LIEGE, Belgium, April 20, 2009 (AFP) – Dutch climbing specialist Robert Gesink has been forced to pull out of Wednesday’s Fleche Wallonne one-day race because of a painful right knee.

The 22-year-old – fourth in last year’s race – felt the pain towards the end of Sunday’s one-day classic Amstel Gold Race, in which he finished third.

A subsequent scan persuaded team doctors that he should have two days’
complete rest and re-start training on Thursday, when a decision will be taken on whether he competes in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic next Sunday.