This just in … Davide Rebellin has scored a great win at the Fleche Wallone semi-Classic this afternoon. The Italian powered past countryman Danilo Di Luca for the win.
Well, you wait 7 years for a big victory, then they start coming like buses! After cycling’s equivalent of 40 days in the wilderness, Davide Rebellin has achieved something of a metaphor-mangling career resurrection. Just 72 hours after taking out the Amstel Gold Race, he has now nabbed the highly-regarded midweek Flèche.
And after disappointing Di Luca by escaping from his clutches on Sunday, Rebellin turned the knife by catching and just edging the Saeco leader to the line this afternoon.
He was the strongest of an elite peloton which hit the bottom of the race’s final climb – the famous Muur de Huy – and picked the perfect time to make his move. Lotto’s Axel Merckx lead onto the climb. He was washed away though.
Inside the last 750m, Kessler put the pressure on and split things up. For a while, it looked like he would hang on, but Di Luca ground his way up the slope behind.
Di Luca pulled level, and looked across at Kessler, giving him ‘the stare’. He grimaced and moved past. You couldn’t say “jumped past”, because the Muur is so steep that it’s a hell of an effort to keep going forward.
But Rebellin wasn’t done – he hung on, clawed back the lead and edged past the grimacing Di Luca who battered his handlebars on realising he was beaten.
Kessler gamely hung tough for the final podium place.
Earlier, the race was a series of brave breakaways – brave because none of them got very far. One such move was Bertolini (Alessio), Van Den Brouck (US Postal), Pineau (Brioches), Kolobnev (Domina Vacanze), Vicioso (Liberty Seguros)and Elmiger (Phonak).
They got swallowed up at 30 kms out, then Erik Dekker had a go for about 10kms but didn’t break the peloton. Immediately after he got caught, Vinokourov (T-Mobile), Sanchez (Euskaltel) and Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo) attacked. They lead into the finale at Huy, but were swept away just before the 30 or so guys in the peloton hit the slopes for the final time.
Pointers for Sunday’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege to come from the race:
Alexander Vinokourov looks strong and briefly escaped as part of that late, 3-man move, and his T-Mobile squad looked ominously good.
Erik Dekker got a gap on the peloton and was flying before being caught around 15 kms from home. If he gets his tactics right on Sunday, instead of finding himself in the wrong place, he'll have cards to play.
Frank Vandenbroucke is getting stronger, finishing with the leaders, in 7th spot.
And, of course, Rebellin is on for a glorious hat-trick of wins … as L’Equipe newspaper says, he’s in a state of grace right now!
Rider Comments - reported by Michele Tomasi
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner): "Today I felt good so I asked Gianni (Faresin) to work to close on Dekker. I was worried because it could be too early but then it was right. And the victory came".
Danilo Di Luca (Saeco): "I really wanted this victory. Maybe I spent too much before the finale, instead of Rebellin who waited in the group. But this happens to those who want to win".
Michele Bartoli (CSC): "It has been a tough race. Also because I've been running all the World Cups races, and maybe it was better if I didn't ride this one. I hope I'll recover in these 3 days before Liegi".
Kim Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo): "After the first 150kms I felt very good so I wanted to try something. Also because I knew I wasn't going to win a main group sprint. Unluckily we at Fassa rode very well but still missed a big victory".
68th Flèche Wallone 199km
1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4hrs31'33"
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco + 3"
3 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile + 9"
4 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze + 12"
5 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile + 16"
6 Andreas Kloden (Ger) T-Mobile + 18"
7 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Fassa Bortolo same
8 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros same
9 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner + 20"
10 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal-Berry Floor sam
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
As the final Madison got underway the arena was packed to the rafters, all the talk of Six Days in crisis forgotten for now. The finale was ... More....
Six Day racing comes to Berlin for the 99th time on Thursday, 28th January, 2010 with the great tradition of winter track racing in Germany in a ... More....
American Classic spent the last couple of years reworking their line up and the 420 Aeros are the latest to leave the bench. Take a look at the new ... More....
A couple years in the making, Pez head up to see arguably the top custom builder on the planet. We hit Serotta's NY shop, take a peek at their ... More....
You’ve still got today and all of tomorrow to ‘git ‘er done! Your holiday shopping that is… and armed with the complete set of 4 gift guides ... More....
If the stocking's not full - somebody's not doing their job. Good thing we're here to help with a big ol' bag full of the kind of stuff we'd love to ... More....
Winter riding is almost upon us - except for you lucky Aussies - and that means less riding outdoors. But with an indoor trainer and a Netflix ... More....
Many ergogenic aids, both legal and illegal, have been touted as the magic bullet that will improve cycling performance. What about something that ... More....
Having goals is one of the important first steps in achieving your dreams. They can be small goals or they can be big goals, but without them you’ll ... More....
Is cycling your religion, or at least one of them? If so, you’re not alone. Many people define themselves as “spiritual,” even if they don’t practice ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: I love Scotland; but there’s no Gazzetta in the morning, most of the coffee tastes like John Wayne brewed it beside the ... More....
Sunday July 20th 1969; that’s 40 years ago now but I remember it clearly as the day that I first became aware of professional bicycle racing – I was ... More....
Roadside Recap: As we make our merry way through the rounds of the PEZ Looks Back, Ed is up for his retrospective on the Tour that was. As the ... More....
Coming on four years ago, Saul Raisin was one of THE big things in US pro cycling. Top 40 in a hard Tour de Suisse and mountain king at the Tour de ... More....
The last time we spoke to Garmin's Steve Cozza was after the 2008 Paris - Tours; where he produced another solid performance from a consistent and ... More....
Just about to start his second season with Cervélo - thanks to strong Classic rides and his first Grand Tour finish, in the Giro - Englishman, Dan ... More....
In October, nine-time Tour de France rider Frankie Andreu announced that he would be Director Sportif of the Ohio-based KENDA Pro Cycling p/b ... More....
With so many (too many?) others looking back to best-of-2009 or decade highlights, why not look ahead? A new decade beckons, after all, so who better ... More....
We first talked with Lostende Bike Tours owner and avid cyclist Allan Reeves about his Pyrenees Cycling Challenge, from the Atlantic to the ... More....
So, riding in Texas is mostly flat, with only tumbleweeds and armadillos to avoid right? Well, not exactly. You see, Austin is situated in what’s ... More....
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
Professional cycling has, over the years, attracted only a few documentary film makers. A few, such as Jorgen Leth’s “A Sunday in Hell,” have even ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
Race report: Alejandro Valverde stayed upright to seal his Vuelta victory – the first Grand Tour win of his career. On such a short stage, ... More....
Race Report: Today David Millar won his 5th stage in all his Vuelta’s, he was given one of the swords that Toledo is famous for along with the ... More....
The loss of Franco Ballerini is not one that will be forgotten anytime soon. The sport's best are at a loss and two of the greatest riders of our ... More....
Updated! Hallelujah, they're racing in Qatar, and I just got back from celebrating with every other New Orleanian on Bourbon Street. There's ... More....
It was a dark Sunday morning in Italy when the news services announced that Franco Ballerini, ex-professional, former dual Paris-Roubaix winner and ... More....
The maracas shake, 'Cara mia, mine !' blasts from the PA. Bang! The little cannon fires and the hall fills with smoke. Yes, this is the right place, ... More....
When the K-Mart Classic of West Virginia stormed through the state in the mid-90s, it opened awareness as to just how great the bike riding is in ... More....
After riding the final 17 sectors of Paris-Roubaix yesterday, and typing to you with still swollen, sore, and blistered hands, I understand to my ... More....
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/amclass/amc420alarge.jpg",900,698);)
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/serotta/meilarge.jpg",2000,1244);)
