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Racing This Week: Flèche, Liège wrap up classics season

by Andrew Hood

• April 20, 2009
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By Andrew Hood

2008 Fleche-Wallonne: Kim Kirchen outlasted Cadel Evans

Photo: Agence France Presse

The Ardennes classics at Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastone-Liège dominate the European racing calendar this week.

Race organizers wisely get out of the way and let these two behemoths take center stage in an exciting finale to the spring classics season.

In Italy, the Giro del Trentino serves as a preview of who’s on form for the upcoming Giro d’Italia while the women’s World Cup continues with the Flèche Wallonne Féminine on Wednesday.

Wednesday, April 22

73rd Flèche Wallonne (Bel, HC)

La Flèche Wallonne (the Walloon Arrow) is closely linked to Liège-Bastogne-Liège, forming an exciting double-header of racing across the hilly Ardennes region of eastern Belgium.

The course distance and route has changed over the years, but since the 1980s has settled into its present form, with the infamous Mur de Huy playing a central role.

The course starts in nearby Charleroi and loops over the Ardennes hills in two circuits, tackling the infamous 25-percent grades of the “wall of Huy” no less than three times.

The finish is atop the third and final passage of the mur (less than one mile long with an average grade of 9.3 percent), providing one of the most explosive finales in cycling.

Riders winning Flèche are heavily favored for Liège, but only six riders in history have pulled the Ardennes double by winning both races in the same year.

Ferdi Kubler was the first, winning back-to-back doubles (1951-52), with Stan Ockers next in 1955. Eddy Merckx, who won Flèche three times, pulled off the double in 1972.

Moreno Argentin was the lone rider to achieve it for the next 20 years, in 1991. Davide Rebellin did it in 2004 as part of his unequaled sweep that also included Amstel Gold Race. Alejandro Valverde was the last to do it in 2006.

Web: http://www.letour.fr/indexFWH_us.html

La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (Bel, WC)
The fourth leg of the 2009 World Cup series continues with La Flèche Wallonne Féminine. The race is held in conjunction with the men’s race, but the women don’t complete the larger circuit.

Dutch flier Marianne Vos has owned the mur, winning the past two editions. Nicole Cooke won three of four years during 2003-06.

Emma Johannson leads the World Cup rankings after three events, but Vos is poised in second. Germany’s Ina Teutenberg is slotted into third.

Web: http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI5/layout.asp?MenuId=MjIxMg&LangId=1

Wednesday to Saturday, April 22-25

33rd Giro del Trentino (Ita, 2.1)
If the Dauphiné Libéré has morphed into a favored Tour de France warm-up, then the same could be said for the four-day Giro del Trentino, which serves as a tune-up for the Italian national tour

Held in the mountainous Alto Adige region of northern Italy, the endless series of climbs sprinkled over the week provide an excellent litmus test of who’s on form ahead of the Giro d’Italia.

In fact, Giro winners to come out victorious from Trentino include Gilberto Simoni (2003) and Damiano Cunego (2004).

This year’s course opens with a 17.5km mostly flat, but technically challenging course near Lago di Garda. Things will be even more settled in the 141km second stage finishing atop the summit finish at the Alpe di Pampeago (7.7km at 9.9 percent).

Stage 3 dips into Austria with a hilltop finish at Innervillgraten. But nothing will be decided until Saturday’s finale in the 214km finishing with another hilltop finish at Pejo Fonti.

All eyes will be on Ivan Basso (Liquigas), who will be looking to prove to everyone he’s ready to challenge for the maglia rosa next month after serving his 18-month racing ban.

Three-time winner Cunego isn’t on preliminary start lists, but others to watch include Andreas Klöden (Astana), Danilo Di Luca (LPR), Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone), Simoni, Juan Mauricio Soler (Barloworld) and Ezequiel Mosquera from Giro-bound Xacobeo Galicia.

Web: http://www.girodeltrentino.com/

Sunday, April 26

49th Vuelta Ciclista a Rioja (Spa, 1.1)
Economic woes in Spain have forced organizers to reduce the formerly three-day Rioja tour into a one-day race around the famous wine-growing region.

Rather than risk not having any race at all, organizers opted to downsize in 2009 with hopes of reviving the stage-race format next season.

This year, the course still takes in much of the rugged beauty of this small but fruitful province of northern Spain, known for its famous wines and great cycling terrain.

The 218.7km course will deliver a worthy challenge to a mix of Spanish teams making the trek. The loop, starting and finishing in the regional capital of Logroño, features three rated climbs, but there are plenty of undulations to make things exciting.

The Cat. 1 Alto de Herrera with 55km to go is likely produce the day’s main action, but the Cat. 3 Alto de Bernedo with 24km is sure to light the fire under the attackers looking to fend off a sprint finish.

Web: http://www.vueltaciclistalarioja.com/

95th Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Bel, HC)
Cycling’s grand dame, Liège-Bastogne-Liège is one of the sport’s oldest and most prestigious events, rightfully earning its title as “la doyenne.”

Considered the last of the major spring classics, Liège is one of cycling’s five monuments and ranks as one of the most important races in cycling.

The first edition was held in 1892, but the race didn’t really gain traction until after World War I, when cycling exploded in popularity in Belgium. At one point, Liège and the shorter Flèche Wallonne were held on successive days to create Le Weekend Ardennais.

Run over the hilly Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, Liège is in sharp contrast to the flatter cobblestoned classics of western Belgian not only in topography, but in language (French vs. Flemish) and culture as well (Wallonne vs. Flanders).

The hilly parcours and long distance at 261km makes Liège one of the most physically challenging of the one-day classics, drawing some GC riders such as the likes of Ivan Basso and Carlos Sastre who typically stick to stage racing.

The 18 rated hills, or côtes, provide a stiff challenge. Short, but steep, the endless string of climbs, especially in the closing 100km of racing, provide an appropriate backdrop for some of the most exciting attacks of the season.

Typically, an early breakaway will form on the road south toward the turnaround point at Bastogne, site of bitter fighting during World War II.

The major players typically save their matches for the decisive climbs late in the race. The Côte de la Redoute — a rather innocuous slice of asphalt alongside an interstate at 1.7km long with ramps as steep as 17 percent — has become the launching pad for numerous victories.

Last year’s inclusion of a new climb at Roche aux Faucons (Falcon’s Rock) at 241km proved decisive, with the winning four-man breakaway pulling clear. Typically, nothing’s decided until the Cote de Saint-Nicolas and the final charge up to the finish line in Ans (a suburb just outside the city boundaries of Liège).

There will be no shortage of favorites for the big show on Sunday.

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) has won two of the past three editions, but the Green Bullet wasn’t at his best in Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race.

Former winner Davide Rebellin (Diquigiovanni) will be keen to make a strong showing in what’s likely his final Liège, while other Italians to watch include Franco Pellizotti and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre).

Saxo Bank’s Frank Schleck is unsure to start following his high-speed fall in Amstel Gold Race, but younger brother Andy Schleck almost rode away with the title last year.

Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) is always reliable and brings strong teammates Philippe Gilbert and Thomas Dekker to play more options. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Nicholas Roche (Ag2r) and Simon Gerrans (Cervélo) will likely be in the thick of the action.

Garmin-Slipstream and Columbia-Highroad both bring competitive squads that will line up playing the outsider roles and should be able to exploit openings from the favored teams expected to carry the responsibility of the race.

Web: http://www.letour.fr/2009/LBL/COURSE/us/index.html