Written by: Justin Davis

LIEGE, Belgium, April 24, 2011 – Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert of Omega Pharma etched his name into cycling’s history books Sunday with a maiden victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege which gave him a rare ‘Ardennes Classics’ Grand Slam.

Siblings Frank and Andy Schleck, of Leopard-Trek, finished second and third respectively after nearly six and a half hours of racing in temperatures hitting 26 degrees Celsius in the hilly Belgian Ardennes.

The Schleck Brothers Just Could Not Shake Gilbert

“It’s just an incredible day for me, unbelievable,” said Gilbert, who becomes only the second rider to win all three Ardennes Classics, having won the Amstel Gold Race last week and Fleche Wallonne on Wednesday.

“It was a tough day but I did my best to stay calm, concentrate on my race and not let myself get carried away with emotions or what was happening on the roadside.

“I’ve been in the best form of my life recently, and these past 10 days have just been incredible.”

The Schlecks had been expected to use their climbing prowess to eliminate Gilbert on one of the last of the race’s 10 short but tough climbs.

However their attacks failed to materialize and Gilbert was allowed to launch an unrivaled sprint for the finish line inside the final 400 meters.

Gilbert Wins His Triple Crown With Over Powering Strength

“He was the strongest,” lamented Andy Schleck, who won the race in 2009 when he attacked on the penultimate climb, the Roche aux Faucons.

Gilbert’s triumph sparked huge celebrations around French-speaking Wallonia.

Not only is he the first Belgian to win the race since now deceased Franck Vandenbroucke in 1999, he is also the first Walloon to conquer Liege since Joseph Bruyere in 1978.

In doing so he completed the Ardennes Classics Grand Slam, a feat achieved only once before, by Italian Davide Rebellin, in 2004.

The Belgium Spirit Runs Strong

Defending champion Alexandre Vinokourov had warned it would be unwise for anyone to come to the finish with Gilbert, a strong climber who also possesses a killer sprint.

As the Kazakhstan-born rider suffered a late mechanical problem during what seemed a futile bid to defend his crown, his words turned prophetic for Luxembourg pair the Schlecks.

Having failed to dent Gilbert’s resolve on the eighth climb, La Redoute, when Leopard teammate Jakob Fuglsang drove the pace hard their options were thinning by the time they reached the summit to close in on a small group of leaders.

Vinokourvo’s Astana teammate Enrico Gasparotto was driving the pace hard up ahead but they were soon swallowed up by Schleck and Gilbert’s group on the 1.5km climb to the Faucons summit.

At the top, with 19.5 km remaining, a six-man group containing Gilbert and the Schlecks was reduced to four as Gasparotto and Frenchman Jerome Pineau began to tire.

A counter-attack by Team Katusha’s Alexandre Kolobnev, runner-up last year, came to nothing and by the time the leaders hit the Cote de Saint Nicolas climb Belgian Greg Van Avermaet of BMC began to feel the pain.

It left the Schlecks alone with Gilbert, who 500 metres from the summit fired a warning shot with a turn of speed which momentarily dropped Andy.

“It was a delicate situation for me,” explained Gilbert.

“I was alone with two teammates, but worse it was two brothers. I wanted to protect myself from repeated attacks on the climb.

“I eliminated Andy for a few minutes, it was the ideal scenario.”

Schleck, the 2009 winner, eventually tagged back on but by then it was already too late. On the small climb into Ans above Liege the siblings failed to launch any kind of challenge.

Schleck later blamed a headwind and the “toughest” Liege race in years, but was gracious in defeat.

“There was nothing we could do. We tried and tried until the end, but it wasn’t to be,” he added.

“Gilbert, he’s a classy rider.”

RESULTS
1. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/OLO) les 255,5 km en 6 h 13:18.
(moyenne: 41,066 km/h)
2. Frank Schleck (LUX/LEO) à 0:00.
3. Andy Schleck (LUX/LEO) 0:00.
4. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/AST) 0:24.
5. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 0:24.
6. Chris Anker Sörensen (DEN/SAX) 0:24.
7. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 0:27.
8. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 0:29.
9. Bjorn Leukemans (BEL/VAC) 0:39.
10. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 0:39.
11. Alexandre Kolobnev (RUS/KAT) 0:43.
12. Simon Gerrans (AUS/SKY) 0:43.
13. Paul Martens (GER/RAB) 0:43.
14. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 0:43.
15. Oscar Freire (ESP/RAB) 0:43.
16. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:43.
17. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/OLO) 0:47.
18. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/THR) 0:53.
19. Kristof Vandewalle (BEL/QST) 0:57.
20. Jérôme Pineau (FRA/QST) 0:58.
21. Nicki Sörensen (DEN/SAX) 0:58.
22. Ben Hermans (BEL/RSH) 0:58.
23. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/RSH) 1:01.
24. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 1:01.
25. Thomas Lövkvist (SWE/SKY) 1:01.
26. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 1:14.
…
29. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 1:40.
30. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 1:40.
31. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/LEO) 1:40.
32. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 1:43.
34. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SAU) 2:10.
36. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 2:29.
38. Ludovic Turpin (FRA/SAU) 2:34.
39. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 2:36.
40. Christophe Le Mével (FRA/GRM) 2:36.
41. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/KAT) 2:38.
48. Rémy Di Grégorio (FRA/AST) 4:03.
52. Tony Martin (GER/THR) 7:16.
54. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/SKS) 7:35.
57. Michaël Buffaz (FRA/COF) 7:35.
63. David Moncoutié (FRA/COF) 7:35.
69. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 7:35.
72. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 7:35.
78. Pierrick Fédrigo (FRA/FDJ) 7:35.
80. Jérôme Coppel (FRA/SAU) 7:35.
81. Amaël Moinard (FRA/BMC) 7:35.
82. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 7:35.
84. Tony Gallopin (FRA/COF) 7:35.
85. Fabrice Jeandesboz (FRA/SAU) 7:35.
94. Jérémy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 13:33.
95. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 13:33.
199 coureurs au départ. 95 classés.
Principaux abandons: Serguei Ivanov (RUS/KAT), Luis Leon Sanchez
(ESP/RAB), Daniel Martin (EIR/GRM), Jens Voigt (GER/LEO), Jürgen Van den
Broeck (BEL/OLO), Nick Nuyens (BEL/SAX), Nicolas Roche (EIR/ALM), Stijn
Devolder (BEL/VAC)

Article:AFP
Photo:Corvos