Andersen wins espoir Liège - Bastogne - Liège
Boswell, Berry make two Americans on podium
Bontrager-Livestrong's Ian Boswell and Chipotle Development Team's Josh Berry overcame extreme weather conditions to finish second and third Saturday at the U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege race in Belgium. Denmark's Michael Andersen (Glud & Marstrand) soloed in for the win.
Saturday’s weather, which included snow flurries, helped whittle the field of 198 starters to just 56 by the finish of the 180.8km U23 race that runs prior to this weekend's ProTour event. Boswell attacked the peloton with about 20 kilometers remaining and bridged to a seven-rider chase group, including Berry.
The leaders hunted down Andersen’s leading trio, which had escaped the peloton with about 70km remaining. Andersen attacked the lead group with just over 10km remaining in the race and set off for the finish on his own. At the top of the last climb of St. Nicholas with about 7 km to go, he led Boswell, Berry and the two former riders from his lead group by about 31 seconds.
The chase group swelled to 10 riders before Boswell attacked one more time at 5km. Berry also jumped away from that group, and the two Americans set off in search of the lone Dane at the head of the race. But Boswell soon ran out of race course, and Andersen finished about 15 seconds ahead of Boswell and then Berry at about 52 seconds in arrears. Team USA's Larry Warbasse, who finished fifth last year, was 24th.
The podium finish marks Boswell's best in three tries and the best-ever by an American. Berry, who was riding his first race for the US national team, told the local press that his upbringing in Idaho's Sun Valley prepared him well for the harsh conditions.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Glud & Marstrand | 4:35:48 |
2 | Ian Boswell (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team | 0:00:15 |
3 | Joshua Berry (USA) Chipotle - First Solar | 0:00:52 |
4 | Dieter Bouvry (Bel) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | 0:00:58 |
5 | Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cc Nogent-sur-oise | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Samuel Spokes (Aus) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | 0:01:02 |
7 | Ethan Kimmince (Aus) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | 0:01:04 |
8 | Daan Olivier (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) Vendée U | 0:01:07 |
10 | Kristian Dyrnes (Nor) Oster Hus - Ridley | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Jay Mccarthy (Aus) Team Jayco Skins | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Vl Technics Abutriek | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) CC Etupes Le Doubs | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Sander Helven (Bel) Ovyta - Eijssen Acrog | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Gert-Jan Devos (Bel) Geox Fuji Test Team | 0:01:10 |
16 | Warren Barguil (Fra) CC Etupes Le Doubs | 0:02:02 |
17 | Axel Domont (Fra) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Ovyta - Eijssen Acrog | 0:02:40 |
19 | Gerry Druyts (Bel) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Vérandas Willems - Cc Chevigny | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Yann Botrel (Fra) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto - Ridley Espoirs | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Rabobank Continental Team | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC - Hincapie Sportswear Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Crédit Agricole | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) United Cycling Team Sint Truiden | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Axel Gremelpont (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental Wallon | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Diego Van Looy (Bel) Geox Fuji Test Team | 0:03:24 |
29 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team | 0:03:28 |
30 | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Idemasport - Biowanze | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Patrick Clausen (Den) Glud & Marstrand | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Campbell Flakemore (Aus) Genesys Wealth Advisers | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Livestrong Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Lotto - Ridley Espoirs | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Antoine Warnier (Bel) Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Bryan Kouwenbergh (Bel) Vl Technics Abutriek | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Thomas Vanbesien (Bel) Lotto - Ridley Espoirs | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Bram Van Broekhoven (Bel) Apk Quality Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Niels Tooth (Bel) Melbotech - Prorace Cycling Team | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Fredrik S Galta (Nor) Oster Hus - Ridley | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Vendée U | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto - Ridley Espoirs | 0:04:53 |
45 | Kenzie Boutté (Bel) Soenens-Construkt Glas | 0:10:24 |
46 | Gilles Loncin (Bel) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | James Oram (NZl) Bontrager Livestrong Team | 0:11:34 |
48 | Quentin Borcy (Bel) Vérandas Willems - Cc Chevigny | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Janis Dakteris (Lat) T.Palm - Pôle Continental Wallon | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Jens Van Bijlen (Bel) United Cycling Team Sint Truiden | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Daniel Klemme (Ger) | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Jens Wallays (Bel) EFC - OmegaPharma - Quick.Step | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Phillip Müller (Ger) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Brecht Ruyters (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Arnaud Geronboux (Bel) Idemasport - Biowanze | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Niels Vandyck (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
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Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.
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