Rodriquez Wins Fleche Wallonne

Last updated : 18 April 2012 By Kev Monks

Katusha's Joaquin Rodriquez won the Fleche Wallonne.

The latest in the Ardennes Classics was a 194km race from Charleroi to Huy  in wind and rain.

Daniele Ratto (Liquigas) and Mads Christiensen (Saxo Bank) broke early before a crash after 29kms split the filed.  Rigobert Uran of Sky, Martin Velits (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Jure Kocjan of Team Type 1 who all involved all were forced to abandon the race which was won last year by Philippe Gilbert.

The two escapers had been caught when there was another crash involving  Gaeten Bille and Jurgen Van De Walle, who abandoned.

FDJ'S Anthony Roux and Landbouwkrediet's Dirk Bellemakers took to the front and had built a gap of 3:20 as they went over the Huy.

Armee tried to bridge the gap to the front two who were 2.50 ahead of him and 4.50 ahead of the peloton when they went over the Côte de Haut-Bois with 70kms to go.

For Dirk Bellemakers, this was a profitable race as by being allowed to be first over the climbs by Roux, he was picking up 250 euros a time and had done enough to win the 2000 euros prize for the KOM classification.

He took the Côte de Groynne with 50kms to go before Andy Schleck went on the attack to try and bring back the front two after Armee was caught.

With 31kms to go, the riders went up the Mur de Huy for the second time of three times. This is a climb which gets steeper and steeper with tight corners and switchbacks which has a maximum percentage of 25% and Bellemakers took that climb to make it seven out of the ten climbs.

The gap was now down to thirty seconds before Schleck was caught by the peloton and Costa, Trofimov and Rojas set off in pursuit of the front two who were only 14 seconds ahead with 25kms to go.

The race was all back together with 13kms left and as they reached the bottom of the Mur De Huy, it was anyone's race.

Team Sky's Lars Nordhaug, and Ryder Hesjedal from Garmin shot off as Philippe Gilbert (pictured below) got to the front of the peloton with 5kms left.

They had a twelve seconds lead on roads made slippery by a shower, leading up the the finish on the Huy.

The Canadian Hesjedal kicked  again as Nordhaug was swallowed up. Joaquin Rodriquez went away with Gilbert in chase and won in a 4:45;40.

Michael Albasini was second with Gilbert third. Ireland's Daniel Martin was sixth.

The riders now move on to Liege for the Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM