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Huy
198 km
Wednesday 21 April
A fine victory for Cadel Evans who apparently learnt from his past experiences, especially last year when he took off too early in the final climb up the Mur de Huy. Evans gives Australia a first victory on the Fleche Wallonne.
1. Evans (BMC)
2. Rodriguez (KAT)
3. Contador (AST)
4. Anton (EUS)
5. Cunego (LAM)
6. Gilbert (OLO)
7. Horner (RSH)
8. Valverde (GCE)
9. A.Schleck (SAX)
10. Hesjedal (GAR)
Alberto Contador is eventually caught in the final metres and victory goes to an impressive Cadel Evans. Fine day for the World champ!
200 metres to goand Contador leads the way... Can he be caught ?
Kloeden is caught. Off go Anton and Contador, in command...
In the first metres of the climb up the Mur de Huy, Andreas Kloeden (RSH) takes off.
It’s over for Kolobnev with 2kms to. The pack is bunched and all the favourtites are eager for the final battle up the Mur de Huy.
Kolobnev (Kat) leads on his own and has a slim 15m advantage over a pack led by Sanchez and Valverde (GCE).
Immediately after catching the leaders, Aleksander Kolobnev (Kat) attacks on his own.
The chasing three (Kolobnev, Vaugrenard and Anton) have caught up with the leading four. Seven riders lead the way.
Three riders have just broken away from the pack on a counter-attack: Anton (EUS), Vaugrenard (FDJ) and Kolobnev (KAT). Five kilometres to go for the front four.
With seven kilometres to go, the leading four only have a 12" advantage. Kloeden (RSH) leads the pack.
With ten kilometres to go, Ivanov has been caught by Ryder Hesjedal (GAR) and Bono (LAM). The pack is just behind. The front four still have a 20" lead.
Winner of the 2009 Amstel God Race, Serguei Ivanov (KAT) has just broken away from the pack. Impressive.
The Astana team is looking impressive at the front of the pack. The front men still have a 25” advantage with 15 kilometres to go.
With 20 kilometres to go, the four leading riders (F. Schleck, Loosli, Tanlkink and Kreuziger) have a 25" lead over a pack led by the Astana men of Contador.
While the four leaders carry on their efforts, five riders have broken away from the pack: Vaugrenard, Nordhaug (SKY), Vandenbroeck (OLO), Hesjedal (GAR) and Vorganov (KAT). They are 10" behind the leaders.
Roman Kreuziger (LIQ), Frank Schleck (SAX), Loosli (LAM) and Tankink (RAB) lead the way with a slim advantage over the chasing pack.
Bram Tankink the last of the escapees to hang on to the lead the race has been caught just after the top of the climb up the Mur de Huy. Tankink (RAB) made it clear with a slim 5m advantage over Andy and Franbk Schleck (SAX). Under 30 kilometres to go.
All the favourites are together at the front of the pack led by Andy Schleck (SAX) closely followed by Contador (AST). Meanwhile Kadri and Augé have dropped out of the leading group.
The seven front men still have a 30" lead over the pack as they climb the Mur de Huy for the second time. Just over 30kms to go.
Three riders have broken away from the pack: Spezialetti (LAM), Velits (THR and Kreder (GAR). But the pack is just behind.
The two leading groups have bunched together. Six riders lead the race now: Van De Walle, Loosli, Champion, Vorganov, Kadri, Tankink and Augé. This front group is 40kms away from the finish and has a 35" lead.
After Gourgue and Palumbo, Stephane Augé (COF) is the third man to fail to keep up with the pace of the front group. Now only two leaders: Dimitri Champion (ALM) and David Loosli (LAM). Meanwhile Gourgue has dropped out of the chasing group that remains 30" adrift. The pack is at 1’...
Gourgue (LAN) has also dropped out of the leading group. There are now only three riders remaining in the lead: Champion, Augé and Loosli. Meanwhile a group of counter-attackers has broken away and caught Gourgue. In that group are Vorganov (KAT), Tankink (RAB), Van De Walle (QST), Gourgue (LAN) and Kadri (ALM). The gaps are as follows: 1’ over the chasing group and 1’50 over the main pack.
The five front men have started the climb up the Cote de Groynne. They still have a 2" lead over the counter-attacking group that is about to be caught by the main pack.
Emma Pooley of the Cervelo Test Team has just won the 12th edition of the women’s Fleche Wallonne. The Brit rider beats to the line her compatriot and three time winner of the Fleche, Nicole Cooke (GBR)
Bad luck for Christophe Moreau (GCE) who has just suffered a rear wheel puncture. He was in the counter-attacking group and was forced to stop.
With under 80 kilometres to go for the pack, a major fall has just hit the pack. Caught in the crash, Paulinho and Popovych (RSH), Brandt (OLO), Roels and Voss ’MRM)...
As the five front riders enter the village of Gesves, the gap is of 3’50 over the groupe of counter-attackers and 4’30 over the pack.
A group of 7 counter-attacking riders has broken away from the pack including Didier and Voigt (SAX), Righi (LAM), De Gendt (TSV), Bakelants (OLO), Moreau (GCE) and Froome (SKY). They have an 18" lead over the main pack.
Speaking to Letour.fr about the shape of Joaquim Rodriguez who was forced to quit the AMstel Gold Race on Sunday, Katusha DS, Serge Parsani also mentioned the other outsiders of his squad for victory:
"Joachim had a tough day due to stomach problems. But that didn’t trouble him too much; it wasn’t a virus problem so I hope that he’ll be in good condition at the start. We might see a major selection at the second climb up the Mur de Huy with around thirty riders left. Another possible scenario is that some riders might want to anticipate that first explanation and attack earlier. In our team we have a leader but also two other riders able to take that kind of initiative, with Ivanov and Kolobnev. Concerning Kim Kirchen, he’s been having physical problems that forced him to stop training during a week and he therefore won’t be competitive enough today”.
While the leading riders are at km 115, the pack has reached the top of the Cote de Peu d’Eau with a 5’15 deficit.
According to legendary Eddy Merckx, a three time winner of the Fleche Wallonne (1967, 70 and 72) speaking to RTBF television, Alberto Contador is the big favourite of the day’s race. "With the power he has in difficult climbs, this race is made for him".
At the bottom of the climb up the Cote de Peu d’Eau the front men have à 5’10 advantage over the main pack.
After having covered over 46kms during the first hour of racing, the pace of the leading men has dropped down. The average speed after two hours of racing is 41.2 km/h.
The gap carries on dropping between the leading fve (Loosli (LAM), Champion (ALM), Gourgue (LAN), Augé (COF) et Palumbo (ASA)) and the chasing pack. Now only 6’20.
As the Caisse d’Epargne and Katusha riders have moved to the front positions of the pack, the gap has seriously started dropping. The five front men can now count on a 7’10 advantage.
Italy’s Davide Palumbo who was the first of the five current escapees to attack, probably keeps a fond memory of the area he is currently riding in. The 34-year-old Aqua e Sapone rider indeed claimed stage victory back in 2007 on the Tour of Wallonie. One of his three pro successes so far with the Gippingen Grand Prix in 2002 and a stage of the Tour of Liguria in 2003.
Team director of the BMC Racing team John Lelangue can count on a strong squad for the Fleche Wallonne with two men among the favourites, Cadel Evans in the Top 5 last year and Karsten Kroon.
"We already showed during the Amstel Gold Race that we were strong. Cadel (Evans) was present in the finale and Karsten Kroon made it in the Top 10. There isn’t a designated leader; we’ll see how the race goes. Concerning Cadel who managed a good race at the Fleche Wallonne last year but maybe attacked too early, we talked about it a lot during the week and we went up the Mur de Huy several times. It’s really difficult to manage the final climb. You don’t want to take off too late not to be trapped by the other riders and you don’t want to attack too early because then you’re uncovered.”
The pack has only just reached the top of the Mur de Huy led by Dimitry Muravyev (RSH) with an 8’25 deficit on the leading group of five.
. Km 67 : Mur de Huy (1,3 km at 9,3 %)
. Km 106,5 : Côte de Peu d’Eau (2,7 km at 3,9 %)
. Km 112 : Côte de Haut-Bois (1,6 km at 4,8 %)
. Km 137,5 : Côte de Groynne (2 km at 3,5 %)
. Km 143,5 : Côte de Bohisseau (1,3 km at 7,6 %)
. Km 146,5 : Côte de Bousalle (1,7 km at 4,9 %)
. Km 157,5 : Côte d’Ahin (2,3 km at 6,5 %)
. Km 168,5 : Mur de Huy (1,3 km at 9,3 %)
. Km 187 : Côte d’Ereffe (2,1 km at 5,9 %)
. Km 198 : Mur de Huy (1,3 km at 9,3 %)
The leaders have reached the top of the Mur de Huy for the first of three passages on the line. Dimitri Champion (ALM) made it first to the top ahead of Stephane Augé (COF ) and David Loosli (LAM).
The leading five (Loosli, Champion, Augé, Gourgue and Palumbo) have reached kilometre 61 while the pack remains 5kms adrift. The time gap has now reached 6’10.
The headline of Newspaper ’La Meuse’ is naturally on Philippe Gilbert. The daily believes that "Phil, after his success at the Amstel Gold Race is on a cloud. The rider from Liège says he is not a favourite for the Fleche Wallonne but is in the shape of his life and is capable of anything". In the four pages focused on the day’s race is an interview of Alberto Contador after his training ride on the course yesterday: "It seems harder than what I remembered. The last 7000 metres are just incredible. The feeling I had today wasn’t that good but I had to cope with the 2000 kms in a car to get here. My main concern is to get used to these two races. Therefore when they will become a clear objective I will have precious references".
The gap increases for the five leading riders. Now 2’45 on the pack at kilometre 55.
The leading men have covered a distance of 46.6kms after the first hour of the Fleche Wallonne. The front group can now enjoy a 45" advantage over the pack.
After the attack of Palumbo (ASA) at kilometre 44, five riders have managed to break away. In the leading group are Loosli (LAM), Champion (ALM), Gourgue (LAN), Augé (COF) and Palumbo (ASA). And the gap is increasing for the front men.
The pack has now reached the village of Hambraine-Fernelbont and remains bunched despite a few attacks. Race conditions are rather good with no wind, some clouds and temperatures of around 15°C.
The former winner of the Fleche Wallonne back in 2001 talks to Letour.fr about the new course with the 2nd climb up the Mur de Huy coming only 30 kilometres before the finish.
“It can indeed change things. When the 2nd climb up the Mur was 100kms away from the finish, a group would usually take off but was eventually caught in the final kilometres and decision would be made in the final climb. Things could change this year and I believe that the favourites will want to take control of the race just before the second climb. But a decisive move could occur if several favourites took off together. Then again this new course could also be favourable to outsiders who don’t want to wait until the final climb.”
La Dernière Heure obviously focuses on local hero and one of the race favourites, Philippe Gilbert who claimed the Amstel Gold Race last Sunday. The Belgian who seems to be the man to watch however has his mind set on the race he dreams of winning, Liège-Bastogne-Liège. "I’ve always competed on the Fleche, thinking about Liège, explains Gilbert. My legs are here but my mind is elsewhere, but being here, I might as well do the 200 kilometres of the Fleche". The leader of the Omega Pharma-Lotto teams also admits that he isn’t a big fan of the Mur de Huy: “I’ve never liked it. I struggle in the final metres…"
After 28 kilometres of racing, the pack remains bunched at a fairly fast pace.
Local paper, Le Jour has three pages on the Flèche Wallonne. Other than the favourites, the daily has focused on a quiet outsider, Bert De Waele, of team Landbouwkrediet. Le Jour mentions that "De Waele isn’t really a young wolf: he’s been a pro for 10 long seasons and will celebrate his 35th birthday this summer! The reason he’s focused on his favourite race, La Flèche and Liège is because the rider has already impressed there, finishing best Belgian of the two Classics in 2008. "There are less changes in ryhthm and the hils are not as long and that suits my "engine". I hope I’ll live another super day..."
At kilometre 19, the two front men, Maxime Bouet and Craig Lewis have been caught. Bunched pack again.
Two riders have managed a decent enough break at kilometre 12: Maxime Bouet (ALM) and Craig Lewis (THR). And their move seems to be paying off as the gap increases.
As expected several underdogs are trying their luck and attempting breakaways. However all attacks are for the moment vain as the pack chases immediately. The pack remains bunched after 10 kilometres.
Three riders have given it a go after only 3 kilometres: De Gendt (TSV), Bouet (ALM) and Augé (COF). The three are eventually caught back by the chasing pack.
After a stroll through the streets of Charleroi, the 197 riders are officially racing. They will have to cover a total of 198kms with a first part all the way to the Mur de Huy for a first climb up the famous hill after 67kms. They will then be covering a 101.5 km loop including 6 hills before a second climb up the Mur. Finally a second smaller 29.5kms loop awaits the pack before the final climb to the finish line.
197 riders from 25 teams have officially started the day’s race and are on their way to the official start line after a 4.6km ride from the center of Charleroi.
Hi and welcome to our live coverage of the 74th edition of the Fleche Wallonne. The riders are due to take off at 11:20 from the city of Charleroi for a 198km race all the way to the famous Mur de Huy.
