Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2012 [FULL RACE]

April 22, 2012

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2012 – Liège – Ans : 257,5 km

The oldest classic of them all dates back to 1892, with the first professional race coming two years later. Liege-Bastogne-Liege is regularly identified in cycling circles as being the toughest classic of the lot due to its climbs, which are consistently longer than the other races and many of them coming in the second half of the race. The race has been won by some all time greats of the sport, with Bernard Hinault’s victory in 1980, when it snowed throughout, standing out. Liege-Bastogne-Liege is a thorough test of stamina and tactical prowess and victory here is a highlight of any cyclist’s career. This year’s race promises to be an intriguing one. Philippe Gilbert is the defending champion but two-time winner Alejandro Valverde is now back from suspension and cannot be ruled out after an impressive start to the season.

Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana) attacked out of a small chasing group to catch Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) within sight of the flamme rouge and take the win in the 2012 Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Nibali had jumped from the field on the penultimate climb and tried to solo in the last 20km, but the Kazakh gave chase to claim his first Classic win.

Nibali exhaustedly crossed the finish line 20 seconds later, and Iglinskiy’s teammate Enrico Gasparatto was third, winning the chase group’s sprint. Last year’s winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC), who had long been part of that group, relaxed when he realized he had no chance and rolled easily over the line in 16th place.

This race is often decided on La Redoute, but this year the action waited until the Cote de La Roche aux Faucons, with 20km to go. La Redoute had indeed reduced the field, and from there, BMC put up a furious pace around defending champion Gilbert. They caught and passed the remnants of the day’s escape group. But at the top of the climb, it was Nibali at the head of things, and he took off alone on the descent, only to be caught again at the last minute.

At the start in chilly Liège, 200 riders left the Saint-Lambert Square while the sun was peeping through the dark clouds. Even before the official departure, outsider Igor Anton (Euskaltel-Euskadi) hit the deck and broke his collarbone.

In almost every Spring Classic this year, the early breakaway only got away after the first hour of racing and La Doyenne was no different. Despite several earlier attempts, it took an hour before three riders escaped after 40km of racing: Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma – Quick Step), Simon Geschke (Argos-Shimano) and Kevin Ista (Accent Jobs – Veranda’s Willems),and they were soon joined by Reiner Honig (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Grégory Habeaux (Accent Jobs – Veranda’s Willems) and Alessandro Bazzana (Team Type 1 – Sanofi). By that time, the gap had skyrocketed to more than 12 minutes. That was the signal for the Katusha team of top favorite Joaquím Rodriguez to start working.

In Bastogne – at the turning point – rain showers tortured the riders when they reached the feed zone. From there, the gap dropped from 12 minutes to seven minutes after the second climb of the day, the Côte de Saint-Roch. The average speed dropped back to 38km/h while Katusha kept the gap at around seven minutes in the long zone before the third climb of the day, the Côte de Wanne. The peloton started getting restless while several riders were beginning to feel the pain of the demanding Ardennes course, getting dropped on the Wanne. The gap was down to just over five minutes after this climb.

Just before hitting the Cote de Stockeu, the front group lost Geschke in a crash and while in the peloton, favorite Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) ran into problems as well. The gap dropped to under three minutes on the long, demanding climbs. On the Levée , Pierre Rolland (Europcar) attacked, accompanied by Vasil Kiryienka (Europcar) and David Le Lay (Saur-Sojasun). They caught the five remaining leaders by the 4km long climb up the Col du Rosier. The peloton, led by BMC and Lotto Belisol, trailed the front of the race by one and a half minutes while riding in and out of rain showers.

The fast pace set by the newcomers in the break resulted in several dropped riders, but the gap back to the peloton remained above one minute. The rain continued to come down, and the riders packed themselves in dry, warm clothes. Cataldo, Bazzana, Rolland, Lelay and Kiryienka held on to a fairly consistent 1:30 lead for a while. Mads Christensen (Saxo Bank) jumped from the field but never got far away, as the looming La Redoute dominated things, with the teams bringing their captains early into position.

The fearsome climb tore the lead group apart, and behind them, the peloton gobbled up Christensen. Both Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) had technical problems on the climb, throwing them back, while Gilbert rode easily at the head of the field. While the chasing peloton got noticeably smaller, there was no real decisive move made.

Kiryienka and Rolland came over the top with about a 45-second lead, with Cataldo chasing them and struggling to catch up and hang on. He finally made it to the other two.

BMC kept the pace high, high enough that splits started appearing in the long, strung-out peloton. With only 25km to go, the gap had fallen to under 30 seconds. With 21km to go, the leaders hit the penultimate climb, the Cote de La Roche aux Faucons, with only a 14-second lead, with BMC still leading the chase. Fränk Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) couldn’t hold the pace and fell off the back of the field.

Kiryienka was finally alone in the lead, but was caught by a small high-powered group including Nibali and Gilbert. Rodriguez found himself struggling, as the field tore apart on the high-speed climb.

Nibali stayed at the head of things as they crested the climb, and he took off on the descent, hoping to pick up enough of a gap on the remaining 19km to avoid a sprint at the finish. The chase groups, consisting of Gilbert, Gasparotto, Iglinskiy, Sanchez, Rodriguez, Kiserlovski, Mollema, Rolland, Voeckler, Scarponi, Van Den Broeck, Nocentini, Hesjedal, Martin, and Vanendert, were very fluid, with multiple attacks, and very little cooperation or co-ordination.

Nibali was able to take 22 seconds into the final 15km, with Iglinskiy and Rodriguez closest behind him. The Liquigas rider turned on the speed, and with 10km to go, had built his gap up to 39 seconds.

Martin and Rolland were the next to attack out of the Gilbert group, but Nibali had found his rhythm and kept pulling away. He went alone and perhaps not quite so easily up the final climb of the Cote de Saint Nicolas, but maintained his lead. Iglinskiy was surprisingly able to drop Rodriguez on the steep climb, and behind them, Gilbert had difficulties as well.

Iglinskiy crossed the top 46 seconds down on Nibali, but doggedly gave chase, getting closer and closer. The tiring Italian was unable to give any more and virtually within sight of the flamme rouge, he was caught and passed by the Astana rider.

Iglinskiy powered his way up the closing climb, extending his lead and crossing the finish line 20 seconds ahead of the exhausted Nibali. Gasparotto won the sprint of the chase group to claim another podium place for Astana.

Results :
1 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 6:43:52
2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:21
3 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:36
4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
5 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Barracuda
6 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
7 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
9 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Barracuda
10 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
11 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
12 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
13 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
14 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team
15 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 0:01:00
16 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:01:27
17 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 0:02:11
18 Julien Simon (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
19 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
20 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling
21 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
22 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
23 Frank Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
24 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha Team
25 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank
26 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
27 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan
28 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
29 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling
30 Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
31 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
32 Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha Team
33 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
34 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
35 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre – ISD
36 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling
37 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:02:19
38 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:05:05
39 Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
40 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team 0:05:27
41 Rémi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
42 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:39
43 Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
44 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale
45 Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
46 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
47 Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Barracuda
48 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Barracuda
49 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
50 Andy Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
51 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
52 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Barracuda
53 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano
54 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin – Barracuda
55 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
56 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
57 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
58 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan
59 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
60 Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
61 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
62 Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
63 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
64 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
65 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 0:05:45
66 Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet 0:07:29
67 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
68 Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet 0:08:22
69 Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
70 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
71 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar 0:08:28
72 David Lelay (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:08:30
73 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:08:54
74 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD
75 Michael Albasini (Swi) Greenedge Cycling Team
76 Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
77 Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
78 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
79 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 0:11:04
80 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
81 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:12:18
82 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
83 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
84 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
85 Kevin Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
86 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
87 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
88 Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
89 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
90 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
91 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-Shimano
92 Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo Bank
93 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano
94 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
95 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
96 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel – Euskadi
97 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
98 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team
99 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
100 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky Procycling
101 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
102 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
103 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro Team
104 Christian Meier (Can) Greenedge Cycling Team
105 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
106 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
107 Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD
108 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
109 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
110 Daryl Impey (RSA) Greenedge Cycling Team 0:12:50
111 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:12:54
112 Simon Clarke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team 0:14:31
113 Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNQ Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
DNQ Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team
DNQ Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
DNQ Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNQ Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team
DNF Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
DNF Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF Christopher Horner (USA) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF Jens Voigt (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Matt Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team
DNF Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team
DNF Stefano Agostini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF Federico Canuti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
DNF Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling
DNF Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling
DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF Travis Meyer (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Jorge Azanza Soto (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
DNF Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
DNF Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
DNF Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur – Sojasun
DNF Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Franck Bouyer (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Anthony Charteau (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar
DNF Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD
DNF Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre – ISD
DNF Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
DNF Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Argos-Shimano
DNF Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano
DNF Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Argos-Shimano
DNF Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano
DNF Yann Huguet (Fra) Argos-Shimano
DNF Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Barracuda
DNF Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Barracuda
DNF Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Gilles Devillers (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Reinier Honig (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Staf Scheirlinckx (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 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Evert Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s
DNF Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo Bank
DNF David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Troels Ronning Vinther (Den) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
DNF Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1 – Sanofi