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PRESS RELEASE
VINO POWERS TO SUCCESS
 The 91st edition of Lège-Bastogne-Liège crowned a very impressive Alexander Vinokourov. The rider from Kazakhstan managed the decisive move breaking away alongside Jens Voigt with over 50 kilometres to go from a pack where all the favourites where still hungry for success. ‘Vino’ gives T-Mobile its first win this season… and what a victory it is!
9 – 7 + 3 = 5
A first breakaway occurs after 5 kilometres of the race involving 4 riders: Weening (RAB), Joly (C.A.), Fedrigo (BTL) and Bouquet (MRB). Rapidly caught back by the pack, Yoann Le Boulanger (RAG) then tries to take off… in vain. After less than 20 kilometres, the pace eases up stretching the main pack.
The first real break shapes up at km 28 when 9 riders manage to take off. Of the nine, only two carry up their efforts and lead the race: Wesemann (TMO) and Noval Gonzalez (DSC). The German and Spanish riders are then caught by three counter-attackers: De Kort (LSW), Beneteau (BTL) and Verstrepen (LAN).
With the pace in the pack slowing down, the escapees enjoy a comfortable lead with a maximum gap of 8’35.
Pace eases up in the pack
Things prove to get harder on the way back up to Liège after cruising through the city of Bastogne (7’40 at km 110) when the pack starts easing up their rhythm. While Brandt (DVL), Posthuma (RAB), Zampieri (PHO) and Pozzato (QST) manage to break away in the climb up the Côte de St Roch (km 128,5), the pack moves closer to the leading men: 5’20.
Serious business starts
The very serious business starts in the three very difficult climbs up the hills of Wanne, Stockeu and Haute-Levée. In the first few kilometres of the climb, the group of five leading riders breaks up and only Wesemann and Noval manage to carry on their efforts. Going up the Côte de Wanne a very interesting group of counter-attackers takes off including Bettini (QST), Voigt (CSC), Celestino (DOM), Wegmann (GER), Kroon, Weening (both RAB) and Botero (PHO). The two leading men are eventually caught while heading up the Côte du Rosier (km 195,5), meanwhile the main pack is less than a minute adrift.
All but one: Freire…
The multiple efforts in the climbs have an impact on the pack that loses a lot of riders. A first group of favourites takes off including Basso (CSC), Valverde (IBA) and Cunego (LAM) and eventually catches up the leaders. Behind Di Luca (LIQ) and Rebellin take a bit longer before making it to the first positions with around 55 kilometres to go. Only one favourite fails to make for the final battle: Oscar Freire (RAB).
 Off go Voigt and Vino!
In the climb up the Côte de la Vecquée (km 208), Jens Voigt (CSC) takes off in very impressive style and is finally joined by Alexander Vinokourov (TMO). Despite the fierce chase behind, both men work together beautifully and see their gap grow nicely. In the Côte de la Redoute (km 225) two of the main favourites, Di Luca and Etxebarria find it hard to keep up with the main pack, are dropped before eventually moving back in the bunch after the tricky climb.
Decision time
With 20 kilometres to go, Voigt and Vinokourov enjoy a maximum advantage of 1’18”. Slowly but surely, the main pack starts moving closer. In the last 15 kilometres, quite a few riders give it a go including Etxebarria and Jaksche (both LSW). Not concerned quite yet by final victory, the front men carry on working together and take advantage of the bad work behind. Just before the climb up the Côte de St Nicolas and with 8km to go, the gap grows back up to 1’08. In other words, victory is to be decided between the two leading men. With 300m to go, Vinokourov powers to the finish line and claims a very impressive win.
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NEWSFLASHES
 17:35 - Top five
1-Vinokourov
2-Voigt
3-Boogerd
4-Bettini
5-Evans
17:33 - First win this year for T-Mobile
Fantastic victory for the T-Mobile rider from Kazakhstan. It's actually T-Mobile's first win this season and what a win it is!!!
17:30 - Vinokourov wins it....
In a final sprint, Alexander Vinokourov wins this 91st edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Voigt is second and Boogerd captures third spot.
17:27 - Final kilometre!
It's time for the final battle, the "battle royal" between Vinokourov and Voigt. With 1km to go, victory will go to one of them. Meanwhile. Three riders are together for third spot: Bettini, Evans and Boogerd.
17:22 - Still together with 5 to go
With 5 kilometres to go, the two riders are still together despite an attempt by Vinokourov. They now have a 50" advantage on the followers.
17:18 - Time for St Nicolas
The two leaders have started the climb up the legendary Côte de St Nicolas. Meanwhile Di Luca has been dropped by the main pack.
17:17 - Looking good for the leaders
With under 8km to go, the gap has moved up to 1'08. It's looking good for Voigt and Vinokourov who should shortly be fighting it out for the final victory.
17:14 - 10km to go
Quite a few riders try to break away: Etxebarria (LSW), Jaksche (LSW)... and lose precious time on the leading men who are perfectly working together. Now 55" with 10km to go.
17:08 - 15km to go
With 15km to go the gap is now of 53"... Can they hang on?
17:04 - Gap drops slowly
The two leaders are now in the climb up the Côte de Sart Tilman - Tilff and slowly the gap is dropping. 1' with 17km to go.
17:00 - Twenty kms to go
With just under 20 kilometres to go before the finish line in Ans, the gap with the leading riders (Voigt and Vinokourov) carries on growing: now 1'18.
16:50 - Gap grows for the leaders
The two leading men have a 1'04 lead with 29km to go. Meanwhile Di Luca and Etxebarria have eventually managed to move back into the main pack.
16:46 - Di Luca in trouble
Winner of the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallonne, Danilo Di Luca is no longer in the main favourites' pack. The same fgoes for Etxebarria (LSW). Meanwhile, the gap is growing again for the two leading men (Voigt and Vinokourov): now 48".
16:42 - Battle of La Redoute
While the two leading men have a slim 22" lead on the main pack, the favourites are battling it out in the Côte de La Redoute. It appears that Di Luca is in the last positions and doesn't look in the best of shapes.
16:36 - Redoute to come
With 37 kilometres to go, Voigt and Vinokourov still lead the race with a 47" advantage (after having had a 56" maximum lead). Now to come: the very difficult Côte de la Redoute.
 16:21 - Voigt first at Côte de la Vecquée
Voigt makes it first at the top of the Côte de la Vecquée, ahead of Vinokourov... Botero makes it third. Around 30 riders are chasing at 30".
16:20 - Two in the lead...
In the climb up the Côte de la Vecquée (km 208), Vinokourov (TMO) has now caught up with Voigt (CSC).
16:18 - Voigt in the lead
Jens Voigt (CSC) has broken away from the leading group with 53km to go. The German is being chased by Vinokourov (TMO) who is only 30m behind.
16:16 - All the favourites together again...
All the main favourites are now back together again with 53km. In other words, Di Luca, Rebellin, Etxebarria have caught up with the leading men.
16:14 - The situation...
We now have two main groups involving all the main favourites. In a first group of 23 riders: Bettini, Basso, Cunego, Vinokourov, Valverde, Celestino, Kirchen. In a second group of 7 riders: Di Luca, Rebellin, Freire, ETxebarria...
Over 55 kms to go... and a gap of around 15".
16:08 - Gaps...
The gap bewteen the leading riders and the Di Luca group: 15" with 57km to go.
16:02 - Basso, Cunego in the leading group
Basso, Cunego and Jaksche have managed to catch up with the leading group.
15:59 - Pack moving closer
All the main favourites are in the main pack that is moving closer to the leading group: Di Luca, Rebellin, Cunego, Basso, Evans, Kirchen, Brochard, Etxebarria, Martin Perdiguero, Boogerd, Valverde, Brandt, Freire, Dekker. Meanwhile Vinkourov who had taken off on a counter-attack is with the leaders.
15:56 - Nine in the lead
We now have nine riders in the lead of the race with 65km to go: Botero (PHO), Bettini (QST), Voigt (CSC), Celestino (DOM), Wegmann (GER), Kroon, Weening (both RAB), Noval (DSC), Wesemann (TMO)...
15:52 - Leaders caught by chasers
In the climb up the Côte de Rosiers, the two leading riders have been caught by the counter-attackers. The first part of the peloton remains at 50".
15:44 - Noval first at Haute-Levée
At km 183, Noval makes it first at the top of the Côte de Haute-Levée. The latest gaps are as follows: 50" with the chasing group and 1'15 with the first part of the pack.
15:41 - Pack breaking up
The main pack is completely breaking up into various groups due to the difficult three climbs that have just been covered. All the main favourites including Di Luca are in the first group of the peloton.
15:39 - latest gaps
At km 182, the latest gaps for the leading riders are: 1'02 on the chasing group and 1'38 on the main pack.
15:36 - Climb up Haute-Levée
In the climb up to the Côte de Haute-Levée, the two leading riders have a 1'20 on the first group of counter-attackers (now 7 riders) including Botero (PHO), Bettini (QST), Voigt (CSC), Celestino (DOM), Wegmann (GER), Kroon, Weening (both RAB)...
15:30 - Wesemann first at top of Stockeu
Again, Steffen Wesemann (TMO) has made it first at the btop of the Côte de Stockeu (km 177,5), ahead of Noval (DSC).
15:28 - Bettini and Voigt counter...
To the seven first counter attackers, six other riders have joined in the chase including Bettini (QST), Voigt (CSC) Celestino (DOM).
15:26 - Time for Stockeu
The two leading riders are now starting the difficult climb up the Côte de Stockeu.
15:23 - Riders counter attack
Seven riders have managed to break free from the pack: Wegmann (GER), Kroon (RAB), Weening (RAB), Luttenberger (CSC), Sevilla (TMO), Pozzato (QST) and Caucchioli (C.A.).
15:20 - Wesemann first at top of climb
Steffen Wesemann (TMO) has made it first at the top of the Côte de Wanne ahead of Noval (DSC).
15:19 - Gap carries on dropping
While the main pack led by Vinokourov (TMO, Freire (RAB) and Boogert (RAB) has also started the climb up the Côte de Wanne (km 171), the gap has dropped down to 2'46 with the leading men.
15:16 - Riders dropped in the lead
Only two riders now lead the race: Noval (DSC) and Wesemann (TMO). Indeed De Kort, Beneteau and Verstrepen have been dropped in the difficult climb up the Côte de Wanne.
15:14 - Leaders in climb up Wanne
The five leading riders, Steffen Wesemann (TMO), Benjamin Noval (DSC), Koen De Kort (LSW), Walter Beneteau (BTL) and Johan Verstrepen (LAN) are now in the climb up the Côte de Wanne including sections at 7,7 %.
 15:03 - Difficulties to come
While the leading riders are on the way back up to Liège, quite a few difficulties are to come with three tricky climbs:
-Km 171: Côte de Wanne (2,2 km at 7,7 %)
-Km 177,5: Côte de Stockeu (1,1 km at 11,6 %)
-Km 183: Côte de la Haute-Levée (3,4 km at 6 %)
14:55 - The chase is on.
At km 150, the main pack has seriously increased the pace and the gap with the leading riders carries on dropping: now 5'15.
14:42 - End of story for counter attackers
The four counter-attacking riders who had managed to break away in the climb up the Côte de St Roch have now been caught back by the pack after having enjoyed a maximum lead of 28".
14:41 - Gap drops for the leaders
The five leading riders are now seriously being chased by their followers. The gap has dropped down to 5' on the four counter-attacking riders and 5'20 on the main pack.
14:27 - Looking good for counter-attackers
The latest gap between the Four counter-attacking riders and the main pack is of 28".
14:23 - Counter attacking!
In the climb up the Côte de St Roch, four riders have managed to breakaway from the pack: Brandt (DVL), Posthuma (RAB), Zampieri (PHO) and Pozzato (QST).
14:17 - Leaders at top of Côte de St Roch
At km 128,5, Stefan Wesemann (TMO) has made it first at the top of the Côte de St Roch ahead of Verstrepen (LAN) and Beneteau (BTL).
14:12 - Third climb to come
At km 125, just before the start of the climb up the Côte de St Roch, the five leading riders have a 7'10 advantage on the main pack.
13:54 - Gap starts dropping
The main pack is now in the city of Bastogne (km 110) and has just made it to the feeding zone, while the five leading riders are already on the way back up to Liège. The latest gap is of 7'40.
13:42 - Cloudy sky
The peloton has just made it to the km 100 mark at a rather calm pace and under a sky that is slowly becoming cloudy... In other words: bad news for the riders that could meet some rain in the late stages of the race. Five men still lead the race: Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile), Benjamin Noval (Discovery), Koen De Kort (Liberty-Seguros), Walter Beneteau (Bouygues) and Johan Verstrepen (Landbouwkrediet) with an advantage of just under 8'.
13:15 - Five men still in the lead
At the top of the Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne (km 82,5), Verstrepen again clinches the maximum climber's points, ahead of Noval and Wesemann. The peloton has gained a few seconds on the five-man leading group and is now 7'54 adrift.
12:49 - Gap grows seriously
At km 69, it appears that the pack has stopped its efforts. The five front riders are now enjoying a comfortable lead: 8'20...
 12:25 - Verstrepen leads at top of Côte de Ny
At the top of the Côté de Ny counting for the best climber classification, Verstrepen (LAN) makes it first and captures 4 points, ahead of Noval (DSC) and Wesemann (TMO). Meanwhile, the pack remains 1'28 adrift.
12:22 - Gap grows
One kilometre from the top of the Côte de Ny (km 57,5), the five leading riders see their advantage grow to 1'15.
12:12 - Fast pace in the pack
The five riders still lead the race but are slowly being caught by a very fast and hungry peloton. At km 50, the gap has dropped down to 21".
12:01 - 5 in the lead
At km 45, the three chasing riders have caught up with the two leaders. We now have 5 men in the leading group: De Kort (LSW), Beneteau (BTL), Verstrepen (LAN), Wesemann (TMO) and Noval Gonzalez (DSC).
11:58 - Latest gaps...
At km 43 (Barvaux), the two leading riders (Wesemann (TMO) and Noval Gonzalez (DSC)) have an 8" lead on the three counter-attacking riders and 38" on the main pack.
11:56 - 3 counter attackers
At kilometre 34, three riders have taken off in a counter attck behind the two leading men. The three are De Kort (LSW), Beneteau (BTL) and Verstrepen (LAN).
11:53 - Criquielion quits
Belgian rider Mathieu Criquielion (LAN), son of former cycling World Champion Claudy who is also his sporting director, has quit the race.
11:48 - 9 men on the break... and then 2!
At km 28, nine riders managed to break away from the pack: B.Zberg (GER), Posthuma (RAB),Siutsou (FAS),,Pozzato (QST), Noval Gonzalez (DSC), Fedrigo (BTL), U.Etxebarria (EUS), Stubbe (JAC). All were eventually caught except two who are now leading the race: Wesemann (TMO) and Noval Gonzalez (DSC). Both have a 20sec advantage.
11:26 - Fast pace
At km 15, the peloton remains bunched but appears to be extremely stretched due to the fast pace.
11:16 - Bunched pack
After an early breakaway at kilometre 5 involving 4 riders, Weening (RAB), Joly (C.A.), Fedrigo (BTL) and Bouquet (MRB), then followed by another attempt by Le Boulanger at km 6, the pack is bunched.
11:13 - 195 riders on the start line
195 riders started the day's race. Only one rider failed to start: Fredrerik Willems (JAC).
11:05 - Blood tests this morning
Early this morning, the UCI proceeded in conducting blood tests on 31 riders of the following teams: Mr bookmaker-Sportstech, AG2R Prevoyance, Bouygues Telecom, Domina Vacanze. All the tests were negative and the riders were authorised to start the day's race.
11:02 - Official start given
After taking off from the Place Saint Lambert in Liège, the official start was given at 11hOO for the riders of the 91st edition of the event.
10:46 - Welcome...
Good morning and welcome to you all for our live coverage of the 91st edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. A 260km race in the Belgian Ardennes region. The riders are due to start at 11h00 and we'll be updating you on all the action!
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