Only 6 riders have won the "Ardennes Double"

[Polish]

Can Alberto do it this year??

Only six riders have achieved the "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year: Ferdi Kubler twice (in 1951 and 1952), Stan Ockers (1955), Eddy Merckx (1972), Moreno Argentin (1991) Davide Rebellin (2004) and Alejandro Valverde (2006).

Lance came close in 1996 - winning La Fleche and 2nd at Liège–Bastogne–Liège!

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

Can Alberto do it this year??

Only six riders have achieved the "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year: Ferdi Kubler twice (in 1951 and 1952), Stan Ockers (1955), Eddy Merckx (1972), Moreno Argentin (1991) Davide Rebellin (2004) and Alejandro Valverde (2006).

Lance came close in 1996 - winning La Fleche and 2nd at Liège–Bastogne–Liège!

Probably not. He'll probably do okay at the arrow - top 20, and better at Liege - top 10.

 

[cyclopeon]

In an uninformed gut opinion, I'd be shocked if AC wins either (but also a bit delighted)... I think he's plunging in to a different cycling culture and although he'll try darned hard it'll be mostly about learning, this year. If he goes back for them again next year or a few years on, a pair of wins wouldn't surprise me much. Then again, maybe it's not such a big deal for a rider of his class to try something which is to me so different... what do I know?

 

[skidmark]

In a word, no. I think Shlecklet would be a better bet, given that he got 2nd in Fleche and 1st in Liege last year, and the guy he got 2nd to is now gone. Not that one days are easy to predict, but he's in rarefied air with regards to ability in these races. Now that Rebellin is gone and Valverde might be gone, and guys like Gesink (or even Gilbert) have yet to fully prove themselves in the hilly classics, there are few guys I can think of who could really compete. Contador has never shown anything in one-day races that I've seen or heard of.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Rebellin and Valverde. LOL.

Armstrong was something like 24 when he finished 1st in FW and 2nd in LBL, no?
Quite impressive.

 

[El Imbatido]

For some reason i thought Di Luca had done it as well. Maybe it was Amstel and Fleche Wallone. I'll look it up.

Edit: Wikipedia said Di Luca won Amstel and Fleche in 2005.

 

[battery89]

Hopefully Contador races them this year. He suggested he will but nothing is confirmed yet. Can see him taking Fleche if he is top 15 coming into final ascent of Mur.. LBL different story. Good to see him trying his hand at different races. Hope he continues to race after TDF this year (pretty sure he said he would do Vuelta?)

 

[Michele]

As some others said, its nice to see Contador doing something different from his usual racing schedule (probably ASO asked him to take part?) but I dont think he has many chances for a victory.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

i bet he wont, and if he does i don't think it's his kinda thing.

skidmark Cunego is capable of doing it also.

 

[theyoungest]

Contador has already done La Fleche and LBL twice, and didn't achieve much in either of them. I think he could win La Fleche, but LBL is a different story.

 

[ak-zaaf]

If Contador is in the first group at the bottom of the Mur, I think he has the best chances. For LBL I think he has to lose evryone on St. Nicolas, if Gilbert or Cunego or Valverde is still there they'll beat him, but I doubt he'll even make it that far if the race is hard.

 

[il_fiammingo]

cobble-Ardennes double

What about a cobble-Ardennes double? (Flander/Roubaix - Flèche/Liège)

It' a rare combination.

1990 Argentin: Flanders & Flèche
1984 Kelly: Rouxaix & Liège
1975 Merckx: Flanders & Liège
1973 Merckx: Roubaix & Liège
1970 Merckx: Roubaix & Flèche
1969 Merckx: Flanders & Liège
1961 Van Looy: Roubaix & Liège
1960 Cerami: Roubaix & Flèche
1950 Coppi: Roubaix & Flèche

I only see one guy in the current peloton who could pull this off (without being very lucky with the race developments): Gilbert.

 

[theyoungest]

Roubaix and Fleche is probably the most unlikely double... I couldn't name a single rider who could do that.

 

[rghysens]

Roubaix and Fleche is probably the most unlikely double... I couldn't name a single rider who could do that.

look at the post above: 1970, who else than Eddy Merckx

 

[Ibanez]

Merckx doesn't count, he's the exception that proves the rule or whatever you call it.

Certainly no rider of the current generation could manage it, except....Pozzato winning Fleche from a break? Anybody that is heavy enough for Roubaix is not light enough for Fleche

 

[ak-zaaf]

Merckx doesn't count, he's the exception that proves the rule or whatever you call it.

Certainly no rider of the current generation could manage it, except....Pozzato winning Fleche from a break? Anybody that is heavy enough for Roubaix is not light enough for Fleche

Gilbert could pull it off in a couple of years.
Under extraordinary race circumstances in Fleche Devolder could do it.

 

[Ibanez]

Gilbert doesn't even ride Roubaix at the moment! Cant remember him starting it in the last couple of years.

Ballan also.

 

[il_fiammingo]

Gilbert doesn't even ride Roubaix at the moment! Cant remember him starting it in the last couple of years.

Ballan also.

No but the combination Flanders-Liège is possible IMO

 

[theswordsman]

Hopefully Contador races them this year. He suggested he will but nothing is confirmed yet. Can see him taking Fleche if he is top 15 coming into final ascent of Mur.. LBL different story. Good to see him trying his hand at different races. Hope he continues to race after TDF this year (pretty sure he said he would do Vuelta?)

It was part of his press release yesterday. Martinelli was encouraging him to do the Vuelta, but he wants to see how the Tour goes and what he and teammates have left in the tank.

After an edition of Paris-Nice that demanded a great physical and mental effort, Alberto Contador has decided to give up both the Volta a Catalunya and the Vuelta al País Vasco.

Instead, he will take the start at the Criterium International (March 27 and 28), the Vuelta a Castilla y León (April 14-18), the Fleche Wallone (April 21) and Liége-Bastogne-Liége (April 25).

http://www.albertocontador.com/prensa.detalle.php?id=331

 

[theswordsman]

I expect him to win Criterium International, but like he said, there are other guys more suited to and experienced at the other two races. I don't think this is his motivation, but I've chatted with enough cycling fans to believe that in some places his popularity will go up because he was willing to enter some races he didn't expect to win. A guy told me one time that in his country, they don't like the winner, they like the guy with the flat tire.

For me, these two races will expand his repertoire as a cyclist, and at the same time keep Armstrong from dodging him in Corsica. Waiting for LA to commit to a schedule & then arrange to be there for three of the events is kind of genius. A lot of the hype and nonsense can be settled this Spring, and Alberto should have less media pressure come Tour time.

 

[laziali]

In a word, No.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gilbert and Nuyens could possibly do it... unlikely though. Maybe even chavanel is an outside shot.

EBH (and even boom) possibly has/have the potential for that kinda feat.

 

[TRDean]

Gilbert and Nuyens could possibly do it... unlikely though. Maybe even chavanel is an outside shot.

EBH (and even boom) possibly has/have the potential for that kinda feat.

Nuyens??? Are we now grasping at straws?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

maybe Him winning (like devolder) would have to be under some different circumstances I agree, but I don't think it's an impossible task for him.
Note: I don't expect him to be anywhere near a winner at F-W. You just never know.
Plus out of all the classics, Gesink seems most suited to F-W so im sure it would be all for gesink at rabo anyway.

PS: I did the P-R/F-W double with nuyens in Pro cycling manager, so it must be true

 

[tgsgirl]

Nuyens could go for a Flanders-Amstel double if he's at his best, but I think Flèche and LBL are beyond him.