HIGH ROAD FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS IN FLECHE WALLONE

HIGH ROAD FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS IN FLECHE WALLONE

High Road Men’s Team and Women’s Team are both racing on Wednesday - in their respective versions of the Fleche Wallone in Belgium.
The men’s team have high hopes for their younger riders, whilst after Flanders and the Ronde Van Drenthe, the women’s squad aim to add a straight third win in the World Cup series.
“In Amstel, as we expected, the younger riders couldn’t really go the distance beyond about 200 kilometres. 20 or 21-year-olds find those really long races tough.” commented the men’s team manager, Rolf Aldag. “But Fleche is a completely different ball-game. It’s shorter and we’re hopeful that Edvald and Tony will be getting in the breaks early on.”
“Ardennes Classics team leader Kim Kirchen will remain the squad’s main card for the finale, should those breaks be pulled back. Kim was in a great little move at the end of Fleche last year with [Spanish rider] Joaquin Rodriguez that only got reeled in at the foot of the Mur.” Aldag commented. “At Amstel he said his condition was good, and he’s feeling confident for the weekend.”
“But Fleche is a strange race in any case. Some guys who’ve seen they can do well in Liege after a good race in Amstel hold back a bit, others who feel they haven’t got so good form go all out to win. Last year the winner - [Davide] Rebellin - calculated it perfectly, he sat in the peloton all day, and then went for it on the Mur.”
In the women’s team, sports director Ronny Lauke says that after two straight World Cup wins and a third in the Drenthe series, “we’ll be in the spotlight. Everybody will be watching and waiting for our moves. Our aim has to be to continue with the great run of success we’ve had up to now.”
“Judith finished third in Fleche last year, but we’ll be looking at all our options, not just relying on one rider. That’s the way we’ve found we work best.”“The good news is we’ve got great morale in the team after these wins.
High Road Men’s Team for Fleche Wallone:Michael Barry (Can), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor), Adam Hansen (Aus), Kim Kirchen (Lux), Tony Martin (Ger), Marco Pinotti (Ita), Frantisek Rabon (Cze), Vicente Reynes (Spa).

High Road Women’s Team For Fleche Wallone: Kim Anderson (USA), Judith Arndt (Ger), Chantal Beltman (Hol), Luise Keller (Ger), Linda Villumsen (NZL), Oenone Wood (Aus)

Team High Riders race on Giant's latyest racing machines - The TCR Advanced SL