Ardennes Classics 2008 Review
Teams CSC Lampre and Caisse d'Epargne Taste Success in Belgium
Suite101 lakes a look back at the final three major races of the Spring Classic Season including the Amstel Gold Race and Fleche-Wallonne
With the first four races of the Spring Classics season behind them, in late April cycling's professional peloton moved on to the Ardennes region of Belgium for a further three races. Suite 101 takes a look at what happened in the final three, all important, one-day spring classic races.
Amstel Gold Race
1st Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre
2nd Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC
3rd Alejandre Valverde (SPA) Caisse d'Epargne
A week on from the Hell of the North and it was the Amstel Gold Race. The decisive move in this race was made with four of the 31 climbs still to go when Kim Kirchen of team High Road went clear and the resulting chase blew the race apart.
The lead group including Frank Schleck, Alejandre Valverde, Damiano Cunego, Davide Rebellin and Thomas Dekker were together on the final climb of the Cauberg. At the finish Schleck went clear only for Cunego to follow his wheel and sprint clear less than 100 metres from the finish to take victory in his first attempt at the race.
After the race Cunego said: I'm on form, I showed that in the Basque Country but I think I won because I'm more relaxed in the way I approach races and because I've really started to believe in my ability...now we'll see what happens in Fleche-Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Wednesday and Sunday. Winning is a great way to start the week.” (1)
La Flèche Wallonne
1st Kim Kirchen (LUX) Team High Road
2nd Cadel Evans (AUS) Silence - Lotto
3rd Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre
Kim Kirchen became the first rider from Luxembourg to taste victory in this mid-week Ardennes classic taking victory by attacking on the final steep climb of the Mur de Hey. Kirchen managed to edge past Australian Cadel Evans with less than 300 metres to go.
The race was blighted by wet conditions making the descents particularly dangerous - a fact not lost CSC's Gustav Larsson who, whilst in the leading group of three, lost his front wheel on the descent of the Cote de Ben-Ahin and crashed just 6 kilometres from the finish.
At the finish Kirchen said "I keep on winning in the rain. I'd like to win in the sunshine for a change.”(2)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
1st Alejandre Valverde (SPA) Caisse d'Epargne
2nd Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner
3rd Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC
Spain's Alejandre Valverde added to his already impressive record in this race,- he was the winner in 2006 and runner up in 2007 - by taking victory in the race known as La Doyenne (the old lady).
In stark contrast to the weather that had greeted the peloton during Fleche - Wallonne, the sun shone down as the decisive break of four riders went away less than 20 kilometres from the finish. Team CSC comprised half of this breakaway with the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank in a great position.
However, Andy ultimately could not keep up with the pace falling back in the final few kilometres. The three remaining riders stayed together until the end when Valverde held his nerve winning the sprint to the line.
Summing up his race Valverde said: "The fact that victory here wasn't one of my aims and that I wasn't a big favourite took some of the pressure of me."(3)
Grand Tours Beckon
So, with the season's first Grand Tour just around the corner the teams now turn their attention from the classic one day races to stage racing. Over the course of the seven Spring classic races both Quick Step – two victories / one podium - and CSC – one victory / three podiums - were impressive. They will now be hoping that they can build on their respective success over the next few months.
Sources:
(1) "Cunego Wins Amstel Gold" 20th April 2008
(2) "Kirchen takes the High Road at Fleche Wallonne" 23rd April 2008
(3) "Valverde wins Liege" 28th April 2008
