Danny Martin Wins Liege-Bastonge-Liege

Last updated : 21 April 2013 By Covsupport News Service

Garmin Sharp's Danny Martin won the Liege-Bastonge-Liege Classic

The final spring classic race, won by iglinskiy in 2012 and first raced in 1882, started outside Liege and this year had its finish after 261kms amended to end in Ans.

There were seventeen climbs to be contended for and six riders out of the 199 who started in Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise), Bart De Clercq (Lotto), Vincent Jérôme (Europcar), Pirmin Lang (IAM Cycling), Frederik Veucheulen (Vacansoleil) and Jonathan Fumeaux (IAM Cycling) got away.

They were eleven minutes clear but were pulled back by a very strong peloton which included Chris Froome, Nicholas Roche and Alberto Contador.

With less than 100kms to go, the gap had dropped to six minutes as they went over the 7.3% Côte de Wanne climb and another minute and forty five seconds was knocked of by the time, the Côte du Rosier, was completed.

Astana, BMC and Radio Shack were leading the peloton as the race passed through Spa and another spell of pressure brought the gap down to 3.08 with 66kms to go.

With Sander dropping back into the peloton, the gap dropped further still. Team Sky were now on the front chasing the escapers who were only ninety seconds ahead. with less than 50kms and four climbs to go.

Speeds went up to 70kmph as the riders started on the Côte de la Redoute. There was a crash which took down a number of riders including Caruso.

With 39kms to go, the escapers were caught and Team Sky's Lopez  with Rui Costa and Fuglsang attacked before being caught by another four riders including Frank, Bardet, Losada and Cunego. 

Lopez, Cunego and Bardet pushed on chased by Fuglsang, Ten Dam, Fredrigo, Losada, Costa. The eight riders went into the final thirty kilometres.

Ten kilometres later and there was a group of about thirty riders on the front including world champion Philippe Gilbert and Garmin's Danny Martin with another group of about 25 riders behind them on the slopes of the Côte de Colonster.

With sixteen kilometres to go, Ryder Hesjedal went away and had built a seven second lead two kilometres later.

The Canaadian had a nine second lead with six to go as Moreno punctured just past Standard Liege's football ground.

With 5.5kms to go, Hesjesdal was caught by three riders whilst eleven including Nibali and Gilbert were eight seconds behind them.

Dan Martin took over at the front but with 1.1kms to go, Joaquin Rodriquez of Katusha went away on the final climb in Ans. Danny Martin chased him and got to him.

Then he went took the final corner with 200ms to go and won in a time of 6.38.07, ahead of Rodriquez, Valverde and Betancur.