CHARLEROI, Belgium, April 20, 2011 – Belgian racer Philippe Gilbert
of Omega Pharma won the Fleche Wallonne on Wednesday, just three days after
also snaffling the Amstel Gold race.

Gilbert, 28, bagged the Fleche, the second of the three Ardennes Classics,
after seeing off Spaniards Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha and Samuel Sanchez of
Euskaltel on the 9.3 percent average gradient 1.3km final climb at the Muur de
Huy.

Gilbert At 2011 Fleche Wallonne and the Muur de Huy

He triumphed after a grueling 201km in the saddle as Rodriguez had to make
do with a runner-up finish for the second straight year ahead of Olympic
champion Sanchez.

Last year, Cadel Evans of Australia won the 75th edition after a well-timed
final burst on the Muur.

But Evans, who beat Rodriguez and three-time Tour de France champion Albert
Contador to the line 12 months ago, had to sit this edition out after hurting
a knee in a heavy training crash.

“This a big surprise for me,” said Gilbert, who can now target a hat-trick
in Sunday’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege, for which he will certainly rank among the
favorites.

“I previously suffered a lot on the Muur de Huy. Today, I suffered too but
I also enjoyed it as the crowd were right behind me driving me on – it was
like being in a football stadium and I drew inspiration from that.

2011 Fleche Wallonne Peloton on the Muur de Huy

“At the start I was still tired from Sunday, I was having trouble
concentrating and stuck towards the back.

“But as the kilometers elapsed I started to feel better.”

Looking ahead to the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Gilbert insisted he would
recover in time to chase another win.

“This doesn’t change anything from that point of view – I would have been
one of the favorites anyway.

“(But) I have to ensure that I don’t go in there feeling over-confident. I
know I will set off in the hope I can win it and if I’m best on the day then I
shall,” said Gilbert.

Asked why he attacked relatively early on the steep incline Gilbert said:
“Well I often do odd things. In the 19 percent (gradient) section I saw that
Contador and Rodriguez were a fair way back – the route was open for me to go
for it and I did.

“I got myself a good lead and that broke the morale of my rivals,” he
concluded.

His recent showing have had some commentators comparing Gilbert with now
retired Italian champion Paolo Bettini, widely considered as one of the best
ever classics specialists and an Athens Olympics road race gold medalist.

“That’s nice to hear as Paolo is one of the best classics racers of all
time – but for the time being I am concentrating on my own career. Afterward,
you can make comparisons,” said Gilbert.

Preben Van Hecke, a Belgian with Topsport Vlaanderen, Pole Maciej Paterski
of Liquigas, Maxime Vantomme, a Belgian with Katusha and Finn Matti Helminem
of Landbouwkrediet set the early pace in bright sunshine before Vasil
Kiryienka of Belarus and Swede Thomas Lovkvist tried a counter attack some 15
km from the line.

With 8km remaining French hope Jerome Pineau and Italian Marco Marcato made
a move of their own and went into the start of the Muur de Huy with a 13sec
lead before Gilbert made his move.

1. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/OLO), les 201 km en 4 h 54:57.
(moyenne: 40,888 km/h)
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) à 0:03.
3. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 0:05.
4. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 0:06.
5. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 0:06.
6. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/OLO) 0:06.
7. Fränk Schleck (LUX/LEO) 0:06.
8. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 0:09.
9. Christophe Le Mével (FRA/GRM) 0:12.
10. Paul Martens (GER/RAB) 0:12.
11. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 0:15.
12. Michael Albasini (SUI/HTC) 0:17.
13. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:18.
14. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 0:20.
15. Bert De Waele (BEL/LAN) 0:20.
16. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 0:20.
17. Jürgen Van den Broeck (BEL/OLO) 0:23.
18. Ben Hermans (BEL/RSH) 0:26.
19. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 0:28.
20. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 0:28.
21. Rémy Di Grégorio (FRA/AST) 0:28.
22. Simon Gerrans (AUS/SKY) 0:28.
…
26. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/SKS) 0:28.
29. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SAU) 0:33.
30. Julien El Farès (FRA/COF) 0:34.
33. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 0:36.
34. Laurens ten Dam (NED/RAB) 0:36.
37. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 0:36.
39. Cédric Pineau (FRA/FDJ) 0:42.
42. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/RSH) 0:49.
44. Andy Schleck (LUX/LEO) 0:49.
46. Michaël Buffaz (FRA/COF) 0:49.
48. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 0:54.
50. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 0:54.
51. Jérôme Pineau (FRA/QST) 0:54.
54. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 1:04.
56. David Moncoutié (FRA/COF) 1:10.
58. Pierrick Fédrigo (FRA/FDJ) 1:10.
61. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 1:19.
68. Thomas De Gendt (BEL/VAC) 1:24.
71. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/LEO) 1:30.
72. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 1:30.
74. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 1:38.
77. Mathieu Sprick (FRA/SKS) 1:40.
80. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/KAT) 1:44.
81. Ludovic Turpin (FRA/SAU) 1:49.
82. Alexandre Kolobnev (RUS/KAT) 1:55.
87. Sébastien Joly (FRA/SAU) 2:23.
88. Jérôme Coppel (FRA/SAU) 2:28.
89. Tony Martin (GER/THR) 2:28.
96. Jean-Christophe Péraud (FRA/ALM) 4:12.
104. Thierry Hupond (FRA/SKS) 4:45.
107. Amaël Moinard (FRA/BMC) 4:55.
113. Anthony Geslin (FRA/FDJ) 6:16.
118. David Le Lay (FRA/ALM) 6:16.
120. Yannick Talabardon (FRA/SAU) 6:16.
127. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/THR) 7:01.
128. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 7:01.

197 coureurs au départ. 139 classés.

Article:AFP
Photo:Corvos