Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Valverde wins

T-Mobile showed a strong team performance at the oldest and last of spring classics with Patrick Sinkewitz attacking several times in the finale and placing fourth, barely missing out on a podium spot.

Strong T-Mobile showing
"It’s bitter to land in fourth here today. After the top-five placings at the Basque Tour, the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallone I would have loved to get up on the podium“, said a slightly dissappointed Sinkewitz post-race. "maybe I was in the a little too early, but I felt strong and didn’t feel like waiting", he explained.

"We have shown a very strong team performance again. Our strategy worked out. At first we had two strong riders in Steffen (Wesemann) and Michael (Rogers) in the first break. In the finale we were also represented with two riders in the shape of Patrik and Matthias (Kessler)", said a content sport and technical director Mario Kummer.

Wesemann in attacking mood
In fine weather conditions, 195 riders took to the course at 10.15 am. A 26-man breakaway formed after 34 km, consisting, among others, of T-Mobile’s Steffen Wesemann and Michael Rogers (T-Mobile), Jens Voigt (CSC), and Jurgen Van den Broeck (Discovery).

The maximum lead of the group was 7’30. Not enough, given the demanding second half of the race: Eight of twelve gruelling climbs in total awaited the riders on the final 90 kilometres. However, Wesemann didn’t seem to be too impressed by these facts: On the Cote de Stockau (km 181/11,6 percent) the classic specialist attacked and steadily built up a one-minute lead. Meanwhile, his chasers were all swallowed by the fast-approaching peloton, spurred on by Milram and CSC.

However, even Wesemann’s efforts were doomed and he was reeled in with 52 km to go.

Kessler and Sinkewitz at the front
The attacks came thick and fast in the finale. The next one to try his luck was the Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert (Fdjeux). On the "Redoute" (km 225/2.000 m/7,4 percent) the chasing group exploded, with Bettini powering up the the Ardennes ascent, as the magenta pros Matthias Kessler and Sinkewitz held “il grillo’s” wheel.

The next attack was launched by Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) and Joaquin Rodriguez (Illes Balears). With the Dutchman going like a steamtrain, the pair could keep their chasers at bay, opening up a 0’28 gap with eight km to go. However, on the penultimate climb the lead came down dramatically and Sinkewitz was the first to join the lead group.

When the riders tackled the Côte de Saint-Nicolas with 6 km to go, a dozen riders were at the front. Sinkewitz attacked first, but Ivan Basso & co. caught him again. On the finishing straight, the in-form “Sinki” was the first man to initiate the sprint, but lost against Valverde, Bettini and Cunego.