Alejandro Valverde sprints clear in the final straight to win the Flèche Wallonne. An obvious scenario but plenty happened before with numerous crashes. It promises a very nervous Stage 3 of the Tour de France.
Wednesday Shorts
Mondory Update – UCI tribunal – Verbruggen on Mars – Disc brakes – Nibali to Giro? – Lost
The 1980 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège is infamous for the snow. Reports say half the field abandoned within the first hour, some so desperate they entered roadside houses for shelter. Bernard Hinault ploughed on to win, cementing his reputation as a hard man and ensuring the day entered the sport’s mythology. But there’s the untold tale of Rayban sunglasses…
Flèche Wallonne Preview
For 364 days of the year the Chemin des Chapelles climbs up the side of Mont Mosan but on Wednesday the road its renamed the Mur de Huy, the “wall of Huy”. The climb is so steep it deserves mural adjective and few races see riders cross the finish line in such obvious agony. But can the race deliver more than a three minute climax?
This year’s route includes a new climb right before the end to split up the field and the presence of several star names indicates that this mid-week race matters because because the finish is identical to Stage 3 of the Tour de France.
Supporter Jerseys
The supporter jerseys have arrived and are on sale with Prendas Ciclismo. Made in Italy by Santini this is a lightweight jersey for summer.
The Moment The Race Was Won: Amstel Gold Race
Michał Kwiatkowski wins the sprint to take the Amstel Gold Race, checking he’s got the better of Michael Matthews while Cauberg attacker Philippe Gilbert has already been tamed and beaten.
Amstel Gold Race Preview
Huge crowds, free-flowing beer, grand tour winners taking on one day classics specialists and a very tricky course make the Amstel a special race. The 50th edition looks like it’s made for Philippe Gilbert. Who can stop him from a fourth win this Sunday?
The Wait of a Nation
Ein Stein. Lifting the cobbled trophy last Sunday was a triumph for John Degenkolb and the culmination of a lot of team work. But behind the scenes it’s also the remarkable story of riders as ambassadors who’ve managed to convince German TV to give the sport a second chance, partly thanks to solid results, partly thanks to soft power and coffee.
A Change of Gear
The Brabantse Pijl happens today. La Flèche Brabançonne to francophones, this is a hilly race and the start of the “Ardennes” spring classics and a transition race from the cobbles to the climbs as it features both.
It’s good to change format but the upcoming races seem to be stuck in a rut with repetitive scenarios.
Pour Encourager Les Autres
In this country, it is wise to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others
That’s a line from Voltaire’s Candide. After the battle of Minorca between France and Britain in 1756, Voltaire describes the British practice of shooting naval officers if they fail, not so much to punish them for mistakes but to send a signal to the others not to let down His Majesty. “Pour encourager les autres”.
What’s this got to do with bike racing? Well the incident in last Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix where some ignored closed barriers at a level crossing requires exemplary action from the UCI. In the interests of safety the UCI has to view video and photographic evidence and disqualify those who ignored the closed barriers.
The Classics Revelations
John Degenkolb and Alexander Kristoff have triumphed in the spring classics. The season continues but in a different gear as the sport progresses to hillier one day races and the summer season of stage races. But who else impressed? Here’s a look at the younger revelations in the spring classics.