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
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