'Dale Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 It's been a cautious ascent of the Mur de Huy, nobody wants to take it up early and we're set for a sprint at the summit.
'Dale Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Alejandro Valverde hits the front on the final ramp with 150 metres to go...
'Dale Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Valverde opens a small gap over Alaphilippe and Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) as the road flattens out....
'Dale Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 ????????Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) wins Flèche Wallonne.
'Dale Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) holds off Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) to take second place.
Cav' Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Keep a look out in future for the kid who came in 7th overall on Sunday. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) is 22 years old and rides for Etixx-Quick-Step. He's categorised as a sprinter, but very much in the same mould as Sagan/Gerrans/Matthews/Gilbert, not a Cav/Kittel. He's got a cyclocross background and a very bright future. And he really knows how to handle a bike. Watch this video:http://videosdecyclisme.fr/video-julian-alaphilippe-acrobate/ Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) holds off Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) to take second place.Close call Tombeej!
Gen Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Froome remounts slowly and begins pedalling again gingerly. The Sky man has torn his shorts and has cuts on his left side. We haven't seen a full replay of that crash, but it seems as if a couple of riders overshot a corner and Froome was among the six or seven who went down.He should reallt not stem check while taking corners[emoji6]
tombeej Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Young Julian Alaphilippe has certainly made a big splash in his first full year as pro. 7th on Sunday and now 2nd. Wow. This kid is all class. Looks like he was born on a bike. Old man Lefevere really has a knack for picking classics talent. What a find. Bring on LBL! Edit: I see this is his second year as a pro.
'Dale Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 He should reallt not stem check while taking corners[emoji6] He loves his stem that Froome.He is in this part of the world, really, to go and recce some of the cobbled segments of le Tour.
ScottCM Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Top 20 1. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, MOVISTAR TEAM, in 5:08:222. Julian ALAPHILIPPE, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :003. Michael ALBASINI, ORICA GreenEDGE, at :004. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, TEAM KATUSHA, at :005. Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ, TEAM KATUSHA, at :006. Alexis VUILLERMOZ, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :047. Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA, TEAM SKY, at :048. Jakob FUGLSANG, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :049. Tom Jelte SLAGTER, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at :0410. Wilco KELDERMAN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :0411. Roman KREUZIGER, TINKOFF – SAXO, at :0812. Rinaldo NOCENTINI, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :1013. Dylan TEUNS, BMC RACING TEAM, at :1014. Pierre ROLLAND, TEAM EUROPCAR, at :1315. Enrico GASPAROTTO, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :1316. Jonathan HIVERT, BRETAGNE-SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT, at :1617. Mathias FRANK, IAM CYCLING, at :1618. Michele SCARPONI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :1619. Bauke MOLLEMA, TREK FACTORY RACING, at :1920. Vincenzo NIBALI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :19
tombeej Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 From the two Ettix-Quickstep boys: "This is my first time racing Flèche and I had never done the Mur de Huy before," Alaphilippe said. "I'm surprised and happy about my 2nd place after a strong team performance today. My goal was to help Michal Kwiatkowski be in the top positions before the Mur de Huy. The Côte de Cherave created a tense finale. A lot of riders wanted to attack there. My job was to follow the attacks in support of Michal. A big bunch showed up on the Mur de Huy, which was a different scenario compared to previous years. As a team we did a great job surrounding Michal and controlling the attacks of the day. On the Mur de Huy I found myself very well positioned at the front. I had great legs on the climb and the nature of the Mur de Huy makes it difficult to contest the finale if you are not in front. So my Sport Director told me to just go for the victory as I was in great position with good condition. I did everything I could, but I saw Alejandro Valverde was in front and on this steep climb there was just no way to close the gap. He deserved the victory today. I'm still a young rider trying to gain experience and am happy that I can be there to both help my teammate, and also try if there is an opportunity for myself in the finale. One day I'd like to try and win these kinds of races, which I love. I will carry on and keep learning from both my teammates and the peloton around me. Now we will focus on Liege-Bastogne-Liege. It's another race I've never done before, so I am curious about it. I will see the parcours for the first time on Friday during recon and I am super excited. I hope to play an important role in the team strategy to help Michal in the front so the team can be able to contest the finish." "Today the team did a great job to put me in front the entire day, but unfortunately I couldn't finish really well," Kwiatkowski said. "Probably I paid a little bit for all the emotions after the victory of Amstel Gold Race. It was really a big moment, and the emotions that followed it had a big impact on me. I think mentally I'm still adjusting to what I accomplished. In any case the team found a way to be on the podium with a strong Alaphilippe. He had a strong performance and it was only his first time. He closed all the attacks on the second-to-last climb. He did a great job for me and in the final he still found the legs to contest the race. He was 2nd, so we are very proud of him. We are doing really well as a team and we hope to finish the Ardennes Classics with a top finish at Liege-Bastogne-Liege."
Wez-O Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Nothing ruins a great race like a previously convicted doping cheat taking the win...
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