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72rd La Flèche Wallonne - HIS
Belgium, April 22, 2009
Rebellin, genius of the Huy
By Gregor Brown in Huy, Belgium
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The gesture he made as he crossed the line for his third Flèche Wallonne title said it all: pointing to his head before pumping his fist exuberantly, Davide Rebellin demonstrated that he won not just with his legs, but by riding the smartest finale of the race.
"I knew I had to continue to finish off the great work by my team," said the 37-year-old Rebellin. "I thought I would have good feelings and I did, I won. It might just be be the best of my three wins."
The Mur de Huy's punishing 1300 metres favors those who can be patient and time their efforts to maximum effect. Silence-Lotto's Cadel Evans knows that now, after he led the field in pursuit of Frenchman David Le Lay (Agritubel) for the better part of a kilometre only to hit the wall at 200m to go. Le Lay will take note as his attack at the base of the climb was brilliantly strong, but ill-timed.
Rebellin, perfectly positioned in third behind Evans and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) bided his time as Le Lay was caught. He let Evans set a furious pace, then made his charge just as the Australian blew and easily sprinted to the victory ahead of Schleck. Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) slipped past Evans to claim third and fourth.
"I did not want to be too explosive right away, that is why at the bottom of the climb you saw Nicki Sørensen pulling," explained Schleck. "Cadel went too early and we were able to get on his wheel, at that point there was a lull in speed and I would have preferred it remained at a high speed."
Cunego found himself a bit too far back on the steepest part of the climb, but was pleased to have battled back to make the podium. "When we were at 500 metres it got really tough. Those who did not have the legs faded and those who had the legs fought. Through that tough S-turn at 300 metres, I lost a little bit of ground on Schleck and Rebellin. Amstel was a bit unlucky, but I am happy for today."
For his part, Evans was happy with his fifth place. "I didn't feel well at all today so I am quite surprised at the result," said Evans. He attacked at the côte de Bousalle with 22km to go, trying to set up his teammate Philippe Gilbert.
"Since I didn't feel well, I told the team that they shouldn't be riding for me and we would go for Gilbert today." Evans was then asked if the attack came too early and he should have saved his energy for the final climb up the Mur. "Funny, usually people tell me I don't attack..."
French-Japanese alliance
Frenchman Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) and Japanese Fumiyuki Beppu (Skil-Shimano) lit up the first part of the Flèche Wallonne. Under the drive of Moreau, the duo established a gap over the peloton at kilometre eight.
The duo's time advantage grew to 15:30 by the start of the first of three climbs of the Mur de Huy, kilometre 63.5. The peloton brought the duo to a reasonable 11:25 by the top of the second ascent of Huy, at kilometre 96.5.
Moreau, active from the start, said au revoir to Beppu, and led the race solo with 78 kilometres and eight climbs remaining. Lampre led the chase of the lone Frenchman: at 61 kilometres remaining the gap was 6:05 and 4:10 to Beppu.
Peloton arises
Chris Anker Sørensen (Saxo Bank) woke up the peloton with an attack at 43 kilometres remaining. He did not get free but he stretched out the group and opened up a series of counter-attacks.
Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC) forced clear a group of 17 at the top of the Côte de Bonneville. The move lasted to the base of the next climb, the Côte de Bohisseau, the eighth of 11 for the day.
Moreau's move ended at the top of the Bohisseau, 162.5 kilometres after he began and 25 kilometres left to race. The next action came on the Côte de Bousalle. Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) and Alexandr Kolobnev (Saxo Bank) hit the front near the top, and José Serpa (Diquigiovanni) too over. The Columbian led the race by 15 seconds over the Caisse d'Epargne-controlled peloton with 20 kilometres and two climbs to race.
The Spanish team reeled in Serpa, and Alexandre Botcharov (Katusha) stretched out the peloton on the Côte de Ahin. Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni) pulled it back and held a small lead with Gasparotto and Christian Pfannberger (Katusha) at the top.
The peloton, all together, braced itself for the Mur de Huy 8.7 kilometres later. Coming into the base of the climb, Nicki Sørensen (Saxo Bank) took the lead, but Le Lay came charging past in a dangerous-looking move which earned him a five second lead. But with Evans towing an elite group in pursuit, the Frenchman stood little chance of success.
Only Schleck and Rebellin could hold the wheel of the charging Australian, and when Evans faded, Rebellin pounced to nab the victory for the third time in his career.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Gregor Brown/Cyclingnews.com
- Charleroi welcomes the Flèche Wallonne.
- Fumiyuki Beppu (Skil-Shimano) early to the Flèche Wallonne start and early to attack.
- Frenchman Christophe Moreau (Agritubel)
- Amstel Gold winner Serguei Ivanov (Katusha)
- Davide Rebellin and Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni)
- 2008 winner Kim Kirchen (Columbia-Highroad)
- Maxim Iglinsky (Astana)
- Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto)
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC)
Images by AFP
- Japanese Fumiyuki Beppu (Skil-Shimano)
- Japanese Fumiyuki Beppu (Skil-Shimano) and Frenchman Christophe Moreau (Agritubel)
- Men's peloton
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) competes going up the Huy.
- The pack races uphill on the Huy.
- Italian Davide Rebellin of Serramenti Diquigiovanni celebrates as he crosses the finish line with a win.
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) eyes his trophy from his place on the podium.
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) wins after riding a smart race.
- It's a good day for Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni).
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) heads to the finish line.
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) on the podium.
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) kisses his trophy on the podium.
Images by Sirotti/www.sirotti.it
- Charleroi turned on sunny skies for the 73rd Flèche Wallonne.
- A couple of likely lads... Axel Merckx (l) speaks with Tour boss Christian Prudhomme in Charleroi.
- A couple of amigos on the road. Spanish riders Oscar Freire (l) and Alejandro Valverde.
- 'What's the plan, boys?' Valverde consults Oscar Pereiro (c) and Joaquin Rodriguez (l)
- Christophe Moreau (l) and Fumiyuki Beppu hit out early and went on the attack.
- A Franco-Japanese alliance was struck after eight kilometres.
- Agritubel's Christophe Moreau made the early running.
- Andy Schleck sees the lighter side of racing mid-week with three ascents of a tough climb to come.
- And that climb is the Mur de Huy.
- And that's what it looks like with a peloton on it.
- There's no respite on the Mur de Huy.
- And nowhere to hide in the bunch in order to avoid the pain.
- Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde negotiates his way through the bunch.
- Davide Rebellin (l) and Michele Scarponi looked out for each other throughout the race.
- Cadel Evans was one of the men to watch and finished the day in fifth.
- Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre) turns on the attack switch after the feed zone.
- Katusha's Christian Pfannberger also had a go and takes Michele Scarponi with him.
- Damiano Cunego finishes in third... for the second year running.
- Not quite, again. Cunego reflects on the opportunity lost on the podium.
Images by ISPA/www.ispaphoto.be
- Last year's winner Kim Kirchen (Columbia-Highroad) wasn't on great form today.
- The peloton waits to pounce on the Huy on the first lap.
- Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) and Fumi Beppu (Skil-Shimano) made up the day's long breakaway.
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti Diquigiovanni) takes the victory in Huy for the third time in his career.
- Win number three for Davide Rebellin.
- Davide Rebellin comes past Andy Schleck as Cadel Evans fades.
- Davide Rebellin makes his winning move with 200m to go.
- Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) seemed content with seventh.
- Clement Lhotellerie (Vacansoleil) put in a good performance.
- Ben Hermans (Topsport Vlaanderen)
- Fabian Wegmann (Milram) gasps for air as he climbs the Mur.
- Maxime Monfort (Columbia-Highroad) on the Mur de Huy.
- Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Silence-Lotto) feels the pain of the Mur.
- Spaniards Oscar Freire and Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank)
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti-PVC Diquigiovanni) loves his latest trophy even if it only has five speed.
- The podium in Huy (l-r): Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Davide Rebellin (Serramenti) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre)
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) sitting in waiting for the finish.
- Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) said he wasn't feeling well, but still came in fifth.
Results
1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 4.42.15 (41.56 km/h) 2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0.02 3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 4 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.07 5 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 6 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad 7 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.11 8 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 9 Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad 10 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0.15 11 Clément Lhotellerie (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0.18 12 David Lelay (Fra) Agritubel 0.21 13 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha 14 Ben Hermans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 15 Chris Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 16 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step 0.24 17 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 0.26 18 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 19 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 20 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Française Des Jeux 21 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank 0.29 22 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step 0.32 23 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Barloworld 24 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 25 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Slipstream 0.34 26 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0.36 27 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana 28 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 0.39 29 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 30 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 31 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 32 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 0.43 33 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 34 Christopher Froome (GBr) Barloworld 35 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto 0.48 36 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0.51 37 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 38 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Silence-Lotto 0.54 39 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha 40 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia - Highroad 41 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-Shimano 42 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0.57 43 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana 1.03 44 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - Highroad 45 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux 1.07 46 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux 1.09 47 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux 1.12 48 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence-Lotto 1.13 49 Francis De Greef (Bel) Silence-Lotto 50 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank 51 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 1.16 52 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Team Katusha 53 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 54 Alberto Losada (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 1.21 55 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 56 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Slipstream 1.24 57 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank 58 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 59 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 60 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 61 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne 62 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 63 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 64 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 65 Luca Solari (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 66 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Team Katusha 67 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad 68 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 69 Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 70 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 71 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano 72 Daniel Fleeman (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 73 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 74 Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 75 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil-Shimano 76 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank 77 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 78 Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 79 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Team Katusha 80 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 81 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas 82 Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 83 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram 84 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha 85 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 86 Jason Donald (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 87 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 88 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Agritubel 89 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 90 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 91 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 92 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram 93 Nikita Eskov (Rus) Team Katusha 94 Steven Cummings (GBr) Barloworld 95 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 96 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 97 Jose Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 98 Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 99 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 100 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 101 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 102 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 103 Ruben Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 104 Edward King (USA) Cervelo Test Team 105 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 106 Alan Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 107 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana 108 Lucas Euser (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 109 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team 110 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 111 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step 112 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 113 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team 114 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 115 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 116 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 117 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step 118 Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team 119 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 120 Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil-Shimano 121 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 122 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 123 Cyril Gautier (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 124 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Silence-Lotto 125 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 126 Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 127 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 128 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Liquigas 129 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana 130 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana 131 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld 132 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 133 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 134 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence-Lotto 135 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 136 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank 137 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel 138 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux 139 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Agritubel 140 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha 141 Juan Jose Oroz (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 142 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 143 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 144 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia - Highroad 145 Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 146 Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 147 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin - Slipstream 148 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 149 Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 150 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 151 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Française Des Jeux 152 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 153 Benjamin Gourgue (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 154 Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux 155 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne 156 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld 157 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas 158 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas DNF Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence-Lotto DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas DNF Rui Da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Barloworld DNF Marco Corti (Ita) Barloworld DNF José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Jonathan Bertrand (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Kevin Neirynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi DNF Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step DNF Jesus Hernandez (Spa) Astana DNF Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Astana DNF Benjamin Noval (Spa) Astana DNF Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française Des Jeux DNF Ronny Scholz (Ger) Team Milram DNF Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram DNF Peter Wrolich (Aut) Team Milram DNF Rémi Cusin (Fra) Agritubel DNF Yann Huguet (Fra) Agritubel DNF Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel DNF Marcel Wyss (Swi) Cervelo Test Team DNF Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne DNF Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne DNF Lasse Bochmann (Den) Team Saxo Bank DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Skil-Shimano DNF Theo Eltink (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Tom Criel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
