April 18/12 13:09 pm - Fleche Wallonne Men, Hesjedal 21st

Posted by Editoress on 04/18/12
 

Third Time Luck for Rodríguez

After two second places in the last two editions, Joaquím Rodríguez has finally claimed victory in La Flèche Wallone, blasting away 400 metres from the line for a superb solo win on the summit of the Mur de Huy. Second was Switzerland’s Michael Albasini and third last year’s winner, Philippe Gilbert of Belgium.A former leader of the Vuelta a España and stage winner of the Tour de France, Rodríguez watched and waited on the final ascent, shadowing Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE). A counter-attack by Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) failed to work out, and Rodríguez could claim his first ever major Classic, as well as Spain’s third victory in Fleche Wallone in less than ten years. For Albasini, this was his best result in a major Classic, whilst after his sixth place in Amstel, Gilbert confirmed again that he was on the way back up.

Velits and Urán Hit The Deck

Heavy, frequent rainshowers and gusting winds made for a nervous 76th edition of La Flèche Wallone, where the attackers had real problems going clear right from the start. A first duo of breakaways, Hovelynck (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) and Habeaux (Accent Jobs-Veranda's Willems) tried to attack early on, but were retaken by the bunch at km 22. Ratto (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Christensen (Saxo Bank) who then went clear didn’t have it much easier, particularly after Ratto punctured at km 31. Shortly beforehand, Martin Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Uran (SKY ProCycling) had crashed, causing the bunch to split apart. Katusha was working hard behind, and after 49 kilometres another crash saw Jurgen Van De Walle (Lotto-Belisol Team) forced to abandon.

Bellemakers and Roux move ahead

Christensen was caught shortly afterwards, and at km 55 following a frantic first hour Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) and Anthony Roux (FDJ-BigMat) went clear. Sjef De Wilde (Accent Jobs-Veranda's Willems) tried to get across and was still between the two race leaders and the bunch when the race went over the Mur de Huy for the first time at km 70.5. At that point, Bellemakers and Roux had 2-25 on De Wilde, who sat up shortly afterwards, and 3-25 on the bunch.

By km 80, the gap for Bellemakers and Roux was over five minutes and still climbing, and it reached a maximum of 7-10 soon afterwards, at km 88, before Katusha and Lotto-Bellisol started to chase behind.

Shortly before Katusha and Bellisol began their pursuit, Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) attacked and began a lone chase of the two leaders that continued as the race passed its half way at km 97. With 84 kilometres left to race, Armee was at 3-35, with the bunch steadily regaining ground at 4-45. Thirty kilometres later at the summit of the Cote de Groyenne (53km to the finish), Armee was at 2-35 and the bunch, which had eased up chasing slightly, at 3-20.

Armee Surrenders-Andy Attacks

Around six kilometres further on, Armee sat up and was caught by the bunch, leaving the two race leaders, Bellemakers and Roux, out in front.
47 kilometres from the finish, just at the summti of the Cote de Bohisseau, Andy Schleck (RadioShack Nissan) launched a surprise attack with Dimitri Fofonov (Astana) and Yuri Trofimov (Katusha) on his wheel. However, it never gained more than 20 seconds and Schleck, seeing that the attack wouldn’t work, sat up.

With just 1-15 advantage when the race reached the foot of the Mur for a second time, the two long-term attackers Bellemakers and Roux, boldly kept going nonetheless. After the summit, Giovanni Visconti (Movistar Team) and Tom Slagter (Rabobank) launched a powerful counter attack, bridged across to Bellemakers and Roux around 18 kilometres from the finish but by km 178 the leading four were brought back - and a new race started.

An attack by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) and Lars-Petter Nordhaug (SKY ProCycling) on the short but steep Cote de Villers-le-Bouillet earned the duo an advantage of 12 seconds with three kilometres to go. Nordhaug and Hesjedal were still ahead as they went under the flamme rouge banner of the last kilometre, but after a brief attack by Nordhaug and a strong counter-move by Hesjedal, the duo were reeled in. At which point, Joaquim Rodríguez made his dramatic attack, 400 metres from the line...

ASO press release