Maxim Iglinskiy wins Liège - Bastogne - Liège

Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana) attacked out of a small chasing group to catch Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) within sight of the flamme rouge and take the win in the 2012 Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Nibali had jumped from the field on the penultimate climb and tried to solo in the last 20km, but the Kazakh gave chase to claim his first Classic win.

Nibali exhaustedly crossed the finish line 20 seconds later, and Iglinskiy's teammate Enrico Gasparatto was third, winning the chase group's sprint. Last year's winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC), who had long been part of that group, relaxed when he realized he had no chance and rolled easily over the line in 16th place.

This race is often decided on La Redoute, but this year the action waited until the Cote de La Roche aux Faucons, with 20km to go. La Redoute had indeed reduced the field, and from there, BMC put up a furious pace around defending champion Gilbert. They caught and passed the remnants of the day's escape group. But at the top of the climb, it was Nibali at the head of things, and he took off alone on the descent, only to be caught again at the last minute.

At the start in chilly Liège, 200 riders left the Saint-Lambert Square while the sun was peeping through the dark clouds. Even before the official departure, outsider Igor Anton (Euskaltel-Euskadi) hit the deck and broke his collarbone.

In almost every Spring Classic this year, the early breakaway only got away after the first hour of racing and La Doyenne was no different. Despite several earlier attempts, it took an hour before three riders escaped after 40km of racing: Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma - Quick Step), Simon Geschke (Argos-Shimano) and Kevin Ista (Accent Jobs - Veranda's Willems),and they were soon joined by Reiner Honig (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Grégory Habeaux (Accent Jobs - Veranda's Willems) and Alessandro Bazzana (Team Type 1 - Sanofi). By that time, the gap had skyrocketed to more than 12 minutes. That was the signal for the Katusha team of top favorite Joaquím Rodriguez to start working.

In Bastogne - at the turning point - rain showers tortured the riders when they reached the feed zone. From there, the gap dropped from 12 minutes to seven minutes after the second climb of the day, the Côte de Saint-Roch. The average speed dropped back to 38km/h while Katusha kept the gap at around seven minutes in the long zone before the third climb of the day, the Côte de Wanne. The peloton started getting restless while several riders were beginning to feel the pain of the demanding Ardennes course, getting dropped on the Wanne. The gap was down to just over five minutes after this climb.

Just before hitting the Cote de Stockeu, the front group lost Geschke in a crash and while in the peloton, favorite Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) ran into problems as well. The gap dropped to under three minutes on the long, demanding climbs. On the Levée , Pierre Rolland (Europcar) attacked, accompanied by Vasil Kiryienka (Europcar) and David Le Lay (Saur-Sojasun). They caught the five remaining leaders by the 4km long climb up the Col du Rosier. The peloton, led by BMC and Lotto Belisol, trailed the front of the race by one and a half minutes while riding in and out of rain showers.

The fast pace set by the newcomers in the break resulted in several dropped riders, but the gap back to the peloton remained above one minute. The rain continued to come down, and the riders packed themselves in dry, warm clothes. Cataldo, Bazzana, Rolland, Lelay and Kiryienka held on to a fairly consistent 1:30 lead for a while. Mads Christensen (Saxo Bank) jumped from the field but never got far away, as the looming La Redoute dominated things, with the teams bringing their captains early into position.

The fearsome climb tore the lead group apart, and behind them, the peloton gobbled up Christensen. Both Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) had technical problems on the climb, throwing them back, while Gilbert rode easily at the head of the field. While the chasing peloton got noticeably smaller, there was no real decisive move made.

Kiryienka and Rolland came over the top with about a 45-second lead, with Cataldo chasing them and struggling to catch up and hang on. He finally made it to the other two.

BMC kept the pace high, high enough that splits started appearing in the long, strung-out peloton. With only 25km to go, the gap had fallen to under 30 seconds. With 21km to go, the leaders hit the penultimate climb, the Cote de La Roche aux Faucons, with only a 14-second lead, with BMC still leading the chase. Fränk Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) couldn't hold the pace and fell off the back of the field.

Kiryienka was finally alone in the lead, but was caught by a small high-powered group including Nibali and Gilbert. Rodriguez found himself struggling, as the field tore apart on the high-speed climb.

Nibali stayed at the head of things as they crested the climb, and he took off on the descent, hoping to pick up enough of a gap on the remaining 19km to avoid a sprint at the finish. The chase groups, consisting of Gilbert, Gasparotto, Iglinskiy, Sanchez, Rodriguez, Kiserlovski, Mollema, Rolland, Voeckler, Scarponi, Van Den Broeck, Nocentini, Hesjedal, Martin, and Vanendert, were very fluid, with multiple attacks, and very little cooperation or co-ordination.

Nibali was able to take 22 seconds into the final 15km, with Iglinskiy and Rodriguez closest behind him. The Liquigas rider turned on the speed, and with 10km to go, had built his gap up to 39 seconds.

Martin and Rolland were the next to attack out of the Gilbert group, but Nibali had found his rhythm and kept pulling away. He went alone and perhaps not quite so easily up the final climb of the Cote de Saint Nicolas, but maintained his lead. Iglinskiy was surprisingly able to drop Rodriguez on the steep climb, and behind them, Gilbert had difficulties as well.

Iglinskiy crossed the top 46 seconds down on Nibali, but doggedly gave chase, getting closer and closer. The tiring Italian was unable to give any more and virtually within sight of the flamme rouge, he was caught and passed by the Astana rider.

Iglinskiy powered his way up the closing climb, extending his lead and crossing the finish line 20 seconds ahead of the exhausted Nibali. Gasparotto won the sprint of the chase group to claim another podium place for Astana.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro Team6:43:52
2Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale0:00:21
3Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:00:36
4Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 3 - Cell 2
5Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - BarracudaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 6 - Cell 2
8Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 7 - Cell 2
9Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - BarracudaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 10 - Cell 2
12Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 11 - Cell 2
13Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team0:01:00
16Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:01:27
17Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team0:02:11
18Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 17 - Cell 2
19Simon Gerrans (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 19 - Cell 2
21Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 20 - Cell 2
22Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Frank Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-NissanRow 22 - Cell 2
24Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo BankRow 24 - Cell 2
26Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanRow 26 - Cell 2
28Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 27 - Cell 2
29Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingRow 28 - Cell 2
30Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 29 - Cell 2
31Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 30 - Cell 2
32Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 32 - Cell 2
34Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 33 - Cell 2
35Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 34 - Cell 2
36Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky ProcyclingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team0:02:19
38Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD0:05:05
39Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 38 - Cell 2
40Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team0:05:27
41Rémi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 40 - Cell 2
42Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:05:39
43Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 42 - Cell 2
44Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 43 - Cell 2
45Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
46Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 45 - Cell 2
47Alex Howes (USA) Garmin - BarracudaRow 46 - Cell 2
48Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - BarracudaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Bert De Waele (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 48 - Cell 2
50Andy Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-NissanRow 49 - Cell 2
51Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 50 - Cell 2
52Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin - BarracudaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 52 - Cell 2
54Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - BarracudaRow 53 - Cell 2
55Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 54 - Cell 2
56Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 55 - Cell 2
57Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanRow 57 - Cell 2
59Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 58 - Cell 2
60Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 59 - Cell 2
61Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 61 - Cell 2
63Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team0:05:45
66Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet0:07:29
67Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 66 - Cell 2
68Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:08:22
69Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 68 - Cell 2
70Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 69 - Cell 2
71Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar0:08:28
72David Lelay (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:08:30
73Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:08:54
74Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 73 - Cell 2
75Michael Albasini (Swi) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 76 - Cell 2
78Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 77 - Cell 2
79Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team0:11:04
80Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 79 - Cell 2
81Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team0:12:18
82Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
83Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 82 - Cell 2
84Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 83 - Cell 2
85Kevin Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 84 - Cell 2
86Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 85 - Cell 2
87Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 86 - Cell 2
88Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 87 - Cell 2
89Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 88 - Cell 2
90Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
91Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 90 - Cell 2
92Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo BankRow 91 - Cell 2
93Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 92 - Cell 2
94Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 93 - Cell 2
95Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 94 - Cell 2
96Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 95 - Cell 2
97Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 96 - Cell 2
98Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
99Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingRow 99 - Cell 2
101Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
102Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
103Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Christian Meier (Can) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
105Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRow 104 - Cell 2
106Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 105 - Cell 2
107Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 106 - Cell 2
108Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky ProcyclingRow 107 - Cell 2
109Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 108 - Cell 2
110Daryl Impey (RSA) Greenedge Cycling Team0:12:50
111Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team0:12:54
112Simon Clarke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team0:14:31
113Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
DNQAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 113 - Cell 2
DNQAngel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
DNQJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
DNQLaurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 116 - Cell 2
DNQPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Horner (USA) Radioshack-NissanRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFJens Voigt (Ger) Radioshack-NissanRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFJoost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-NissanRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFSimone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFSylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFEduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFStefano Agostini (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFFederico Canuti (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Appollonio (Ita) Sky ProcyclingRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Rowe (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFFumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFTravis Meyer (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Greenedge Cycling TeamRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFIgor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFJorge Azanza Soto (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFGorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFLieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFLaurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFYannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Bouyer (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Charteau (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Malacarne (Ita) Team EuropcarRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFKévin Reza (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFLeonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFEliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFJelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Damuseau (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFTom Dumoulin (Ned) Argos-ShimanoRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFYann Huguet (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - BarracudaRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - BarracudaRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFKoen Barbe (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFGilles Devillers (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFReinier Honig (Ned) LandbouwkredietRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFFrédéric Amorison (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFKurt Hovelynck (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFSandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFGaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFBrian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFGert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFStaf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFOleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFSjef De Wilde (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFGregory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFArnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Van Melsen (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFEvert Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo BankRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFTroels Ronning Vinther (Den) Team Saxo BankRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFJulien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Antomarchi (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFJavier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFGeorg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 199 - Cell 2

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