La Fleche Wallonne

[theyoungest]

Gilbert, Kreuziger or Kolobnev. One of those 3.

All three of them will probably have to get away before the final ascent of the Mur de Huy. None of them like the steep stuff.

 

[Christian]

If Katyusha manages to work together as a team I'd say one of them should win. Kirchen will be there too this time, and even if he's probably not at 100% he'd be a valuable helper for Rodriguez, Ivanov or Kolobnev

 

[sublimit]

The intensity of the racing in Belgium seems so much higher than the other European stage races so I still go with Gilbert. It will be tough but he can hang on on the climb and come through.

It will be Interesting to see how Lovqvist gets on, maybe top 10.

 

[TRDean]

The intensity of the racing in Belgium seems so much higher than the other European stage races so I still go with Gilbert. It will be tough but he can hang on on the climb and come through.

It will be Interesting to see how Lovqvist gets on, maybe top 10.

I think I will be rooting for Lovqvist, but I don't think he will perform well. I think it would be great if Gilbert did something amazing this year. Evans maybe, regardless, it should be a great race.

 

[sublimit]

Apparently Eurosport are showing this, so quality HD coverage.

Should be plenty of feeds but HD is unbelievable, its like following the race in a team car or a motorcycle outrider.. you can feel the pain of the riders in their faces because of the picture quality etc.

 

[ridley]

Does anyone know if there is a US carrier that will broadcast La Fleche?

IO looked at the Universal Schedule but us does not appear there ...

 

[theswordsman]

Does anyone know if there is a US carrier that will broadcast La Fleche?

IO looked at the Universal Schedule but us does not appear there ...

Versus TV has it and will broadcast it four days after it's over - Sunday at 2:00 P.M. ET

 

[Publicus]

Versus TV has it and will broadcast it four days after it's over - Sunday at 2:00 P.M. ET

What a joke.

 

[theswordsman]

Official Start List

TEAM SAXO BANK
SAX DEN
Directeurs sportifs : ANDERSEN Kim
1 Andy SCHLECK
2 Laurent DIDIER
3 Jakob FUGLSANG
4 Jonas JORGENSEN
5 Frank SCHLECK
6 Nicki SORENSEN
7 Andre STEENSEN
8 Jens VOIGT

LAMPRE - FARNESE
LAM ITA
Directeurs sportifs : COPELAND Brent
11 Damiano CUNEGO
12 Matteo BONO
13 Francesco GAVAZZI
14 David LOOSLI
15 Manuele MORI
16 Daniele PIETROPOLLI
17 Daniele RIGHI
18 Alessandro SPEZIALETTI

EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
EUS ESP
Directeurs sportifs : GERRIKAGOITIA Gorka
21 Igor ANTON
22 Aitor GALDOS ALONSO
23 Inaki ISASI
24 Egoi MARTINEZ
25 Juan José OROZ
26 Alan PEREZ LEZAUN
27 Ivan VELASCO
28 Mikel NIEVE ITURRALDE

BMC RACING TEAM
BMC USA
Directeurs sportifs : LELANGUE John
31 Cadel EVANS
32 Brent BOOKWALTER
33 Mathias FRANK
34 Karsten KROON
35 Jeffry LOUDER
36 Steve MORABITO
37 Jackson STEWART
38 Simon ZAHNER

OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO
OLO BEL
Directeurs sportifs : REDANT Hendrik
41 Philippe GILBERT
42 Mario AERTS
43 Jan BAKELANTS
44 Christophe BRANDT
45 Francis DE GREEF
46 Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ
47 Jean-Christophe PERAUD
48 Jurgen VAN DEN BROECK

TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA
THR USA
Directeurs sportifs : PIVA Valerio
51 Tony MARTIN
52 Michael ALBASINI
53 Rasmus GULDHAMMER
54 Craig LEWIS
55 Maxime MONFORT
56 Marco PINOTTI
57 Martin VELITS
58 Peter VELITS

CAISSE D'EPARGNE
GCE ESP
Directeurs sportifs : LEDANOIS Yvon
61 Alejandro VALVERDE
62 Imanol ERVITI
63 Vicente GARCIA ACOSTA
64 Vasil KIRYIENKA
65 David LOPEZ GARCIA
66 Christophe MOREAU
67 Luis PASAMONTES
68 Luis-Leon SANCHEZ

TEAM SKY
SKY GBR
Directeurs sportifs : SUNDERLAND Scott
71 Thomas LÖVKVIST
72 Sylvain CALZATI
73 Kjell CARLSTRÖM
74 Stephen CUMMINGS
75 Christopher FROOME
76 Simon GERRANS
77 Lars-Peter NORDHAUG
78 Bradley WIGGINS

AG2R-LA MONDIALE
ALM FRA
Directeurs sportifs KASPUTIS Arturas
81 Dimitri CHAMPION
82 Maxime BOUET
83 Hubert DUPONT
84 John GADRET
85 Ben GASTAUER
86 Blel KADRI
87 Christophe RIBLON
88 Nicolas ROCHE

KATUSHA TEAM
KAT RUS
Directeurs sportifs : PARSANI Serge
91 Serguei IVANOV
92 Kim KIRCHEN
93 Sergei KLIMOV
94 Alexandr KOLOBNEV
95 Luca MAZZANTI
96 Joaquim RODRIGUEZ
97 Styn VANDENBERGH
98 Eduard VORGANOV

TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN-MERCATOR
TSV BEL
Directeurs sportifs : PLANCKAERT Walter
101 Sander ARMEE
102 Jérôme BAUGNIES
103 Johan COENEN
104 Thomas DE GENDT
105 Pieter JACOBS
106 Preben VAN HECKE
107 Kristof VANDEWALLE
108 Pieter VANSPEYBROUCK

QUICK STEP CYCLING TEAM
QST BEL
Directeurs sportifs : VERBRUGGHE Rik
111 Carlos BARREDO
112 Dario CATALDO
113 Dries DEVENYNS
114 Addy ENGELS
115 Jérôme PINEAU
116 Francesco REDA
117 Kevin SEELDRAYERS
118 Jurgen VAN DE WALLE

CERVELO TEST TEAM
CTT SUI
Directeurs sportifs : ZEMKE Jens
122 Davide APPOLLONIO
123 Philip DEIGNAN
124 Xavier FLORENCIO
125 Volodymir GUSTOV
126 Ignatas KONOVALOVAS
127 Xavier TONDO
128 Marcel WYSS

LANDBOUWKREDIET
LAN BEL
Directeurs sportifs : DE BILDE Jef
131 Bert DE WAELE
132 Dirk BELLEMAKERS
133 Davy COMMEYNE
134 Sebastien DELFOSSE
135 Bart DOCKX
136 Benjamin GOURGUE
137 Bert SCHEIRLINCKX
138 Geert VERHEYEN

TEAM RADIOSHACK
RSH USA
Directeurs sportifs : DEMOL Dirk
141 Andréas KLÖDEN
142 Ben HERMANS
143 Christopher HORNER
144 Dmitriy MURAVYEV
145 Sergio PAULINHO
146 Yaroslav POPOVYCH
147 Ivan ROVNY
148 Haimar ZUBELDIA

TEAM MILRAM
MRM GER
Directeurs sportifs : HENN Christian
151 Johannes FRÖHLINGER
152 Artur GAJEK
153 Christian KNEES
154 Dominik NERZ
155 Dominik ROELS
156 Paul VOSS
157 Fabian WEGMANN
158 Peter WROLICH

FRANCAISE DES JEUX
FDJ FRA
Directeurs sportifs : MADIOT Marc
161 Christophe LE MEVEL
162 Sandy CASAR
163 Gianni MEERSMAN
164 Francis MOUREY
165 Anthony ROUX
166 Jérémy ROY
167 Wesley SULZBERGER
168 Benoît VAUGRENARD

GARMIN - TRANSITIONS
GRM USA
Directeurs sportifs : MARIE Lionel
171 Ryder HESJEDAL
172 Steven COZZA
173 Michel KREDER
174 Trent LOWE
175 Daniel MARTIN
176 Christian MEIER
177 Peter STETINA
180 Danny PATE

ASTANA
AST KAZ
Directeurs sportifs :LAPAGE Laurenzo
181 Alberto CONTADOR
182 Dmitriy FOFONOV
183 Andriy GRIVKO
184 Maxim IGLINSKIY
185 Josep JUFRE POU
186 Benjamin NOVAL GONZALEZ
187 Oscar PEREIRO SIO
188 Gorazd STANGELJ

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI
AND ITA
Directeurs sportifs : BELLINI Marco
191 Francesco GINANNI
192 Leonardo BERTAGNOLLI
193 Rubens BERTOGLIATI
194 Thomas BERTOLINI
195 Damiano MARGUTTI
196 Luis Angel MATE MARDONES
197 Fabrice PIEMONTESI
198 Luca SOLARI

BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM
BTL FRA
Directeurs sportifs : ROUS Didier
201 Pierrick FEDRIGO
202 Anthony CHARTEAU
203 Cyril GAUTIER
204 Laurent LEFEVRE
205 Pierre ROLLAND
206 Matthieu SPRICK
207 Yury TROFIMOV
208 Thomas VOECKLER

LIQUIGAS-DOIMO
LIQ ITA
Directeurs sportifs : VOLPI Alberto
211 Roman KREUZIGER
212 Francesco BELLOTTI
213 Mauro FINETTO
214 Kristjan KOREN
215 Vincenzo NIBALI
216 Ivan SANTAROMITA
217 Frederik WILLEMS

RABOBANK
RAB NED
Directeurs sportifs : MAASSEN Frans
221 Oscar FREIRE
222 Robert GESINK
223 Steven KRUIJSWIJK
224 Paul MARTENS
225 Bauke MOLLEMA
226 Grischa NIERMANN
227 Bram TANKINK
228 Laurens TEN DAM

COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE
COF FRA
Directeurs sportifs : DELOEUIL Alain
231 Stéphane AUGE
232 Tristan VALENTIN
233 Sébastien MINARD
234 Nico SIJMENS
235 Romain ZINGLE
236 Mickaël BUFFAZ
237 Rémy CUSIN
238 Leonardo DUQUE

ACQUA & SAPONE
ASA ITA
Directeurs sportifs : CENGHIALTA Bruno
241 Paolo CIAVATTA
242 Alessandro DONATI
243 Francesco FAILLI
244 Alessandro FANTINI
245 Reiner HONIG
247 Andrea MASCIARELLI
248 Giuseppe PALUMBO
http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25453

 

[ridley]

Versus TV has it and will broadcast it four days after it's over - Sunday at 2:00 P.M. ET

Thanks, Swordsman ... Will set the DVR nonetheless

 

[theswordsman]

Thanks, Swordsman ... Will set the DVR nonetheless

It's always nice to have tapes to watch when you're training on rollers. I think this race could end up being a ... I just typed classic, then caught myself. It should be fun.

 

[Cosette]

I apologize for my ignorance, but who is Cuddles?

As for contenders, I would say Cunego and Valverde would be my top favourites.
Below those the list becomes quite extensive...

Like Gilbert, I want Löfkvist to do well, but I don't know if he will be able to put on a winning performance at Flèche. Top 10 perhaps, but I doubt it would be for the victory...

 

[jaylew]

I apologize for my ignorance, but who is Cuddles?

Cadel Evans

 

[Publicus]

Well either AC is sandbagging or I wouldn't expect much from him tomorrow.


Snagged this from the Swordsman's post in the Contador 2010 thread:

Alberto Contador today did the last 60 km of the Fleche Wallonne and twice climbed the Wall of Huy, the emblematic finish of a race that he says, “I found it even harder than I remembered”.


“Today we saw the last 60 km of the race and everything went pretty well. There are climbs that I knew from 2007, but there have been some changes in the final. We have had a good day, we have seen everything and now just need the legs works”, Alberto said after returning to the team hotel.

“I remember the Wall of Huy” he said, “but I find it even harder than I remembered, it has the last 700 meters incredible”.

For him, favorites for this race are among “those who fought for the Amstel Gold Race, people like Philippe Gilbert, Cunego, Ivanov and others like Alejandro Valverde. They are the reference”. He, however, wait to see how he responds after the efforts of Castilla y Leon and the trip from Santiago. “It is difficult to have any conclusions after a voyage of almost 2,000 kilometers. Sensations today are not the best, but I hope that will change tomorrow”.

Finally, Contador pointed some of the differences between tomorrow and Sunday’s race. “Liège is a race far more demanding than this, people come to the finish more just because there are 60 km more and the accumulated slope is also significantly higher. I hope to do well and continue knowing these races, but there are more experienced and more motivated riders than me, because I come here a little calmer”.

I'll be surprised if he has a good day tomorrow or Saturday. Hopefully he works for Iglinsky and/or Vino tomorrow and Saturday (respectively).

 

[Polish]

Well either AC is sandbagging or I wouldn't expect much from him tomorrow.

Hopefully he works for Iglinsky and/or Vino tomorrow and Saturday (respectively).

Alberto working for Iglinsky?

Are you serious?

The guy arrived in Belgium in a personalized "Alberto Contador" FingerBangCar.
Doubt he is going to be a worker bee for Iglinsky.

Maybe you are confusing Alberto with some other rider?

Anyway, here are the current ods from UNIBET.COM

10:30 Fleche Wallonne 2010

Gilbert, Philippe 6.00
Contador Velasco, A 7.00
Rodriguez, J 7.50
Valverde, A 8.00
Cunego, D 8.50
Schleck, Andy 9.00
Evans, C 11.00
Schleck, Frank 15.00
Gesink, R 18.00
Hesjedal, R 18.00
Anton, I 22.00
Kolobnev, A 25.00
Ivanov, S 35.00
Gerrans, S 35.00
De Waele, B 35.00
Freire, O 35.00
Horner, C 35.00
Nibali, V 35.00
Sanchez Gil, L L 35.00
Van den Broeck, J 40.00
Gasparotto, E 40.00
Kroon, K 40.00
Kreuziger, R 50.00
Martens, P 55.00
Albasini, M 65.00
Peraud, J-C 65.00
Barredo, C 100.0
Monfort, M 125.0
Devenyns, D 175.0
Moreno, D 175.0

 

[Jamsque]

Wow, there must be a lot of fanboys betting on Contador to have pushed him up to second favourite.

 

[Anonymous]

I guess the Wigans fanboys need to do some work then because he is absent.

 

[tgsgirl]

I apologize for my ignorance, but who is Cuddles?

As stated above, Cuddles is Evans; after a common mispronunciation of his first name and the fact that he might just be the least cuddly person in the peloton.

 

[Publicus]

Alberto working for Iglinsky?

Are you serious?

The guy arrived in Belgium in a personalized "Alberto Contador" FingerBangCar.
Doubt he is going to be a worker bee for Iglinsky.

Maybe you are confusing Alberto with some other rider?

He's done it before. See, e.g., almost all of his work at Liberty Seguros. See, also, his efforts on Levi Leipheimer's behalf at Castilla y Leon last year.

So perhaps it is you who is confusing Alberto with some other rider.

 

[Publicus]

Wow, there must be a lot of fanboys betting on Contador to have pushed him up to second favourite.

Must be fanboys because no one else seems to be talking about him being a contender at all. Fools and their money are soon parted.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

As stated above, Cuddles is Evans; after a common mispronunciation of his first name and the fact that he might just be the least cuddly person in the peloton.

He seems like the type of guy who behaves like the alky sitting alone at the end of the bar. At 10 pm, he buys you a beer as you pass him on your way to the toilet despite the fact that you have no idea who he is or why he likes you. At 10:20pm, he takes a swing at you with a beer bottle as you pass him on your way to the toilet despite the fact you have no idea who he is or why he hates you. At 11pm, he hugs you, (see above entry at 10 pm.) At midnight, he grabs your wife/girlfriend's **** as she walks by despite the fact she has been with you since you walked in.

Sober people call this 'bi-polar'. He's like a box 'o'chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

 

[jonjungel]

He seems like the type of guy who behaves like the alky sitting alone at the end of the bar. At 10 pm, he buys you a beer as you pass him on your way to the toilet despite the fact that you have no idea who he is or why he likes you. At 10:20pm, he takes a swing at you with a beer bottle as you pass him on your way to the toilet despite the fact you have no idea who he is or why he hates you. At 11pm, he hugs you, (see above entry at 10 pm.) At midnight, he grabs your wife/girlfriend's **** as she walks by despite the fact she has been with you since you walked in.

Sober people call this 'bi-polar'. He's like a box 'o'chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

Great post!!

 

[Christian]

A nice video of the 2008 finale (en français):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptau...DDA584D4&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=24

 

[dolophonic]

Fantastic.

 

[Publicus]

A nice video of the 2008 finale (en français):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptau...DDA584D4&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=24

Nice video. Watched the 2009 finale as well. I'm not sure who to favor on this final climb. It's just brutally hard ... looking forward to see it all play out tomorrow. Anyone know what time live video will be available?