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Gilbert triumphs in Grand Prix de Wallonie

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Another uphill finish, another victory for Belgian champion

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David Boucher (Omega Pharma-Lotto)

David Boucher (Omega Pharma-Lotto) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert on the podium after winning the Grand Prix de Wallonie.

Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert on the podium after winning the Grand Prix de Wallonie. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Belgian champion and Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert.

Belgian champion and Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert takes in the applause.

Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert takes in the applause. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Philippe Gilbert's dream season continues with a victory in the Grand Prix de Wallonie.

Philippe Gilbert's dream season continues with a victory in the Grand Prix de Wallonie. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Grand Prix de Wallonie podium (l-r): Julien Simon, Philippe Gilbert and Bjorn Leukemans.

Grand Prix de Wallonie podium (l-r): Julien Simon, Philippe Gilbert and Bjorn Leukemans. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) won the KOM prize.

Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) won the KOM prize. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Mountains classification winner Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator)

Mountains classification winner Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Most aggressive rider Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank Sungard)

Most aggressive rider Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank Sungard) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Philiippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) wins the Grand Prix de Wallonie.

Philiippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) wins the Grand Prix de Wallonie. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert attacked just prior to the 1km to go banner and soloed to victory.

Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert attacked just prior to the 1km to go banner and soloed to victory. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) finished second, two seconds behind Philippe Gilbert.

Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) finished second, two seconds behind Philippe Gilbert. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) on the podium.

Winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) on the podium. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert.

Grand Prix de Wallonie winner Philippe Gilbert. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Michael Schar (BMC Racing Team)

Michael Schar (BMC Racing Team) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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The peloton tackles the Côte de Saint-Hubert.

The peloton tackles the Côte de Saint-Hubert. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha) and David Boucher (Omega Pharma-Lotto) lead the early break.

Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha) and David Boucher (Omega Pharma-Lotto) lead the early break. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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A 12-man escape was off the front deep into the race.

A 12-man escape was off the front deep into the race. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) in the break.

Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) in the break. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Yannick Talabardon (Saur - Sojasun) was part of the day's break.

Yannick Talabardon (Saur - Sojasun) was part of the day's break. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Yann Moritz (Europcar)

Yann Moritz (Europcar) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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The peloton climbs the Côte de Werbomont.

The peloton climbs the Côte de Werbomont. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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AG2R La Mondiale riders set the pace in the peloton.

AG2R La Mondiale riders set the pace in the peloton. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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AG2R La Mondiale's Romain Lemarchand and Julien Loubet on the front of the peloton.

AG2R La Mondiale's Romain Lemarchand and Julien Loubet on the front of the peloton. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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The escape in Evelette.

The escape in Evelette. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
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Grand Prix de Wallonie top three (l-r): Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun), Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM)

Grand Prix de Wallonie top three (l-r): Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun), Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) strutted his stuff yet again at the Grand Prix de Wallonie, using his power and speed to jump away on the uphill finish to the Namur Citadel.

The Belgian national champion was still feeling the effects of travelling back form Canada but was well-placed as the road snaked up through the bastion walls. He attacked with more than a kilometre to go and distanced the rest of the field with a gradual but insistent effort. Julien Simon (Saur – Sojasun) hung on to take second place at two seconds, with Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil) bringing home the rest of the peloton.

“It was a very, very fast race but I felt good,” Gilbert said on television immediately after his win. “The team worked really well in the finale and so I started the climb to the Citadel in a good position. We rode steady but then Rabobank upped the pace, making it perfect for me to launch an attack. I got a gap and kept going.”

The Grand Prix de Wallonie was Gilbert’s last race before the world championships in Copenhagen on Sunday September 25. The Danish course is not especially testing but Gilbert warned that other factors could shape the race.

“I’ve been watching the weather and it’s been raining every day and been cold. It’ll be a hard race,” he predicted.

Full Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto5:00:08
2Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:02
3Bjorn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
4Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
5Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
6Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team RadioShack
7Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
8Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
9Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek
10Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team
11Nicolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
12Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar
13Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ
14Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
15Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ
16Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Belgium
17Nick Nuyens (Bel) Saxo Bank Sungard
18Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:08
19Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
20Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek
21Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
22Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent0:00:11
23Yann Offredo (Fra) FDJ
24Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
25Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:00:14
26David Tanner (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
27Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
28Reinien Honning (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
29Nicolas Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
30Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek
31Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
32Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
33Niels Vandyck (Bel) Belgium
34Yannick Martinez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
35Dirk Bellemarkers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
36Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek
37Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
38Sean De Bie (Bel) BEL
39Kevin Ista (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
40Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
41Jeremie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
42Thomas Degand (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent
43Kevin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
44Luke Roberts (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
45Kasper Klostergaerd (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
46Michal Golas (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
47Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
48Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar
49Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack
50Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
51Sander Oostlander (Ned) Skil - Shimano
52Sebastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:00:23
53Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
54Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent0:00:34
55Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:00:36
56Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
57Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent
58Boris Dron (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon
59Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
60Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
61Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:40
62Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
63Guillaume Le Floch (Fra) Team Europcar
64Yann Huguet (Fra) Skil - Shimano
65Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:43
66Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Belgium0:00:46
67Jan Tratnik (Slo) Quickstep Cycling Team0:00:48
68Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
69Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:54
70Arkimedes Arguelyes (Rus) Katusha Team
71Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:00
72Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
73Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
74Rudy Rouet (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
75Mathieu Sprick (Fra) Skil - Shimano
76Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
77Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
78Remi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ
79Kristof Van De Walle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
80Tom Dernies (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon0:01:05
81Gilles Devillers (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
82Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team0:01:13
83Macello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
84Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:01:16
85Jaco Venter (RSA) Veranda's Willems - Accent
86Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Katusha Team
87Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
88Michael Schar (Swi) BMC Racing Team0:01:20
89Jeremy Roy (Fra) FDJ0:01:22
90Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:01:24
91Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar0:01:38
92David Boucher (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto0:01:44
93Marco Bandiera (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team0:02:07
94Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team0:02:09
95Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
96Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Team RadioShack0:02:12
97Jesse Sergent (NZl) Team RadioShack
98Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
99Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Katusha Team
100Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:02:16
101Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
102Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
103Jens Debusschere (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto0:02:21
104Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
105Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
106Frederic Guesdon (Fra) FDJ0:02:23
107Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ
108Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Skil - Shimano0:02:29
109Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:02:56
110Sebastien Hadeo Wens AGR19830418 Saxo Bank Sungard0:03:14
111Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard
112Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller0:03:29
113Gil Suray (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon0:04:33
114Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
115Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
116Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Skil - Shimano
117Alexander Mironov (Rus) Katusha Team
118Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team
119Arthur Vanoverberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
120Floris Smeyers (Bel) Belgium
121Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team
122Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
123Sebastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
124Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
125Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon
126Jempy Drucker (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent
127Brice Feillu (Fra) Leopard Trek
128Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
129Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
130Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
131Arnaud Van Groen (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent0:04:42
132Florent Serry (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon0:05:54
133Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:06:31
134Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
135Kevin Thome (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon0:06:41
136Hophra Gerard (Bel) Belgium
137Yann Moritz (Fra) Team Europcar0:09:08
138Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ
139Johann Tschopp (Swi) BMC Racing Team
140Chris Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
141Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha Team
142Eric Berthou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller0:09:46
143Romain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:12:09
144Ron Margaliot (Isr) Saxo Bank Sungard
145Chritophe Premont (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
146Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team0:12:39
147Maxime Anciaux (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon0:12:44
HDJulien Dechesne (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon
DNFGraeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNFOlivier Pardini (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
DNFFrederik Willems (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
DNFJonathan De Witte (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole
DNFKevin De Jonghe (Bel) Belgium
DNFJens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
DNFSam Bewley (NZl) Team RadioShack
DNFAndreas Stauff (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team
DNFFrancesco Chicchi (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team
DNFAndy Capelle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
DNFMartin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek
DNFTobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Skil - Shimano
DNFMartin Reimer (Ger) Skil - Shimano
DNFBryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar
DNFYannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
DNFNicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
DNFRenaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller
DNFKevin Van Melsen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent
DNFYaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team RadioShack
DNFGeorges Bennett (NZl) Team RadioShack
DNFKenny Dehaes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
DNFDmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team RadioShack
DNSSteve Dekaert (Bel) Belgium
DNSKalle Kriit (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

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