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By: Andrew Kappes
93rd Liège-Bastogne-Liège 262km
The last Ardennes classic of the season has arrived in the Pro Tour. It's
the 93rd Liège - Bastogne - Liège, a favorite of many of the riders. The
Cycling season is just heating up, and the Giro D'Italia is looming in about
two weeks. Liège - Bastogne - Liège is certatinly not an easy warmup race
for the Giro as it features 12 major climbs, including the Côte de
Saint-Nicolas, which is about 5.5 kilometers from the finish. It has an
average gradient of 11.1%.
Mountain passes & Hills
| Km 57.5 |
Côte de Ny |
1.8 km climb to 5.7% |
Category hills |
| Km 83 |
Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne |
2.8 km climb to 4.9% |
Category hills |
| Km 129 |
Côte de Saint Roch |
0.9 km climb to 12% |
Category hills |
| Km 173 |
Côte de Wanne |
3.1 km climb to 6.1% |
Category hills |
| Km 179.5 |
Côte de Stockeu |
1.1 km climb to 10.5% |
Category hills |
| Km 185 |
Côte de la Haute-Levée |
3.4 km climb to 6% |
Category hills |
| Km 197.5 |
Côte du Rosier |
4.0 km climb to 5.9% |
Category hills |
| Km 210 |
Côte de la Vecquée |
3.1 km climb to 5.9% |
Category hills |
| Km 227.5 |
Côte de la Redoute |
2.1 km climb to 8.4% |
Category hills |
| Km 233 |
Côte de Sprimont |
1.4 km climb to 4.7% |
Category hills |
| Km 248 |
Côte du Sart-Tilman - Tilff |
3.6 km climb to 5.3% |
Category hills |
| Km 256.5 |
Côte de Saint-Nicolas |
1.0 km climb to 11.1% |
Category hills |
The Peloton climbs the Côte de Saint-Nicolas Photo
©
Corvos
Images
2006 Podium Photo
©
Corvos Images
Top 10 Pro Tour Team-by-Team Breakdown:
Caisse D'Epargne
: Caisse brings defending champion Alejandro Valverde, who was just short of
an Amstel Gold victory last week. The 2006 Pro Tour champion is looking for his
first major win of the season, and the course seems to suit his likings. Caisse
brings a few other guys who can win this race, including Luis Leon Sanchez, Jose
Vincente Garcia-Acosta, and David Lopez.
Caisse D'Epargne Startlist:
1 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro Spain
2 GARCIA ACOSTA José Vicente Spain
3 LOPEZ GARCIA David Spain
4 PEREZ SANCHEZ Francisco Spain
5 REYNES MIMO Vicente Spain
6 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin Spain
7 ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin Spain
8 SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon Spain
Quickstep-Innergetic:
World Champion Paolo Bettini is still looking for his first major victory of
2007. He rode very well in last week's Amstel Gold Race, and this course is
ideal for him. There isn't any major contender on this team other than Bettini,
so we should expect everyone on Quickstep devoted to a podium place by Bettini,
who won this race in 2000 and 2002.
Quickstep Startlist:
11 BETTINI Paolo Italy
12 BARREDO LLAMAZALES Carlos Spain
13 ENGELS Addy Netherlands
14 TANKINK Bram Netherlands
15 TOSATTO Matteo Italy
16 VAN DE WALLE Jurgen Belgium
17 VASSEUR Cédric France
18 VISCONTI Giovanni Italy
Lampre-Fondital:
Damiano Cunego finished third at last year's Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and he is
in good form this season, making him an early favorite for this year's edition.
This will be a good warmup for Cunego's Giro run, and should be an early
indicator on how well he will do in the first grand tour race.
Lampre-Fondital Startlist:
21 CUNEGO Damiano Italy
22 BONO Matteo Italy
23 LOOSLI David Switzerland
24 POSSONI Morris Italy
25 RIGHI Daniele Italy
26 SZMYD Sylvester Poland
27 VALJAVEC Tadej Slovenia
28 VILA ERRANDONEA Francisco Javier Spain
T-Mobile:
T-Mobile will bring a few contenders to this year's race. Patrik Sinkewitz
rode well last week at the Amstel Gold, he finished fourth in this race last
year. Aussie Michael Rogers will look to get into form, he should ride well.
Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen is also expected to start for the Pink and White.
T-Mobile Startlist:
31 SINKEWITZ Patrik Germany
32 BARRY Michael Canada
33 DAVIS Scott Australia
34 HANSEN Adam Australia
35 HONCHAR Serhiy Ukraine
36 KIRCHEN Kim Luxembourg
37 MERCKX Axel Belgium
38 ROGERS Michael Australia
Rabobank:
Michael Boogerd was robbed of a podium place at his final Amstel Gold Race
last week. Hopefully for him and his Rabobank squad, that snub fueled his desire
for Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He comes as a favorite, after riding well last week.
He has never won this race but would like to add one in his final
Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Rabobank brings in a loaded squad behind him, including
Milan-San Remo winner Oscar Friere, Paris-Roubaix podium placer Juan Antonio
Flecha, Thomas Dekker, and Pieter Weening.
Rabobank Startlist:
41 BOOGERD Michael Netherlands
42 BOVEN Jan Netherlands
43 DEKKER Thomas Netherlands
44 ELTINK Theo Netherlands
45 FLECHA GIANNONI Juan Antonio Spain
46 FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar Spain
47 MOERENHOUT Koos Netherlands
48 WEENING Pieter Netherlands
CSC:
2006 Amstel Gold winner Frank Schleck will wear the coveted race number 51,
leading his CSC team into Liege-Bastogne-Liege. CSC once again brings a slew of
contenders, including Jens Voigt and Frank's little brother Andy Schleck. Also
riding for CSC will be Americans Bobby Julich and Christian Vandevelde.
CSC Startlist:
51 SCHLECK Frank Luxembourg
52 JULICH Bobby United States
53 KOLOBNEV Alexandr Russia
54 KROON Karsten Netherlands
55 SCHLECK Andy Luxembourg
56 SORENSEN Nicki Denmark
57 VANDEVELDE Christian United States
58 VOIGT Jens Germany
Astana:
2005 champion Alexandre Vinokourov will lead his Astana team into battle
this weekend. Vino hasn't raced much so far this season, but is looking to get
into good form for a Tour de France run in July. Also riding for Astana on
Sunday will be Andrey Kashechkin.
2005 Podium Photo
©
Corvos Images
Astana Startlist:
61 VINOKOUROV Alexandre Kazahkstan
62 ABAKOUMOV Igor Russia
63 COLOM MAS Antonio Spain
64 FREI Thomas Switzerland
65 IGLINSKIY Maxim Kazahkstan
66 KASHECHKIN Andrey Kazahkstan
67 KESSLER Matthias Germany
68 YAKOVLEV Serguei Kazahkstan
Predictor Lotto:
Aussie Cadel Evans and American Chris Horner will lead Predictor into this
year's race. Horner finished an impressive eighth at last year's edition, and
Evans will be looking to accomplish a similar feat that Stuart O'Grady did at
Paris-Roubaix. He will look to become the first Australian rider to win
Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Predictor Startlist:
71 EVANS Cadel Australia
73 BRANDT Christophe Belgium
74 CIONI Dario David Italy
75 HORNER Christopher United States
76 JUFRE POU Josep Spain
77 VAN HUFFEL Wim Belgium
78 VAN SUMMEREN Johan Belgium
79 MERTENS Pieter Belgium
Liguigas:
Ninth place finisher from last year Danilo Di Luca is back for the mean
green to lead his team into this year's Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The 2005 Pro Tour
champ has been in good form, and recorded a similar win earlier this year at
Milano-Torino. Also riding for Liquigas will be Franco Pellizotti and Vincenzo
Nibali. Now that the Killer is back, will he add the Queen of the Ardennes to
his palmares?
Photo ©
Corvos Images
Liguigas Startlist:
81 DI LUCA Danilo Italy
82 ALBASINI Michael Switzerland
83 CARLSTRÖM Kjell Finland
84 FAILLI Francesco Italy
85 NIBALI Vincenzo Italy
86 NOE' Andrea Italy
87 PELLIZOTTI Franco Italy
88 SPEZIALETTI Alessandro Italy
Euskaltel-Euskadi: Classics specialist Samuel
Sanchez will ride for Euskaltel on Sunday. Also riding for Euskaltel will be
Unai Etxebarria and Inigo Landaluze. Sanchez has ridden fairly well so far this
season, and is looking for his first big win of the season.
Euskaltel-Euskadi Startlist:
91 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel Spain
92 ASTARLOZA CHAURREAU Mikel Spain
93 BRU PASCAL Yon Spain
94 ETXEBARRIA ARANA Unai Venezuela
95 GALDOS ALONSO Aitor Spain
96 LANDALUZE INTXAURRAGA Inigo Spain
97 PEREZ MORENO Ruben Spain
98 VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka Spain
Other Major Contenders:
What a season Gerolsteiner is having? Davide Rebellin finished
second at Paris-Nice, and won Fleche Wallone on Wednesday, and won this race in
2004. He is also the current Pro Tour leader. Stefan Schumacher pulled a
surprise last week at the Amstel Gold Race, and is an early favorite for
Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Will Rebellin repeat his 2004 performance? Photo
©
Corvos Images
Gerolsteiner Startlist:
141 REBELLIN Davide Italy
142 FOTHEN Markus Germany
143 KLINGER Tim Germany
144 KOHL Bernhard Austria
145 SCHUMACHER Stefan Germany
146 WEGMANN Fabian Germany
147 ZAUGG Oliver Switzerland
148 ZBERG Marcus Switzerland
Discovery Channel and Saunier Duval will bring in a few young
guns to this year's race. Discovery will bring Paris-Nice winner Alberto
Contador, Stijn Devolder, Vladimir Gusev, and Yaroslav Popovych. Saunier Duval
will bring Italian hot shot Riccardo Ricco, who is in fantastic form for a young
rider.
Discovery Channel Startlist:
181 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto Spain
182 DEVOLDER Stijn Belgium
183 GUSEV Vladimir Russia
184 MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi Spain
185 NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin Spain
186 PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Moreira Portugal
187 POPOVYCH Yaroslav Ukraine
188 VAN GOOLEN Jurgen Belgium
Saunier Duval-Prodir Startlist:
121 RICCO Riccardo Italy
122 CAMANO ORTUZAR Iker Spain
123 DE LA FUENTE RASILLA David Spain
124 BENITEZ ROMAN Jose Alberto Spain
125 COBO ACEBO Juan Jose Spain
126 DURÁN AROCA Arkaitz Spain
127 MORI Manuele Italy
128 SIMONI Gilberto Italy
It should be an exciting race on Sunday, and the talented
studded field certainly has made it hard to predict a winner. I see either
Alejandro Valverde or Paolo Bettini taking the victory, but there is a slew of
contenders that can easily take their hopes away from them at the
Liege-Bastogne-Liege this weekend. If you live in North America, you can catch
the race on www.cycling.tv.
A full listing of the race's palmares maybe found
here.
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