LBL 2011

The Classics finale for me. After Flanders, Roubaix, and Amstel, I did my best to make the most out of this weekend. Saturday morning, I got up early and drove to Remouchamps (home of Gilbert) to ride part of the LBL course. Goal was to ride a few Cotes and Cols, then check-in at the hotel in Liege, then attend the team presentations in Liege that afternoon, and then get up early on Sunday to chase the race.


Le Redoute about 30 hours prior to when the race would go by. Campers already lined up and waiting for the next day's excitement.


Well, look who is staying at my hotel. As I am checking in, Vino and Di Gregorio walk by me in full kit just returning from a training ride.


As I get off the elevator on the 4th floor, I quickly realize I am sharing the floor with the Katusha team. No real surprises, as to which rooms the riders and support staff were staying in. On the wall and many of the room doors, this paper was posted. Double-click the photo and you can easily see who was staying where.


Here is the Katusha team scale in the hallway just a couple of doors down from me. For any rider who registers in the reddish-pink zone, he gets a one-way ticket to Siberia.


After checking-in at the hotel, I walked down the street to watch the official team presentations. Here is Gilbert and the Omega Pharm-Lotto team. He is all smiles after dominating Amstel and FW during the past week.


Here is DiLuca. I will see him again off-and-on back at the hotel. BTW...the night before a big race, Killer likes to knock back a Jupiler bier and eat bar snacks while studying the race maps and surfing the net on his blackberry.


Joaquim Rodriguez...he has had the best view of Gilbert's back side this past week. Later in the day, I would see him back at the hotel being interviewed by some reporting crew in English.


Chavenel...I really like this guy. Best French rider in quite a while (probably since L. Jalabert). Really talented rider who has the instincts, drive, and talent to win big races.


Sammy Sanchez just scored some Euskatel swag and is checking it out.


Andy and Fränk Schleck cause excitement in the crowd.


Andy signs for the girl standing next to me.


Nick Nuyens, winner of Flanders. Earlier in the day while riding, I helped a guy from the Flemish region of Belgium fix his flat tire. We got to talking racing, etc. and he mentioned to me that most people in Belgium were not happy with Nuyens and the way he won Flanders a couple of weeks back. Said they were not pleased that he just sat in till the last minute then came out of nowhere to win. To me, my take on this is that the Belgie fans like their winners to be aggressive and dominating...ala Eddie Merckx...or, say, Philippe Gilbert.


So, Sunday morning I go down to the breakfast promptly at 7:00am when it opened. Katusha team staggers in roughly the same time and Astana a few minutes later. Both teams have their own tables and separated slightly from the main eating area, but were in full view of the rest of the room. We all shared the same coffee and juice machines and bread/cereal tables, so they are hardly secluded. Interesting scene with Katusha, as the riders seemed relaxed but the Soignieurs and assistants were quite tense. They kept putting a lot of pressure on the hotel breakfast staff to bring out these huge plates of plain pasta - in various shapes and varieties. Pretty funny to watch, as the staff was almost literally running every 5 minutes with these big plates of specially made pasta. As for Astana, defending LBL champ Vino was one of the very last to arrive...very relaxed and all smiles. Those smiles would end a few hours later when he flatted at a very critical juncture of the race. One of the most memorable moments of this breakfast was watching this young boy probably 10 or 11 walking into the breakfast room with his father. The kid was wearing a classic World's rainbow jersey and along with some Belgium cycling paraphanalia. When he walked into the room and saw the likes of Vino, Rogriguez, DiLuca, etc. I could see his eyes turn to saucers. Great scene!

I arrive at the start at Place Saint-Lambert in Liege and secure my spot as the riders line up. Here Anaud Gerard and Jeremy Roy share a laugh.


Tony Martin's family was standing right next to me. While you can't see her, he is holding the hand of whom I presumed to be his mother. Many Vielen Glücks were given to him by his family, as he lined up.



Souplesse! Pictures and words really can't describe it, but if you ever get a chance to see a Profi race of this caliber in person you will know exactly what I mean.


Gilbert getting prepared to win the race he most covets.


Vandevelde chatting with the newcomer from Texas, Caleb Fairly.


After the start, I then drove 45 minutes south to the small town of Houffailize to watch the climb at the base of Cote de Saint-Roch. I love scenes like this one - a Belgium flag hangs out one window and a little Wallonne flag sits in the other. This fan has the best seat in the house, and I assume she has been watching from this same spot for many many years.


Jensy leads the chasing peloton at the base of Cote de Saint-Roch.


Climb up the Saint-Roch. This is the scene of one of Graham Watson's most ubiquitous photos. This is my rendition of his famous photo.


Shouldn't every town playground have a vintage Panzer for the kids to play on? Belgium's neighbor gifted this to the town of Houffalize a few years back.


After Houffailize, I drove north to the town of Stavelot to watch the race at the Cote de Stockeu.


At Stockeu, here is the Eddie Merckx monument.


At this point, there is still a breakaway, but the chasing group is gaining quickly. Here, Team Leopard-Trek is leading the chase. Rodriguez, Fränk Schleck, and Gilbert can be seen in the background.


After Stockeu, I drove to the finish in Ans and established my spot about 400m from the finish. Here is a scene about an hour before the Profis would arrive...a very junior race...kids in full team kits - both boys and girls - probably ages 8-12 go racing up the final climb to the finish. I get the sense that organized bike racing to kids this age in Belgium is akin to Little League baseball in the U.S.


Are we watching a future Gilbert?


King Philippe just seconds away from putting the hammer down. On paper, he would appear to be in a very unenviable tactical position by being outnumbered 2 to 1 by the Schleck Bros. However, races aren't won on paper, and he easily outsprinted both to the finish.

Bis später!