La Flèche Wallonne 2012 [FULL RACE]

April 18, 2012

La Flèche Wallonne 2012 – Charleroi – Huy : 194 km

Among the 198 riders from the 25 teams taking part in the 2012 Fleche Wallonne, the names on start sheet that catch the eye as pre-race favourites are fundamentally the same as those who ended up in the finale of last Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race. Though there are a couple of significant absences. There’s no Peter Sagan for Liquigas and Europcar’s Thomas Voeckler has decided to spend some time at home before returning for Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday. Sammy Sanchez is allowing Euskaltel’s lesser lights at a chance to show off their climbing chops and Simon Gerrans (20th in Holland) is giving the Fleche Wallonne a miss. In total, out of the top 20 in the Amstel Gold race, five riders are missing from the Fleche Wallonne start list. The fifth missing man is Elia Favilli of Farnese Vini, whose team was not invited to ride by the race organisers, ASO. And Damiano Cunego (Lampre), unlucky to be caught up in a crash in the final meters of the Dutch race, is also sitting this one out. In addition, with Cadel Evans deciding that his form and his health weren’t worth risking in the Fleche Wallonne (or Liege-Bastogne-Liege), it means that his BMC teammate, Philippe Gilbert will, more than ever, be leading the line in the 2012 Fleche Wallonne. The Belgian will be depending on Greg van Avermaet, who did such a sterling job in the finale of the Amstel Gold Race to do the same job again, while Tejay Van Garderen will also have his workload increased.

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) stormed up the Mur de Huy to claim the victory at the 76th La Flèche Wallonne, overcoming wet and windy conditions to prevail in the middle race of the three Ardennes Classics.

Rodriguez, who had finished second in the previous two years, was part of a large chasing group that engulfed breakaway leaders Lars Petter Nordhaug (Team Sky) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) on the final gruelling climb, and the Spaniard held off the challenge of Michael Albasini (GreenEdge) and defending champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) for what was in the end a commanding victory.

Rodriguez was overcome with emotion after crossing the winning line, having erased the pain of 2010 and 2011 by finally getting his hands on the prize. He becomes the third Spaniard to win the race in the last ten years, following wins by Igor Astarloa (2003) and Alejandro Valverde (2006).

“It’s the best and most incredible victory of my whole career,” Rodriguez said. “Today is definitely one of the best days of my life. I’ve always been in love with these Classic races, and a victory in these competitions has always been one of my main goals: finally, after many good results, I managed to win.

“Obviously I have to thank my teammates: all of them did a great job from the beginning to the end. It’s true that Mur de Huy was a more suitable final part to my characteristics than Cauberg, but I have to admit it was really hard: it looked like an easy victory, but I did a strong effort in order to defeat my rivals.

“Now I can get ready for Liege-Bastogne-Liege with high motivations. I don’t think this victory will change anything, I’m not the only forerunner, there are many strong riders with chances to win. Everything changed from the Amstel Gold Race to Fleche Wallonne and everything can change on Sunday too. So we have to pay a lot of attention and work at our best if we want to take this legendary double”.

It never looked like the fanatical home fans were going to celebrating a local winner, though the supporters in the Ardennes will have been encouraged by Gilbert’s performance. He has failed to fully live up to expectations in the colours of his new team so far this season, but a sixth place in the Amstel Gold Race last Sunday followed by his podium finish here suggests that he is slowly edging towards his best form.

“I’ve come from a long way down, so I am satisfied to be back at this level,” Gilbert said. “Being on the podium is nice, but most important is a victory. Today, Rodriguez was the deserving winner.”

Wild weather in Wallonie

Wind and rain greeted the riders at the start of the 194km race in Charleroi, further dampening the spirits of the supporters who were disappointed by the withdrawals of 2010 winner Cadel Evans (BMC), Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar). But with the race underway the Belgians’ indomitable passion for professional road cycling took over, the atmosphere building with each passing kilometre.

An early breakaway saw Daniele Ratto (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Mads Christiensen (Saxo Bank) take 12 seconds out of the field, before a crash split the chasing peloton into two groups. The first group of chasers, led by Katusha, caught up and it was left to Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet) to make the next significant move, 55km into the race.

Bellemakers was soon joined by Anthony Roux (FDJ-Big Mat) and the two men worked tirelessly to build up a yawning gap of 2:25 from Sjef De Wilde (Accent.Jobs-Willems Verandas) as they passed over the Mur de Huy for the first time in worsening rain. The first main chasing pack, led by Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan), were roughly a further minute behind as the riders hurtled towards the halfway point.

With De Wilde unable to maintain his solo chase, the gap between the two leaders and the initial pack stretched to just under eight minutes at its peak, before Katusha and Lotto-Belisol traded turns on the front end to begin reducing the deficit. Sander Armee’s brave bid to bridge the gap on his own eventually ended in a stalemate, with the Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator rider unable to get any nearer that 2:40 down as Bellemakers and Roux closed in on the final crucial 50km.

With 40km to go Andy Schleck launched an attack from the main chasing pack, as the riders approached the Mur for the second time. The deficit between the leaders and the chasing pack was halved on the Mur second time round, offering further evidence of that its final ascent in the finale would probably prove decisive. With 30km left the pack caught the breakaway and the final phase of the race was set to play itself out.

Just as Robinson Chalapud (Colombia-Coldportes) suffered a horrific-looking crash, landing face-down on the tarmac, Tom Slagter (Rabobank) and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) broke clear, building up a 14-second advantage. The closer the riders got to the final climb of the Mur, the heavier the rain came down, and as Frank Schleck suffered a puncture at a critical stage, Hesjedal and Nordhaug made their move, attacking with 7.5km to go.

It took the chasing pack what seemed like an eternity to close them down, but eventually the final 1km climb up the Mur – a gradient of 20-25% in places – drained the strength from the legs of the breakaway duo as the walls caved in around them. Rodriguez pounced, taking 15 metres out of the chasing pack in a show of rare power. His decisive burst left him clear and gave him time to acknowledge the crowd as he crossed the line for a well deserved victory that has been a long time coming.

Results :
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 4:45:41
2 Michael Albasini (Swi) GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:00:04
3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
4 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
5 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team 0:00:07
6 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Barracuda 0:00:09
7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
9 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
10 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:00:11
11 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
12 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
13 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
14 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling
15 Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
16 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
17 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
18 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 0:00:18
19 Julien Simon (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
20 Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan
21 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Barracuda
22 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:23
23 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
24 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 0:00:26
25 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos – Shimano
26 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Barracuda
27 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:00:29
28 Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:00:31
29 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
30 Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
31 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Barracuda
32 Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes
33 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
34 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD
35 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD
36 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
37 Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 0:00:37
38 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
39 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
40 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
41 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:00:43
42 Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan
43 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:47
44 Peio Bilbao (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
45 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:51
46 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
47 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
48 Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo Bank
49 Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
50 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team 0:00:58
51 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel – Euskadi
52 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
53 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:01:02
54 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
55 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 0:01:05
56 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:09
57 Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos – Shimano
58 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
59 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling 0:01:13
60 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:01:19
61 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:01:23
62 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:01:24
63 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:27
64 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:30
65 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:01:34
66 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
67 Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:01:48
68 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
69 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
70 Simon Clarke (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:01:55
71 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Barracuda 0:01:57
72 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
73 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
74 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
75 Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
76 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
77 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
78 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:02:10
79 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:02:13
80 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:02:20
81 Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 0:02:25
82 Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
83 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha Team 0:02:28
84 Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:02:35
85 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 0:02:37
86 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:02:39
87 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team
88 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team
89 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
90 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:03:10
91 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:26
92 Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:03:28
93 Federico Canuti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:55
94 Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
95 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin – Barracuda 0:04:07
96 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
97 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:04:32
98 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos – Shimano
99 Christian Meier (Can) GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:04:39
100 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos – Shimano 0:05:04
101 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos – Shimano
102 Jorge Azanza Soto (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
103 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:05:20
104 Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Barracuda 0:05:39
105 Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:05:49
106 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:07:06
107 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo Bank 0:07:50
108 Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
109 Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:08:09
110 Wilson Alexander Marentes Torres (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes 0:09:29
111 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s 0:09:31
112 Jeffry Johan Romero Corredor (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes 0:09:36
113 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
114 Laurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 0:09:39
115 Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:09:41
116 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:09:46
117 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:09:50
118 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky Procycling
119 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:09:57
120 Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team
121 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
122 David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
123 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Argos – Shimano
124 Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
125 Travis Meyer (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team
126 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre – ISD
127 Johan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes
128 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD
129 Stefano Agostini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
130 Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Barracuda
131 Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team
132 Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
133 David Lelay (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
134 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
135 Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
136 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos – Shimano
137 Reinier Honig (Ned) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:10:04
138 Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:10:17
139 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 0:10:24
140 Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:11:02
141 Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:11:10
142 Gilles Devillers (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony 0:11:17
143 Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 0:12:27
DNF Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team
DNF Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team
DNF Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
DNF Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling
DNF Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling
DNF Daryl Impey (RSA) GreenEdge Cycling Team
DNF Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team
DNF Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
DNF Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
DNF Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) Lampre – ISD
DNF Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre – ISD
DNF Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Daniele Colli (Ita) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro Team
DNF Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Argos – Shimano
DNF Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
DNF Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
DNF Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
DNF Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Sjef De Wilde (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Kevin Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Troels Ronning Vinther (Den) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Robinson Eduardo Chalapud Gomez (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes
DNF Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes
DNF Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) Colombia – Coldeportes