95th Liège-Bastogne-Liège - Team Reactions & Photos
Team & Rider comments after the final Spring Classic - Saxo Bank, Caisse d'Epargne, Cervélo TestTeam,  Lampre/NGC,  Milram  and  Garmin/Slipstream

Superb Victory for Andy Schleck And Team Saxo Bank
With an irresistible attack 20 kilometres from the finish line Team Saxo Bank rider Andy Schleck took a monumental solo victory in the last of the big classics, Liege-Bastogne-Liège. Before then, the team controlled the big Belgian race in an impressive fashion and the Luxembourg hope for the Tour got the work done without any consideration on the penultimate climb where no one could follow the 24-year-old winner.

Andy Schleck on the podium. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

With Andy Schleck's victory Team Saxo Bank sealed the classic season in the best way possible.

"It is a dream that comes true for me with a victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liège. It has always been the biggest one-day race to me and it is difficult for me to put into words how much this means to me to be at the top of the podium in such a huge event. I could never have succeeded without a team and I am sincerely grateful to them for having believed in me and to be completely superior on the course."

"After my second place in the Fleche Wallone I was actually a little disappointed, but I used that feeling as a motivation to go all the way today. My chance was to stake everything on one throw and try to get to the finish line alone and it was an indescribable feeling to cross the line that way. Now I have proved that I can win one of the world's biggest races, and it gives me an enormous confidence in relation to the next major goal: The Tour de France", said a happy Andy Schleck after the victory.

Family Schleck: Mum, Andy, Dad Johnny and Frank. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

"It was all we wished for. We created the course, and Andy won a beautiful and hugely well-deserved victory. We have deliberately put pressure on ourselves today and with the team we knew it was up to us to create the race, making it hard and play the perfect card for last. Andy was untouchable when he made his move and behind him the whole team closed the race by controlling every attack. Tactically every move formed a synthesis, and the team simply did their job to perfection. Overall, we have ended the classic season in the best possible way and no one can possibly question that we can be fully satisfied with the past month. Now we must focus on keeping our course and I think the victory today could help lift the whole troupe", said Bjarne Riis.

Caisse d'Epargne
Joaquím Rodríguez Second
The Catalan rider of the team Caisse d’Epargne, Joaquím Rodríguez, who finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège after a great race declared in Ans:

Joaquím Rodríguez finishes second Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

“I had a very good day in this race which suits me very well. Today I believe there was nothing we could do to defeat Andy Schleck who was really the strongest rider and we have to congratulate him for what he achieved here. As for me, this second place looks like a victory. It is very important for me because I have been trying for several years. To climb on the podium; it is a reward for all the work I did on these roads the previous years and also the confirmation that I am able to win here someday. Now I will try to take advantage of my excellent form in the Giro d’Italia which is another race I really like and motivates me a lot.”

“Alejandro Valverde will start in the Tour of Romandy”
Alejandro Valverde, who was the nineteenth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, commented after the race,

 “I would have liked to have won again in Ans but in spite of the fact that I was feeling well and that I finished one more time with the first group, I need to train more to be ok on longer distances. It is true that being here, racing on those roads that I like so much, I hoped I would able to win one of the three classics but I can't forget that I changed my preparation to start the Tour France in the best possible condition which means That I had to sacrifice the classics and as a consequence I believe I have to accept the results I got in the Netherlands and in Belgium.”

“During the week, between the Flèche Walloon and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, I decided to slightly change my preparation program for the Tour de France. Instead of taking part in the Tour of Catalunya, I will start, on next Tuesday in the Tour of Romandy to take advantage of my current shape that is going better and better every day. The Swiss race is a beautiful event and each time I took part in it I got good results. This change will give me the opportunity to take some more rest in the month of May and train in a more gradual way before going to the Dauphiné where I will finish my preparation for the Tour de France.”

Davide Rebellin, 38 years old, what a week! A win in the Fleche Wallone and the podium in Liege. Also an interesting ending for the Spring classics with a veteran proving being over 37 he stills has the legs to win, and on the other hand a bright new star in Andy Schleck took his first classic win to add to his growing palmares... a symbolic changing of the guard, with both the young and older generation in the same photo frame. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Cervélo TestTeam
Gerrans Sixth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) was able to execute a solo attack with 20 km remaining to win today's Liège-Bastogne-Liège handily over Joaquím Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne) and Davide Rebellin (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli). Simon Gerrans provided yet another top ten finish coming in 6th place.

"Another strong day from our team," said Jens Zemke, Sport Director, Cervélo TestTeam. "We tried to put one of our riders into an early breakaway. It took a long time but after 57 km we attacked with Marcel Wyss. His performance today was extremely strong for such a young guy and he finished second in the mountain competition, close to the winner Cyril Gautier."

Marcel Wyss leads the break. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

"Well, the problem was it was a really late breakaway and the peloton wasn't happy about it and was chasing it down," said Marcel Wyss who was in the early breakaway. "We had a gap of maybe 14 minutes riding as fast as we could. So after two hours we had a group that was going with me and after 100 km there were only four riders. I was able to recover a little bit and then came the first mountain and I tried to capture the King of Mountain but the other guy was stronger but still it was a huge experience for me. After being caught, I tried to finish the race which was my goal. I found a good group and I think I came in fifteen minutes after the winner. I spoke with Simon and he told me he finished sixth. That was so fantastic, I am so happy."

"The end was a finale fit for the best Ardennes Classics riders in the world," Zemke continued. "We had Simon Gerrans, who for the third time this week was in the top ten rankings. Eighth place in Amstel Gold, seventh in La Flèche Wallonne and today with a sixth place finish in Liège - Bastogne - Liège. A really strong performance for Simon and for the team. All of them supported him and did a really good job and we are very proud of them. It shows that we have a good team for the upcoming Tour de Romandie and Giro d'Italia."

"I arrived in the top ten again, so I am pretty happy," a tired Simon Gerrans said at the finish line. "I had good legs all day. I sort of made the front split and on the second last climb, I made the first split there too, then the group came back together. Schleck was away by himself and he was by far the strongest. Philip, Xavier and Carlos did a good job to help me today, so it was a good team effort especially for Marcel as he was riding out front, so I think we should be happy with that. Yea, another top ten so I am pretty pleased."

 Lampre/NGC
With the Liege-Bastogne-Liege today the Belgian travel ends for the Team Lampre/NGC.
The race has settled over the past 30 km with continuous tempted to attack by many runners. Andy Schleck won with an impressive action, the Luxembourg rider coming to the finish line with a lead of 1'17" to Joaquim Rodriguez and 1'24 on Rebellin, who led the group of the best riders.

Cunego came at seventh place and disputed the sprint of the group, these are his impressions: "I wasn't able to follow Schleck, he was very clever and strong at the time of his attack with great timing and a great safety."

"Behind him we were in a group with enough assorted teams teams and well represented, I tried to exploit the work of the other riders being the only one from our team. In the end when I realized that this was was the race I tried to escape with Sanchez to battle for second. The epilogue, finally was the sprint, in which I was a little closed in and didn't manage to climb on the podium, which would have been a positive result to end my Belgian campaign on. "

Damiano continued by explaining what it expects for him in the coming days: " Tomorrow I grant one day of rest, then begin a workout program that prepares me at the start of the Giro d'Italia."

Remarkable performances of the other athletes of Lampre-NGC, good work for Tiralongo who got into an escape in the km before the move of Schleck, great work for gregario Manuele Mori who marked the pace for several kilometers and finally Gasparotto who was close to Damiano, and he tried until the last to resist despite cramps he had in the final.

Damiano Cunego, Benoît Vaugrenard, Aleksandr Kolobnev and Sammy Sanchez finish 7th throu 11th. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Comment from D.S. Copeland: "I am satisfied with Cunego and all the boys, today we ran well and always alert in the top positions. Congratulations to Schleck who really deserved the victory with his action. Some regret for the way it went in the final group behind the winner, being orphaned by Gasparotto because of cramps; so we had to wait for the sprint. Despite the presence of teams represented by several riders who had surrendered and fought for second place."

Garmin/Slipstream
Hesjedal nearly cracks top ten in Liège
Team Garmin-Slipstream finished its Spring Classics campaign in a strong fashion thanks to Ryder Hesjedal, who continued his progression up the results with an eleventh in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Race report from Ryder Hesjedal
Sunday went perfect! The team did a great job once again repeating the same plan as Flèche and I was very excited to better that result for support I received all week. (Thanks guys! That was some hard biking!)

I was feeling better and better each day and I am very pleased to get through these hard tests with improvement. To get stronger throughout the Ardennes was my goal and puts me right on track for the racing ahead.

Irish Champion and Garmin rider Dan Martin suffers on the Redoute.
Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Liège is what bike racing is all about and I couldn’t be more happy with the result. To close out the Spring Classics with my best ever placing in a monument like Liège-Bastogne-Liège is very motivating and I can’t wait to get the Giro started!! Maglia Rosa here we come!!

Caisse d'Epargne, Milram and Vacansoleil lead the chase. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

Team Milram
The best German on the day wasMilram's Fabian Wegmann, who finished as 29th in the large chase group.
The race was first marked by a four-man escape group. 50 kilometers after the start, Cyril Gautier (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Marcel Wyss (Cervelo TestTeam) and Nico Sijmens (Cofidis) got away and were later joined by Hubert Dupont (AG2R La Mondiale). At km 214, Milram captain Linus Gerdemann, together with Chris Anker Sørensen (Saxo Bank) and Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) went in pursuit. On the famous climb up the Redoute, the main chase group with all the favorites caught the escapees and introduce the finale of the Doyenne.

Comments from the German ProTour team to the finale of the Ardennes trilogy:
Fabian Wegmann, German national champion on TeamMilram: "That was an unusual finale today. I can't remember ever before seeing such a big group arrive together at the finish. On the final climb I once more gave everything. After this difficult race day I was plagued by cramps and just able to make it to the finish.“

Linus Gerdemann: "Lüttich-Bastogne-Lüttich is the most difficult one-day race in the world. That was not easy. We could help control the race for a long time and I was able to get into an escape group. I am still not up to 100 percent, performance-wise. But all in all I am satisfied with how my form is coming. That makes me feel confident for the Tour de France.“

Christian Henn, Directeur Sportif of the German ProTour team: "Our appearance today was not nearly as bad as might look from the results. We were very actively involved in the race happenings. In the end there were 50 riders going up the final climb. Things were really happening.“

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