April 22, 2012 (Ans, Belgium) – Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro Team ran down race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale with less than 10km to go to take the biggest win of his career at the 257.7km Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Doyenne (the oldest), from Liège to Ans in suspenseful cat-and-mouse finish. Iglinsky’s teammate Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) grabbed the final podium spot in the bunch sprint that included Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda), who was with the lead chasers, to finish a stellar 9th. Nibali had attacked with about 20km to go and looked like his move might hold until Iglinsky attacked from the chase group to overtake him for the win in the final kilometres as the Italian ran out of steam. Defending champ Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team finished 16th. Fellow Canuck Christian Meier (Greenedge Cycling Team) placed 104th.

ASO Report – Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2012

Three out of eight for Kazakhstan in La Doyenne
For the third time in eight years, Kazakhstan has taken a victory in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, this time thanks to Maxim Iglinskiy, 31, with a solo triumph.FirstAlexandreVinokourov in 2005 and 2010, and now his Astana team-mate Iglinskiy have captured La Doyenne. Their latest triumph concludes a fantastic week for the Kazakh squad, starting with Amstel Gold Race last Sunday and finishing with another victory in the greatest of the Ardennes Classics.A devastating attack by Vincenzo Nibali in the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons seemed almost certain to net the 2010 Vuelta winner his first great Classic. But instead Iglinskiy’s dramatic counter-attack almost within sight of the finish netted the Kazakh what he recognised was clearly “the greatest victory of my career.”

Anton the first crash victim
The first important event of Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2012 took place even before racing proper got underway, as Igor Anton (EUS) crashed in the neutralised zone, and was taken to hospital with a broken collarbone. As a result, 199 riders started the race.

Three and three make six
After a frenetic start, three riders moved ahead at kilometre 38: Dario Cataldo (OPQ), Simon Geschke (ARG) and Kevin Ista (ACC). Ten kilometres later, another three counter-attacked and by km 55 they had managed to bridge across: ReinierHonig (LAN), Ista’s team-mate Gregory Habeaux (ACC) and Alessandro Bazzana (TTI). At km 57, the advantage was already 8-05 and by the time they reached the first climb of La Cote de Roche-en-Ardenne (Geschke led the break across the top), their advantage was 9-55. The maximum gap reached was 12-35 at km 79.

The tide starts to turn
Katusha, riding for Joaquim RodrÌguez, began to drive even before the race reached its most southerly point at Bastogne, bringing the break back to 12-00 by km 93.
At km 116.5, the summit of the CÙte de Saint-Roch, with Geschke once again claiming the top points, the half-dozen leaders had an advantage of 8-00, but their lead was dropping fast.

Not so easy
After the Cote de Saint-Roch, the gap dropped to 6-40. However, it then began to rise once more briefly, reaching 8-10 before the truce ended and Katusha, helped by RadioShack-Nissan started to drive again as the race reached the final 100 kilometres. By the summit of the Cote de Wanne, with 97.5 kilometres to go, the lead group’s advantage was down to 5-23.

Geschke down
At the foot of the Cote de Stockeu (km 166.5), Simon Geschke (ARG) crashed, losing contact with the main break and dropping back to the bunch. RadioShack, led by Horner and Bakelants whittled the gap down to 2-55 by the summit of the next climb, the Cote de la Haute Levee (km 172), where three counter-attackers – Kiryenka (MOV), LeLay (SAU), Rolland (EUC) – went away over the summit and tried to bridge across. On the long Cote de Rosier (km 185), the three whittled back the gap considerably, joining the front five just before the summit, with 72.5 kilometres to go.

Three less
On the Cote du Maquisard (Km 198), seventh of the 11th climbs of the day, Honig (LAN) was dropped from the break of eight, whilst the gap remained stable at around 1-30. On the following climb, the Mont-Theux (km 208), Habeaux (ACC) was the next to be dropped, and Ista (ACC) also cracked. Just five riders remained in the break by the summit.

La Redoute
On the approach to the crucial Cote de La Redoute, Mads Christensen (Saxo Bank) attempted an unsuccessful lone chase. Then as BMC upped the pace on the climb, cutting the bunch down to around 30 riders, Valverde had a mechanical, and changed bikes with another team-mate. Three riders from the break now remained ahead as they approached the unclassified Cote du Sprimont climb – Cataldo, Rolland and Kiryienka, with an advantage of 45 seconds. Together with Valverde, Frank Schleck (RNT) was also dropped on the climb.

Nibali alone but then…
With an advantage of 25 seconds with 25 kilometres to go, the three breakaways had no chance of staying away on the ultra-steep Cote de Roche aux Faucons (km 238.). After Gilbert and BMC had warmed things up, then with 18.5 kilometres to go, Nibali launched a devastating and went clear.

Closely pursued by Joaquim Rodriguez (KAT) and Maxim Iglinskiy (AST), the Vuelta 2010 winner Nibali had an advantage of 25 seconds on the duo at the foot of the Cote de Saint-Nicolas. Last year’s winner Gilbert was in difficulties, and two other favourites, the Schleck brothers, were also unable to make an impact. Rodriguez cracked half-way up, with Iglinskiy chasing hard behind and finally reaching Nibali with a kilometre to go.

Iglinskiy goes for it alone
Almost immediately, Iglinskiy went clear, taking a solo win ahead of Nibali by 21 seconds, with Amstel Gold winner and Astana team-mate Enrico Gasparotto outsprinting Thomas Voeckler (EUR) and Dan Martin (GRM) for third.

Results

1. Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana Pro Team  6:43:52
2. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale  0:21
3. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team  0:36
4. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
5. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Barracuda
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
7. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
9. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda  
10. Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
11. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
12. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
13. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Esp) Katusha Team
14. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team
15. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Esp) Katusha Team  1:00
16. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team  1:27
17. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team  2:11
18. Julien Simon (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
19. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
20. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling
21. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
22. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
23. Frank Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
24. Oscar Freire Gomez (Esp) Katusha Team
25. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank
26. Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
27. Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan
28. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
29. Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling
30. Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
31. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
32. Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha Team
33. Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
34. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
35. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD
36. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling
37. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team  2:19
38. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-ISD  5:05
39. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
40. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team  5:27
41. Rémi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi
42. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale  5:39
43. Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
44. Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale
45. Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
46. Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
47. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Barracuda
48. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin-Barracuda
49. Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
50. Andy Schleck (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
51. Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
52. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin-Barracuda
53. Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano
54. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Barracuda
55. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
56. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
57. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
58. Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan
59. Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
60. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
61. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
62. Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
63. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
64. Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team
65. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team  5:45
66. Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet  7:29
67. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
68. Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet  8:22
69. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
70. Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
71. Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar  8:28
72. David Lelay (Fra) Saur-Sojasun  8:30
73. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team  8:54
74. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-ISD
75. Michael Albasini (Sui) Greenedge Cycling Team
76. Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
77. Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
78. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
79. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Katusha Team  0:11:04
80. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
81. Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team  0:12:18
82. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
83. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
84. Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
85. Kevin Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
86. Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
87. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
88. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1-Sanofi
89. Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
90. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
91. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-Shimano
92. Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo Bank
93. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano
94. Rubens Bertogliati (Sui) Team Type 1-Sanofi
95. Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1-Sanofi
96. Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi
97. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
98. Xavier Florencio Cabre (Esp) Katusha Team
99. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
100. Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Sky Procycling
101. Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team
102. Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
103. Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro Team
104. Christian Meier (Can) Greenedge Cycling Team  
105. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
106. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
107. Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre-ISD
108. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
109. Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
110. Daryl Impey (RSA) Greenedge Cycling Team  0:12:50
111. Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team  0:12:54
112. Simon Clarke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team  0:14:31
113. Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNQ  Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Movistar Team
DNQ  Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Esp) Movistar Team
DNQ  Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Esp) Movistar Team
DNQ  Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNQ  Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF  Christopher Horner (USA) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF  Jens Voigt (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF  Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-Nissan
DNF  Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF  Matt Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF  Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF  Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF  Alberto Losada Alguacil (Esp) Katusha Team
DNF  Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team
DNF  Stefano Agostini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF  Federico Canuti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF  Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
DNF  Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
DNF  Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling
DNF  Luke Rowe (Gbr) Sky Procycling
DNF  Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF  Travis Meyer (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF  Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
DNF  Igor Anton Hernandez (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF  Jorge Azanza Soto (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF  Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF  Ruben Perez Moreno (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF  Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
DNF  Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
DNF  Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
DNF  Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF  Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF  Franck Bouyer (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Anthony Charteau (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar
DNF  Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre-ISD
DNF  Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre-ISD
DNF  Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNF  Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNF  Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNF  Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNF  Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Argos-Shimano
DNF  Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano
DNF  Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Argos-Shimano
DNF  Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano
DNF  Yann Huguet (Fra) Argos-Shimano
DNF  Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Barracuda
DNF  Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Barracuda
DNF  Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF  Gilles Devillers (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF  Reinier Honig (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
DNF  Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF  Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF  Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF  Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF  Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF  Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF  Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF  Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF  Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF  Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF  Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Sjef De Wilde (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Evert Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF  Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo Bank
DNF  David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
DNF  Troels Ronning Vinther (Den) Team Saxo Bank
DNF  Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi
DNF  Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi
DNF  Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Type 1-Sanofi
DNF  Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Type 1-Sanofi