venerdì 29 aprile 2011

Liège 2011 Pics spam: Francorchamp

I picked up these amongh tons of others: which one do you like more? Enjoy!

giovedì 28 aprile 2011

Liège 2011 by your special reporter: 3. Interview with Andy

I watched him and thought: "Poor guy! I'm not going to ask questions!"

He had been placed in a corner of the room, on a chair that looked too low for him, with an empty chair in front and a long line of journalists waiting to sit and do their interviews. In add he was surrounded by photographers and tv cameramen shoting and filming him – and each others... kinda funny. Knowing Andy a little I suppose he's used but not happy.

Moreover I only had in mind questions I couldn't ask, questions about feelings before and after the last races, about personal attitudes and hopes... slow questions unsuitable for that fast contest. In fact a press conference is a bit like a fast food and I definitely prefer small cosy restaurants.

I was passing in review the two Classics they already rode: Amstel crashes, la Fleche no very good for him and Frank who attacked late. Jakob's and Jens' amazing work.

In the Amstel Andy looked very strong, the only one able to dare Gilbert, to attack him and before the last climb, doing almost a super TT. I'd have liked to ask: "Did you belive in your move or was that a plan B after Frank's and Fabian's crashes?" But I already knew the answer: Andy was waiting for Frank but the attack was already planned at the start and then the road was going to decide. It decided in fact. "And for Liège? What is the plann?" He wasn't going to tell us on Friday, sure. Asking didn't make sense. But they did. So I listened and that is what he said:

Gilbert?

Andy: But there isn't only Gilbert! He impressed me but ok, we knew him already. There are many others guys. Last year nobody named Vinokurov but he came directly from Italy, from a race he had won, and won Liège.

In Liège will you race to win?

Andy: What a question! I race to win, always. When I start a race it's for to win. Then maybe I don't but I aim to.

In Flanders and Roubaix the peloton looked as racing against the strongest, Fabian Cancellara, to isolate him and that worked. Are you going to do the same with Gilbert? Looking for alliances?

Andy: No, we don't race against Gilbert. We race to win.

In pavé Classics and also in Andennes Classics LEOPARD TREK did a lot of work but somebody else won.

Andy: We took our responsabilities, we made the race. And if somebody else used our work, ok we had to do that to try to win. In the Fleche the team was perfect, unfortunately I felt bad, I think because of pollens. I had never got allergy problems but on Saturday, when we came back to the hotel after the last training, the ground was all covered on them, so maybe it has been that. See, I love the Muer of Huy but on Sunday for me it was about to arrive till there. Anyway now I'm good and on next Sunday it's another race.

Liège

Andy: Liège is like an hard stage of the Tour, you can't go in a breack, you must be in front and if you are the strongest in the end, you won.

Holydays after?

Andy: Yes, but not so long for me. I go to America (Tour of California), there is the jet-lag so I leave already on the 8^th (of May). But ok, for me it works better like that.

Frank: He's younger! For me barbeque season starts. I want to stay with my family at home.

Andy: Me too, I'll stay at home, with family, I need that.

Tour de France preparation?

Andy – It's always the same, I know what works for me.

You already read that in many many places and you know how Liège went. I think Andy was right: they didn't race against Gilbert, stayed in front and were strong in the final. Gilbert was stronger and won.

But who told Schleck didn't attack didn't watch the race or likes to please the winner. However I think Gilbert is more pleased by the truth: they attacked but couldn't drop him. The opposite is true too: Gilbert went away with them but won at the sprint and just there.

That was an amazing Doyenne and I'll tell about in the next post.

mercoledì 27 aprile 2011

Liège 2011 by your special reporter: 2. Francorchamp press conference

Pic by Niels Chr. Jung You can spot my head: I'm in the first row

The road to Francorchamp is almost straight and constantly rising. There is nothing but the F1 circuit there and the hotel La Source, owned by... Mr. Becca! Are you surprised? Guess no. Anyway my source for that info is a big reporter by RTL, so I think we can belive him.

The hotel is modern and nice. When I arrived there were already a few collegues – ehehe – but not that crowd you could imagine: Gilbert was holding is press conference too that day and the most of journalists had prefered to go there.

I took a seat in the first row, just in front of the long table with many microphones and signals with riders names, noticing with disconfort it was AGAIN in the wrong light for pictures. Ok, you'll take them as they are.

Riders arrived and it was funny because they didn't see the signals at first and sit in wrong places. Jens Voight was the funniest, told about that he checked the name and proudly said: "Not a small team, eh!" Andy and Frank switched their seats and everybody laughed. The mood was very relaxed even if they looked a little annoyed by the first question: "Gilbert"... "We are not going to race against Gilbert, we will race to win the race"... but I'll tell you in the next post.

After the general interview Andy and Frank sit each in one corner of the room for individual interviews. I listened to Andy but asked nothing because 1. he was already asked so many times the same obvious questions... 2. questions I'd have liked to ask were more about him then about the race and I prefered to send them by mail later 3. the one question I wanted to ask there he answered directly, without to be asked and that was if he had had other times that problem with pollens, because as far as I knew he didn't. Bdw I was right.

I took a lot of pictures instead and observed him attentively. He looked very skinny, his face especially. I think he was tyred, because they had just done the last training and after he went for the massage. He looked so anyway, also a bit sleepy – maybe he took an antistaminic for the allergy, told in fact he was ok now. What he said you'll know in the next post.

Later photographers asked him a picture with Frank... and I asked a picture with me.

- Ok – he kindly was.

- We just have to find a photographer! - I joked, given there was plenty of them. But Andy asked Tim Vanderjeugd, LEOPARD TREK press officer, a really nice guy. That was a nice pic.

Now, journalists there were shared in three cathegories:

1. happy radios and tvs dudes who recordered everything and were free. The most of them left just after the interviews.

2. stressed reporters who immediately after ran to their laptops to write and send their articles to sites and newspapers

3. lazy people like me who wrote down some notes on a piece of paper and sit down in the hall waiting for the dinner.

Amongh the 3th cat. there was also Niels Chr. Jung by Danmarks Radio, DR SPORTEN who is making a documentary about Andy. The way we met is funny so worth to be told: after a while Andy had came back and was talking with some people in the dinner room while I was trying to move an heavy armchair to sit in the hall AND to watch him. A big man by RTL placed in the armchair in front of me was looking curious and a little surprised so I thought it was better to explain...

The quality isn't the best but it's an interesting pic, isn't it?

Ok, I know you were laughing at me now but if you are in the same place with Andy you want to see him, don't you? And if you have to wait more then one hour I guess you want to sit down too.

Anyway, we started chatering about Andy and Andy-related sites, I gave him my visit card, he introduced me to a nice young man just arrived: that was Niels. I'm going to tell you more about his project and hope I'll make also an interview: stay tuned. The documentary will be out just before next Tour de France.

We chatered, we waited and finally we got quite impatient both for the dinner and for the racers who were still in their rooms. Niels, lucky man, went to film Andy's massage. We – Luxembourgers and Co. - were killing the time making jokes to the poor Roland Miny: I started saying that like his pictures very much but not his site... because you have to pay to get them. - Even Tim De Waele allows you to get some pics for free! - I protested. - I'll give you once as a gift – he said. Cool guy!

La crème of Lux press ;)

Before the dinner we had a wine tasting. Not my thing. The sommelier was desperate: - Ah but you still are at the first one! -,

- The first one is the last one, thank you! - They were very good Italian wines but more then one glass is too much for me.

At 8 pm riders arrived and my RTL man decided the dinner time has arrived too so we entered the dinner room and were shared in two tables, other two were for racers and staff.

Our dinner was tasty and big: a fish starter, four different kinds of meat, salade and French fries. Racers dinner was much more healty: rice, grilled meat, vegetables. But Frank Schleck allowed himself a good glass of red wine at the staff table. I ate few: was too sleepy.

After the dinner the racers – Frank excluded – went to another room to play billiards. "Andy, this is the last time I trust on you!" somebody said from there. I wonder what he was about ;)

Anyway, we were all very tyred and around 10 pm Andy decided it was time to go to sleep – or to his room at least. It was funny: he walked out, then came back, passed near our table without stoping but saying "Buona notte!". Given that I was the only Italian there, I got it for me and were really pleased.

More pics of Andy in Francorchamp in the super Liège pics spam I'll post later: be patient!

Awful news at LT: Bennati bad crashed in Romandie!

LEOPARD TREK press release:

Bennati out of Tour de Romandie with Broken Collarbone

Pic by Getty

LEOPARD TREK suffered a major blow today in the lead-up to the Giro d’Italia when top sprinter Daniele Bennati crashed out of the first stage of the Tour de Romandie.

Bennati was taken to hospital where tests confirmed a broken collarbone, four broken ribs and a lung contusion. With multiple fractures in his right-hand-side collarbone, Bennati will require an operation to allow the bone to heal properly and probably four to six weeks to come back to racing.

The crash came early in today’s stage, as the peloton traveled through Roche en route to Leysin. “This is bad news as is any crash,” said Team Manager Kim Andersen. “But this one is particularly bad news for us because Daniele was in great shape, and he would have been our main card to play in the Giro d’Italia for stage wins. He was really looking forward to the race.”

With the Giro set to start in less than two weeks, LEOPARD TREK is left with the task of rethinking one spot in its line-up for the first Grand Tour of 2011. Originally the team had planned to focus on the sprint finishes. Without Bennati, new goals and plans will need to be considered.

“We still have to determine how to reshape the roster for the Giro now that Daniele is out,” said Andersen. “I’m confident that we will find a way to turn this misfortune into an opportunity to approach the stages in a different way. We have no other choice”

martedì 26 aprile 2011

Liège 2011 by your special reporter 1. Crossing Belgium

This reportage is shared in

1. Crossing Belgium

2. Francorchamp Press Conference

3. Interview with Andy

4. At the race with the fan club

5. Liège pics spam... probably shared in 2 sub-pics spams: a) Podium b) Team bus

Enjoy!

Pics by (c)Ilaria Pranzini

Florence-Frankfurt-Brussel-Spa-Francorchamp-Spa-Waregem-Liège-Brussel-Frankfurt-Florence! Ok, that was a relaxing trip regarding to my standards. First of all, I went to Belgium by plane. Then I got a lot of trains but never for more then 3 hours. The reason is easy to say: LEOPARD TREK invited me last minute and I couldn't find a less confortable but cheaper way to get there in time. I just had to wake up at 4.30 am. At 1.30 pm I was in Spa and even could take a shower.

But the way till there was very nice: I had already been in Belgium but never by myself and must say all was well organized and working, in spite it was Easter. If you come to Italy in those days don't hope to find the same. On the Holy Friday my train travel to Spa wasn't at all a via crucis, because ticket offices were open everywhere, also in small towns where I had to change, and when I asked to have the itinerary printed nobody looked at me with round eyes: I got it and with the track number on (in Italy you are told they still don't know where the train is going to arrive...ehm...!). Belgian trains are quite good in my opinion, and in time.

I was quite sleepy, you can imagine, going to Spa. The rail station I remember better is Pepinster: I had to wait a little there and was already close to where I aimed to be... I was waiting for the last train and there I got a little nervous. It was midday, sunny and windy, strangely hot for the end of April, the air was full of pollens and I thought probably Andy felt bad in the Fleche because of that. The ground was covered on them, white and yellow. I have got an allergy to pollens since when I was child so well know that hurting red eyes and breathing failure. That makes painful walking in the street, don't tell about climbing the Muer of Huy!

My hotel in Spa was great, just near the thermes and almost in front of the Casino. That made me think to Mondorf-les-bains! But the two towns are quite different: Spa is "situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain" – more infos here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spa,_Belgium God bless Wikipedia – and looks much more isolated then Mondorf. The rail way to there is very suggestive. In add everything is very expensive in Spa... much more then in Mondorf! My taxi for exemple. But I had no other way to reach Francorchamp, who is around 9 km from Spa.

I'll tell you about the press conference and dinner in the next post. It was really cool! And fortunately a Belgian reporter gave me a lift back to Spa. It wasn't late but I was exhausted. In spite of that I barely slept... to many things going on in my head... and at 9 am I already was at Spa rail station waiting for the first of another long series of trains.

I'll be honest: I spent the trip watching my pictures again and again. Some especially... I couldn't stop. And then I spent my day in Oigem with my friend Darline just talking about cycling, drinking on her nice terrace and dreaming a bit. A day of full relax. It was too hot to go around and we had a lot to share even if that was the first time we met in real. I slept there, in a cosy B&B, and on Easter morning at 9 I was on my way to Liège.

About that morning I remember the cold clean air and the rosy cloudy sky while waiting in the street for Darline who had to bring me by car to Weregem rail station. All was so still, nobody in sight but some groups of amateur cyclists... What a silence! what a peace!

My hotel in Liège was just near to the wonderful new Guielminnes station: a piece of contemporary art in my opinion that really makes you glad to be there, enjoying the light large garceful space of that airy building as beautiful as functional. And you are surprised by how it matches with the ancient constructions around and with the close green hills. Chapeau! I changed my clothes, prepared my camera and my flag, and back to Ans.

I'll tell you then about the race of course. When I retourned to the hotel I was as happy as hungry so sit down at the restaurant in front of it and ate my first big meal in Belgium. In Spa the dinner was great, but I didn't feel like to eat, by Darline it was really too hot. And now that all was over and in such a cool way... my stomach was finally open!

In add the waiter was a very friendly guy and we made jokes about the race results: "Keep the rest!" I said "I must celebrate tonight! My man was 3th in Liège!", "Who's that, your boyfriend?", "Ahahaha! That's Andy Schleck!", "Ah! Mon fiancé c'est Philippe Gilbert alors!" Dudes we were laughing to death! "Et le bebè est à vous?", "Oui, bien sure!" We were both so happy that we forgot any roles. I went to sleep laughing.

The trip back was the easiest: Liège-Brussel north-Brussel Airport... then Frankfurt again and finally Florence. But you know, I never feel like to go home, or maybe my home isn't here really but where my heart is...

lunedì 25 aprile 2011

Back again...

...what a day! I have some special pictures, an interview and many stories to tell you. Just let me the time to write all down.

The race was amazing and in really short I must say that Gilbert was absolutely strong but couldn't drop Andy and Frank: they made the race, he went with them and of course at the sprint is faster. But two Schleck on Liège podium... WOW! and I was just there, in front of them! moreover, I saw Andy on Friday, at the press conference, and can say he was very focused, relaxed, ready. Now LEOPARD TREK is the first team in UCI ranking not just on paper but on the road: tipp topp!!


I found that on fb Brigade du style section peloton: it tells all!

In next days you'll have a complete reportage, now I only want to thank my friend Darline - you are splendid! - the Schleck Fan Club - you are the most amusing people I know - the Schleck family, mum Gaby and Big Big Bro Steve especially - who always make me feel at home - and Andy of course, who still stands me and my camera. He's back: racing and smiling as

he used and we love.

Results

1	Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	6:13:18
2	Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
3	Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
4	Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana	0:00:24
5	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
6	Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
7	Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team	0:00:27
8	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:00:29
9	Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	0:00:39
10	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
11	Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha Team	0:00:43
12	Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling
13	Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
14	Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
15	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
16	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD
17	Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	0:00:47
18	Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad	0:00:53
19	Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team	0:00:57
20	Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team	0:00:58
21	Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
22	Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack
23	Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack	0:01:01
24	Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
25	Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling
26	Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team	0:01:14
27	David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team	0:01:16
28	Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team	0:01:26
29	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo	0:01:40
30	Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
31	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek
32	Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana	0:01:43
33	Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
34	Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun	0:02:10
35	Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator	0:02:13
36	Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ	0:02:29
37	Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:02:31
38	Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Saur - Sojasun	0:02:34
39	Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:02:36
40	Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Team Garmin-Cervelo
41	Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team	0:02:38
42	Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Team RadioShack
43	Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team
44	Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Pro Team Astana
45	Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team	0:03:00
46	Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
47	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
48	Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Pro Team Astana	0:04:03
49	Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:05:18
50	Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad
51	Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale	0:06:42
52	Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad	0:07:16
53	Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:07:18
54	Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Skil - Shimano	0:07:35
55	Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
56	Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
57	Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
58	Craig Lewis (USA) HTC-Highroad
59	Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard Trek
60	Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
61	Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
62	Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
63	David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
64	Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
65	Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team
66	Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
67	Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD
68	Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
69	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team
70	Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana
71	Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
72	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
73	Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
74	Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
75	Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
76	Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
77	Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
78	Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ
79	Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
80	Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
81	Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
82	John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
83	Francesco Reda (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team
84	Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
85	Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
86	Matthew Busche (USA) Team RadioShack
87	Michael Albasini (Swi) HTC-Highroad
88	Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
89	Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShack
90	Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling	0:11:02
91	Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	0:11:29
92	Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team	0:13:33
93	Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
94	Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ
95	Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

giovedì 21 aprile 2011

Some pics from Huy

Thx Caro Hermes! super nice shots :D

BDW

I leave tomorrow at 5 am: don't expect posts till the 26th but feel free to post infos and opinions in the comments area! I'll try to keep my twitter updated.

mercoledì 20 aprile 2011

"I didn’t feel very good" Interview with Andy by Cyclingnews

Pic by Stephen Farrand

Andy Schleck admits he was on a bad day at Flèche Wallonne

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-schleck-admits-he-was-on-a-bad-day-at-fleche-wallonne

By:Stephen Farrand

Leopard Trek rider worked for his brother on the Mur de Huy

Andy Schleck admitted he was not feeling good during Flèche Wallonne and so opted to sacrifice his own chances in order to help his brother Fränk try and take on Philippe Gilbert on the Mur de Huy.

However Gilbert was again too explosive and too strong for them on the climb to the finish, leaving Leopard Trek the crumbs of a placing in the top ten. Fränk Schleck finished seventh, while Andy was 44th after easing up in the final part of the climb.

"On the next to last climb I didn’t feel very good. I'm not sure if it the weather, but I had red eyes and some breathing problems. So I decided work for the team and did the best I could for Frank in the final kilometre," he explained after the race.

"I chased before the finish because there were two riders in front. Then I dropped Fränk off on Gilbert's wheel at 500 metres to go and watched them go with about 300 metres to go."

Andy lamented about the unusual way Flèche Wallonne had unfolded but insisted he was not looking to make excuses.

"The race was not like a Classic. It was more like an Italian race where the breakaway can get a 17 minute gap after only a few kilometers," he said. "Then only three teams were chasing the break. I prefer when the speed is high since the start. But I was not on a good day so I don't want to find excuses."

Gilbert is now set for an Ardennes hat-trick or even a rarer four-race winning streak if Flèche Brabançonne is included, while Leopard Trek is still looking for its first Classic win. But Schleck refused to be down beat about his and the team's chances at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

"I'm very in confident for Sunday despite what has happened," he insisted. "Gilbert is the big favourite but perhaps we can take advantage of the situation. It'll be a different race on Sunday."

Nothing is written indead... or if it's written we can't read it before. The important thing is that you are ok, mind and body. Then you'll do your best and you'll have no regrets.

La Fleche Wallonne...

Pic by Ispaphoto

...as I said: lets hope he's a new Eddy Merckx, not a new Rebellin. Gilbert won again. How many races did he already win this year? and how many races did he race? I am a little perplexed.

Not disappointed, it was a good race and Omega Pharma-Lotto raced well once again. Frank Schleck 7th and Alberto Contador 11th is a bit few for two teams that worked so much. In my opinion Schleck(s) were too behinde in the last part of the race. But ok, Frank climbed hard and fast in Huy. I failed to see his nat champ jersey so thought that was Andy. And I also failed to get the right results: I thought he was 4th. Not exactly the same....

On www.leopardtrek.lu we can read Kim Andersen's and Frank Schleck's comments:

"It was more difficult than we expected today because some of the other teams did not seem interested in racing at the start, and those four riders just got away,” explained Andersen. [...] “The problem was that we didn’t do enough to go in the breakaway or we needed someone else behind Maxime to make it a little bit easier for Fränk and Andy.” [...] “I think I made a mistake today by waiting too long,” said Fränk in a post-race press conference. “I’m not saying I would have won, but I could have done better.”

Ok, la Fleche Wallone is my favourite classic and I'm sure one day Andy will win it again. Yeah, again: because he won it in 2009. Rebellin was doped and should lose that victory. Is he going to win again Liège? Or will Gilbert repeat Rebellin incredible tris? lets hope!