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RACE REPORTS: FRENCH COUP DE GRACE IN FLÈCHE BRABANÇONNE / BRABANTSE PIJL
Brecht Decaluwé-RBA Classics Correspondent
March 29, 2009
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Anothny Geslin of Française des Jeux took victory in the 49th Flèche Brabançonne
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
On a warm, sunny Sunday south of Brussels in the Brabant-Wallon region, French fastman Anthony Geslin (Française des Jeux) took the victory in the 49th Flèche Brabançonne today, becoming the second consecutive French winner in the nearly half-century of history for the race near Brussels. 28 year-old Geslin won ahead of compatriot Jerome Pineau (Quick Step), Fabian Wegmann (Milram) and five other breakaway companions. One day after the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen several big guns like Filippo Pozzato and last year's winner Sylvain Chavanel skipped this Belgian race. Geslin claimed the biggest win in his career, confirming the bronze medal he captured behind Tom Boonen and Alejandro Valverde at the 2005 World Championships in Madrid. “I needed some time to confirm that but finally I got a big win,” Geslin said.
Usually the race finishes on top of the Alsemberg climb, but due to road construction, the Flèche Brabançonne skipped the tough finishing climb. Still, German champion Wegmann almost surprised his companions by making it in a long sprint on the uphill finish, taking a few meters on the group as he went from behind with 300m. to race. Geslin kept his composure and overtook the whole group including Wegmann, steaming through the inside along the right side of the barriers. “Although Wegmann is fast, he jumped early in the sprint and ended up third. Yeah, I risked getting boxed in but Pineau is my best friend in the peloton and he allowed me to pass him and now we got a 1-2, which makes up for a good story,” Geslin smiled.
Quick Step's new French rider Pineau seemed to be the strongest rider in the break, but he was just beaten on the line by his buddy Geslin. “It's been too long since I won a race so I'm disappointed with second place but the fact that it is one of my best friends who won makes up for that. I led the chase on Wegmann and realized I would pass him before the line but then Geslin flew past me,” Pineau explained post-race.
The first part of the race brought the peloton from Leuven to the Alsemberg and a group of twelve riders entered the first of five local laps. With four laps to go Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) opened the debate in the peloton when climbing the Bruine Put and from then on, the leader's group started losing ground. One lap later it was all back together and then Pineau tried to get away on the Bruine Put climb, but without success. A few kilometers further Pineau tried again and he got away with his friend Geslin, Paul Martens (Rabobank), and later on, Christian Knees (Milram), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) and Pierre Rolland (Bouygues) came across. Clearly the Bruine Put was the key climb of the race as that was the spot where the leaders where caught back and where Karsten Kroon then unleashed his devils to finally set up the successful breakaway group.
Geslin, Pineau and Knees – who all featured in the early scrimmages - joined Kroon, but also Wegmann, Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil), Frederik Willems (Liquigas) were able to get away during the penultimate of five local laps of 17 kilometers. Pre-race top favorite Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) missed the right train but the Belgian eased his mind by racking up the peloton sprint. Just like Silence-Lotto the Cervélo team didn't have a rider in front either but thanks to great teamwork Cervélo managed to get Xavier Florencio across to the breakaway, though in the final sprint the Spaniard was no match for Geslin.
49th Flèche Brabançonne / Brabantse Pijl: 193.3km
1. Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des Jeux
2. Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step
3. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Milram
4. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil
5. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank
6. Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas
7. Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
8. Christian Knees (Ger) Milram
9. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto @ 10"
10. Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux @ same time
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