy moments alone in the lead.
At kilometre 72, three men have managed to break away from the pack: Capelle (LAN), Hansen (THR) and Kopp (COS). These three have been joined by Pereiro Sio (GCE) and Martens (RAB).
A bunched pack has now reached the feeding zone at kilometre 66.5. So far not the slightest rider or group has managed a significant break.
The pack has reached the top of the first climb of the day, the Mur de Huy (km 65,5). Colombia’s Mauricio Ardila (RAB) made it first at the top ahead of Johan Tshopp (BTL) and Andy Schleck (CSC).
The pack is once again bunched together again. After enjoying a slim 5" lead, Gourgue is back in the main pack.
Belgian rider Benjamin Gourgue (LAN) has broken away alone at kilometre 61,5. The pack has jus entered the city of Huy.
The pack currently at km 57, is moving closer to the first climb of the day, the famous Mur de Huy et km 65 (1,3 km at 9,3 %, including 900m at an average 11,6 % with parts at 19 %). The riders will be climbing the hill on three occasions.
The pack has reached the 50km mark and remains bunched.
Daily Belgian newspaper Sud Presse focuses on the race favourites who have expressed their ambitions for the day鈥檚 race. Impressive since his success at the Amstel Gold Race, Damiano Cunego remains fairly careful: 鈥渕y goal remains Li猫ge-Bastogne-Li猫ge鈥. The daily mainly focuses on the duel between the last two winners of the event Davide Rebellin and Alejandro Valverde. The Italian explains that his attack in the Cauberg last Sunday failed to work out. 鈥淚 attacked just to see how the others would react behind but I wasn鈥檛 pushing hard鈥. Concerning Valverde he prefers to put the attention on his team mate Joaquin Rodriguez, a strong outsider. During the 3rd stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, last March, the Spanish national champion had indeed won in a similar finish to that of the Fleche, managing an attack that forced Di Luca to drop behind in a hill portion of 22 %. Also read in Sud Press, Australian Cadel Evans seems to be more interested by Li猫ge-Bastgne-Li猫ge next Sunday while Carlos Barredo will be the leader of the Quick Step team.
47,700 kilometre have been covered during the first hour of racing.
Also involved in the crash earlier on, Christophe Laurent (TSL) has pulled out of the race.
After the heavy crash at kilometre 37, two riders have been forced to pull out of the race: Marco Marzano (LAM) and Nicolas Vogondy (AGR).
After a fall at kilometre 37, the pack has broken into two groups. The second group is however about to catch up with the leading bunch.
La Derni猫re Heure des Sports, opens its daily sports edition on the hopes of the Belgian riders. The last local rider to indeed triumph in Huy was Mario Aerts back in 2002. Philippe Gilbert leader of the Fran莽aise des Jeux team believes the final climb 鈥渋s short but is too difficult鈥 for him. 鈥淣ormally I can鈥檛 win. To do so I have to be in a dream day and I have to anticipate. Like Rik Verbrugghe managed to win鈥. Best Belgian of the 2007 edition, Jelle Vanendert (13th) believes that 鈥渢he Fleche suits him. It鈥檚 shorter than the Amstel Gold Race or Li猫ge-Bastogne-Li猫ge and the Mur is made for me鈥. For Mario Aerts riding this edition in the Silence-Lotto team, the perspective of winning again is even more unpredictable: 鈥渋t would take a miracle鈥.
The first four breakaway riders (Sprick, Serov, Pinotti and Kleynen) have been caught by the chasing pack at kilometre 17. Fairly fast pace so far on this Fleche Wallonne.
At kilometre 15, the front men have a small 10" advantage over the pack.
At kilometre 12, four riders have managed to break away from the pack: Mathieu Sprick (BTL), Steven Kleynen (LAN), Marco Pinotti (THR) and Alexander Serov (TCS).
The pack has reached the tenth kilometre. Several riders have tried to break away in vain. So far the main field remains bunched.
Km 65,5: Mur de Huy (1,3 km at 9,3 %, including 900m at an average 11,6 % with parts at 19 %);
Km 84: C么te d鈥橢reffe (2,2 km at 5,6 %);
Km 95: Mur de Huy (2nd passage);
Km 134,5: C么te de Peu d鈥橢au (2,5 km at 4,2 %);
Km 140: C么te de Haut-Bois (1,4 km at 5,4 %);
Km 149,5: C么te de Thon (1,2 km at 7,1 %);
Km 157,5: C么te de Bonneville (1,1 km at 7,9 %);
Km 170,5: C么te de Bohissau (3,4 km at 4 %);
Km 188,5: C么te de Ahin (2,5 km at 6 %);
Km 199,5: Mur de Huy (finish)
The 199 riders of the Fleche Wallonne have officially started the day’s race (199.5km all the way to Huy). The official start was given at 11:30. One rider failed to start the event: Spaniard Xavier Florencio (BTL).
The pack of the Fleche Wallonne has taken off from Charleroi under a bright sunshine. The riders are currently on their way to the official start after a 4.6km ride through the streets of the Belgian city.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Fleche Wallonne, 72nd edition of the Belgian race. The 200 riders are due to take off from Charleroi at 11:20 for a 199.5km course all the way to Huy and its famous Mur de Huy, a terrifying final climb.
