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Bayern Rundfahrt
Photo ©: Schaaf

71st Flèche Wallonne - PT

Belgium, April 25, 2007

Main Page    Results    Live report    ProTour standings    Video highlights

Tin-tin Rebellin gets another Gerolsteiner win

By Shane Stokes and Gregor Brown in Huy

An exhausted Rebellin
Photo ©: AFP
(Click for larger image)

ProTour leader Davide Rebellin fortified his hold on the white jersey with an impressive win on top of the Mur de Huy today. His victory comes just after team-mate Stefan Schumacher won Amstel on Sunday.

The 35 year-old Italian repeated his 2004 victory when he kicked clear with 200 metres to go, going around a fading Matthias Kessler (Astana) and opening up a six second winning margin. Last year's champion Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) put in a late surge to take second, with Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) also getting by the German to take third.

"It was a day without stress for me," said Rebellin after taking his second career win in Flèche. "I made it the finale and it was possible to go for the win. I risked a lot because the escape of Di Luca and Valverde was dangerous."

In 2004 he first won the Flèche on his way to making history; he had already taken victory he Amstel Gold three days before and came good in Liège-Bastogne-Liège four days later. That fabulous week was the first time that cycling had ever seen an Ardennes Triple. Three years on the rider from Verona showed his class once more.

Rebellin's compatriot Di Luca won the 2005 edition, making the first three over the line all recent winners of the gruelling mid-week Classic. "At Amstel I did a great race; I was with the best," noted Di Luca to Cyclingnews at the start. "Today and Sunday I will try to be with best once again to play for victory."

Alexander Vinokourov
Photo ©: AFP
(Click for larger image)

Having already won both Amstel and Flèche in 2005 Di Luca still wanted to add another Flèche to his palmarès. "Liege is more important but I would also like to win today, what is important to win one of them. The team is doing well. We have a great team."

After the race he was satisfied with his performance. "I went with the best. I did well with the third place," noted Di Luca, exhausted after the day's efforts. He was in the leading escape in the final ten kilometres but it was caught with only three kilometres remaining.

Astana's Alexander Vinokourov and Kessler then took over the charge once the race hit the base of the Huy. This moved suited 'Tin-Tin' Rebellin, whose last win came in October 2006, with the overall of the Giro dell'Emilia. "The climbs went well," he noted. "In the finale Vinokourov did a lot of work, then Kessler, the peloton was all lined out. I think it was a little far out for them but it worked well for me."

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)
Photo ©: Sirotti
(Click for larger image)

Valverde was content with result and hopes that with sixth in Amstel and second today, he is building towards the elusive Liège win. "I was very happy and I am feeling better than Amstel. The team did really well today and it is a pity that I could not repay them but I can't win all the races. Overall, to be in the front was good."

The Spaniard thought ahead to Sunday, "In Liège I think I will see the same rivals as today." Di Luca will be one of his key rivals. "He was a little upset with me and then came up to me to talk after the race. He thought I should have collaborated but I said that I had a teammate, Joaquím Rodríguez, up ahead, so I could no help him... Joaquím rode a great race."

The 2006 winner showed class by keeping his head and fighting for a podium spot. "After we were caught by the bunch I felt I did not have any more strength but in the finale but then in the final metres I found something more. I was able to catch and pass Riccò and Kessler."

Rebellin, who was not presented the white ProTour jersey after the race, now leads the overall classification. It is interesting to note that since the ProTour classification started in 2005 that the winner of this Ardennes Classic has also gone on to win the final overall.

How it unfolded

The start in Charleroi.
Photo ©: Gregor Brown
(Click for larger image)

The race departed from a sunny and hot Charleroi. Most of the 189 riders gathered were talking of the incidents of the last week but all were ready start racing the 202.5 kilometres to the Mur de Huy. There was one non-starter, Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel).

The riders were set to cover the 1,300 metre Mur beast three times, the final being the finish. The climb has a 9.3% average gradient and some sections of 14, 19 and 25%. Between the second and third ascent there was a collection of côtes (or "hills" in this French-speaking part of Belgium) which helped thin the pack, including the Pailhe (km 115), Peu d'Eau (km 137), Haut-Bois (km 142), Thon (km 152.5), Bonneville (km 160.5), Bohissau (km 172.5), and Ahin (km 188).

The flag dropped to start the race soon after 11:20 am, and immediately the attacked commenced. Freddy Bichot (Agritubel), Morris Possoni (Lampre-Fondital), and Paul Manning (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner) went clear at kilometre four. The trio marked the first attack of the day but also was the first capture of the day for the peloton.

Another attack was made from trio Hugo Sabido (Barloworld), Niki Terpstra (Milram) and, again, Manning. They were joined by Iñigo Landaluze (Euskaltel-Euskadi), and Didier Rous (Bouygues Telecom), but the five fell to the power of a Rabobank-led peloton.

The Mur de Huy
Photo ©: Sirotti
(Click for larger image)

Bichot was key in forming the race's first successful escape. The Frenchman of Agritubel led an attack at kilometre 40 that was joined by Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel-Euskadi), David Loosli (Lampre-Fondital), and Christophe Le Mevel (Crédit Agricole). The four men quickly built a gap that by the first ascent of the Mur was 6'50".

Over the Côte d'Ereffe (kilometre 84.5), the gap stablized. The four riders - two French, one Italian and one Spaniard - steadily plugged towards the second climb of the Mur. For the second time they covered the Huy, amongst throngs of fans, free of the peloton. At the top of the Huy the gap was just under five minutes, at 4'30".

The peloton was being led by Gerolsteiner, for Rebellin and Schumacher, and Caisse d'Epargne for Valverde. The two teams kept the gap at four minutes going into the Côte de Pailhe. Slightly before the climb, Ivan Rovny (Tinkoff Credit Systems) gave a dig to try to join the front four on his own.

The 19 year-old Russian quickly put a minute into the peloton and sat about two minutes behind the four escapees. He was only able to hang off the front for 15 kilometres, and he was pulled back under the strenght of Liquigas and Caisse.

Liquigas was showing the same force that they did in Amstel for its leader Di Luca. The Italian won Amstel and Fleche in 2005 before going on to win the inagural edition of the ProTour general classification.

Axel Merckx (T-Mobile)
Photo ©: Gregor Brown
(Click for larger image)

Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) exploded the race before the Côte de Peu d'Eau. The Belgian launched off the peloton and quickly gained a gap. Behind him was shrapnel; the race now seemed to be taking shape as small groups formed.

Crashes slowed down Tim Klinger (Gerolsteiner) and three-time World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank) on the backside of the Peu d'Eau. Up front, Merckx's move had been pulled back but the peloton was now being shredded to bits. The tension was also being felt up front, where the leaders only had a 30 second gap.

Verdugo and Bichot moved off on their own in a desperate attempt to remain free. However, their time seemed limited because the big teams were cueing up for a showdown with only five climbs remaining before the last ascent of Huy. Bichot, after going free at kilometre 40, finally cracked at kilometre 144.

Verdugo was solo but his move would soon be caught, clearing way for the big artilleries. The major teams were allowing the Basque his freedom; he faced the Côte de Thon with just over one minute's advantage. Behind Bichot had been caught by an attack from Benny De Schrooder (Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen).

Serguei Ivanov (Astana)
Photo ©: AFP
(Click for larger image)

Saunier Duval kicked into action after the Thon. The team sent its men, including Gilberto Simoni, to the front for Riccardo Riccò. In the town of Sclayn there was now only 40 seconds between Verdugo and the peloton. Left to race were 46 kilometres and four climbs; Côte de Bonneville, Côte de Bohisseau, Côte de Ahin, and the Mur de Huy.

The Bonneville cracked many riders off the back of the peloton and spelled the end for Verdugo, while up front it was Cédric Vasseur (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Michael Rogers (T-Mobile) who were leading the charge. The Frenchman took a small adantage, near 10 seconds, in an attempt to soften his rivals for his teammates.

Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux) fired off the front immediately after Vasseur was caught. The native Walloon held his own over the Bohissau but behind the pace was kicked up another notch. Joaquím Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne) blasted on the climb. The Spaniard momentarily worked his way off the front with Alexander Efimkin (Barloworld) in an attempt to weaken the field for teammate Valverde.

Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile)
Photo ©: Sirotti
(Click for larger image)
The field was back together heading to the penultimate climb, Côte de Ahin. Alexander Vinokourov (Astana), Bram Tankink (Quickstep-Innergetic) and Rogers were active at the front. Vino did not like this situation, nearing around 15, and ordered teammate Serguei Ivanov to attack. The 32 year-old Russian was set free with 26 kilometres to go, an excellent move for Vino.

Caisse mounted the chase for Valverde while Bettini was seen suffering at the rear end. The race was unfolding and the Italian did not seem to have the legs. He violently threw off one of his water bottles. He eventually dropped off the pace to talk with his team car.

On the Coote de Ahin, Ivanov started to fade. Liquigas was heading the peloton when an attack came from the winner of Pais Vasco, Juan José Cobo (Saunier Duval-Prodir). Over the top, the Spaniard bridged with the Russian - the two held on to a 20 second gap.

An attack by Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile) prompted Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) and Joaquím Rodríguez (Caisse d'Epargne) into action. The trio briged to the two leaders at kilometre 12.5. Another formed behind them, containing Cristian Moreni (Cofidis), Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel), and Thomas Dekker (Rabobank).

Di Luca, Kirchen, Valverde, and Rodriguez then went clear together, with the latter surging clear with approximately eight kilometres remaining. Aided by Valverde's presence in the break, he opened up a lead of six seconds. However there was a big chase on behind and everything came back together with less than three kilometres to go.

Simon Gerrans (AG2R-Prévoyance) led the bunch as they approached the kite and the last ascent of the fearsome Mur de Huy, then Astana took over and appeared to be setting things up for Vinokourov.

Fans reach out
Photo ©: AFP
(Click for larger image)

However it was the Kazakhstani himself who led the frontrunners into the final 500 metres, the bunch really starting to fragment as the gradient kicked in. His teammate Kessler then took over, with Rebellin and Ricco on his wheel, and his efforts pulled a small group clear.

Rebellin remained calm and perfectly poised, biding his time as the others wilted under the pace set by Kessler. He came around the Astana rider with 150 metres to go and kicked hard, opening up a considerable gap by the line. Behind, Valverde and Di Luca overhauled a fading Kessler to take second and third, respectively, while the German hung on to take fourth ahead of Ricco and Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R-Prévoyance). CSC's Frank Schleck showed he is recovering from the injuries incurred three days ago by taking seventh.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by AFP

Images by Gregor Brown/Cyclingnews

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Images by Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews

Images by Erik Van Breugel/www.cyclingmoments.com

Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

Results

1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner                              4.48.06 (42.173 km/h)
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          0.06
3 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas                                          
4 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Astana                                      0.08
5 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                              
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r Prévoyance                            0.13
7 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team CSC                                       0.16
8 John Gadret (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                                  0.19
9 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                           
10 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital                                  
11 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                     
12 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank                                           
13 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen       0.23
14 Benoît Salmon (Fra) Agritubel                                         
15 Manuele Mori (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                           0.25
16 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom                           0.27
17 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                  
18 Eduardo Gonzalo (Spa) Agritubel                                   0.29
19 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française Des Jeux                         0.31
20 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                            
21 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                0.35
22 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld                                    
23 Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Quickstep-Innergetic                         0.38
24 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre-Fondital                                  0.40
25 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quickstep-Innergetic                               
26 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                  0.42
27 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                
28 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC                                          
29 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto                                     
30 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                              0.45
31 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Milram                                      0.48
32 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                         
33 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Française Des Jeux                              
34 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                            0.50
35 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas                                          
36 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                                         
37 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel                         0.55
38 Julien Loubet (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                                   
39 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                    0.58
40 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quickstep-Innergetic                         1.00
41 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole                             
42 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Milram                                        1.02
43 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis                                          
44 Pieter Mertens (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                                  
45 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Crédit Agricole                              
46 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto                                   
47 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           1.07
48 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                           
49 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Liquigas                                   1.10
50 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                           1.12
51 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis                                        
52 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic                          
53 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC                                      
54 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana                                     
55 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel                              
56 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile                                        1.20
57 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC                                           
58 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                        1.23
59 Iker Camaño (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                            1.24
60 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux                              1.26
61 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile                                   1.28
62 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                              1.32
63 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis                                     1.33
64 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld                                     
65 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                         1.36
66 Egoi Martínez (Spa) Discovery Channel                             1.45
67 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                            1.51
68 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas                             2.06
69 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana                                       2.12
70 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Astana                                       2.14
71 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                              2.39
72 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                                 
73 Pedro Arreitunandia (Spa) Barloworld                              2.47
74 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2r Prévoyance                                   
75 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank                                      2.55
76 Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          3.02
77 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen         4.07
78 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                         
79 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank                                     4.09
80 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                            4.14
81 José Joaquín Rojas (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                             
82 Hubert Dupont (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance                                   
83 Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Quickstep-Innergetic                    4.22
84 Axel Merckx (Bel) T-Mobile                                        4.25
85 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas                                        
86 Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld                                   6.04
87 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Milram                                        6.09
88 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                   6.15
89 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis                                      6.39
90 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        7.07
91 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole                             7.17
92 Dario Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto                                 7.46
93 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                     8.10
94 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom                                   
95 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                
96 Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                                 8.17
97 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen    8.31
98 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile                                        8.36
99 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile                                         
100 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                            
101 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld                                
102 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                8.55
103 Antonio Colom (Spa) Astana                                       9.03
104 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Cofidis                                     9.09
105 Benjamin Noval (Spa) Discovery Channel                          11.18
106 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                     
107 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                  
108 Hugo Sabido (Por) Barloworld                                         
109 José Alberto Benítez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                      
110 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic                            
111 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Discovery Channel                              
112 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Tinkoff Credit Systems                         
113 Tim Klinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                       
114 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen             
115 Didier Rous (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                   
116 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                 
117 Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                            
118 Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                
119 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana                                          
120 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC                                          
121 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                                       
122 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux                           
DNF Nico Sijmens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                      
DNF Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Crédit Agricole                            
DNF Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis                                          
DNF Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis                                       
DNF Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis                                         
DNF Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                  
DNF David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Fondital                                   
DNF Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank                                           
DNF Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank                                         
DNF Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française Des Jeux                             
DNF Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française Des Jeux                           
DNF Thierry Marichal (Bel) Française Des Jeux                            
DNF Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel                            
DNF Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel                               
DNF Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel                               
DNF Nick Ingels (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                                    
DNF Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Crédit Agricole                                 
DNF Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole                            
DNF 237                                                                  
DNF Paul Manning (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                      
DNF Jean-Claude Lebeau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                
DNF Steven Kleynen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                    
DNF Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                  
DNF David Boucher (Fra) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner                     
DNF  Nikolai Trussov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                        
DNF Alexander Serov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                         
DNF Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems                              
DNF Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Tinkoff Credit Systems                         
DNF Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems                      
DNF Tom Stubbe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen               
DNF Jens Renders (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen             
DNF Benny De Schrooder (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen       
DNF Johan Coenen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen             
DNF Niki Terpstra (Ned) Milram                                           
DNF Carlo Scognamiglio (Ita) Milram                                      
DNF Arkaitz Durán (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                             
DNF Thomas Frei (Swi) Astana                                             
DNF Igor Abakoumov (Bel) Astana                                          
DNF Francesco Failli (Ita) Liquigas                                      
DNF Michael Albasini (Swi) Liquigas                                      
DNF Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile                                        
DNF Marco Pinotti (Ita) T-Mobile                                         
DNF Michael Barry (Can) T-Mobile                                         
DNF Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC                                            
DNF Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                  
DNF Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              
DNF Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                 
DNF Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              
DNF Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                             
DNF Vicente Reynes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                
DNF Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner                               
DNF Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                  
DNF Björn Schröder (Ger) Milram                                          
DNF Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Milram                                        
DNF Matej Jurco (Svk) Milram                                             
DNF Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld                                            
DNF Félix Rafael Cárdenas (Col) Barloworld                               
DNF Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel                                      
DNF Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel                                        
DNF Manuel Calvente (Spa) Agritubel                                      
DNF Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel                                        
DNF Aivaras Baranauskas (Ltu) Agritubel                                  
DNF Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Agritubel                                  
DNF Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quickstep-Innergetic                            
DNF Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic                             
DNF Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner                                   
DNF Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 
DNF José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                  

ProTour standings

1 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner                                  132 pts
2 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank                                    82
3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC                                        79
4 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 75
5 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   67
6 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team    58
7 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                      57
8 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep-Innergetic                                57
9 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana                                          53
10 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                             50
11 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas                                       50
12 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital                                46
13 Roger Hammond (GBr) T-Mobile Team                                   45
14 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                     45
15 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Predictor-Lotto                                 44
16 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team                                     41
17 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) T-Mobile Team                                40
18 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank                         40
19 Leif Hoste (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                                    40
20 Allan Davis (Aus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team                40
21 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Astana                                       40
22 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana                                   38
23 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        38
24 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas                                         36
25 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC                                        30
26 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Predictor-Lotto                               30
27 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                30
28 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas                                    28
29 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC                                        28
30 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team             25
31 Roberto Petito (Ita) Liquigas                                       25
32 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team            25
33 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir                           24
34 David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                           23
35 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC                                           23
36 Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir           22
37 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank                                      22
38 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram                                        20
39 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team              20
40 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Française des Jeux                          15
41 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto                                   15
42 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone                   15
43 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2r Prévoyance                             11
44 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                10
45 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana                                       10
46 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram                               10
47 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                      8
48 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic                             7
49 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Rabobank                                      7
50 John Gadret (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance                                    5
51 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com                                         5
52 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep-Innergetic                            5
53 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                           5
54 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                         3
55 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        3
56 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                           3
57 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team           3
58 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC                                     3
59 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                    3
60 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              3
61 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                3
62 Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Liquigas                               3
63 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                3
64 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir                              3
65 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance                             3
66 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Lampre-Fondital                                  2
67 Patxi Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital                   2
68 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                       2
69 Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 2
70 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Team Milram                                   2
71 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas                                     2
72 José Antonio Redondo Ramos (Spa) Astana                              2
73 Sebastian Siedler (Ger) Team Milram                                  2
74 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r Prévoyance                                 1
75 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                 1
76 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quickstep-Innergetic                         1
77 Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                       1
78 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance                                1
79 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                       1
80 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                                   1
81 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank                                         1
82 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux                              1