La Fleche Wallonne and the Liege-Bastogne Liege are the next big goals for Joaquim Rodriguez
Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha aims to win any one race out of the Ardennes Classics. He has claimed the second overall spot in all the three races in the past and is determined to bridge the gap in the 2012 season.
The cyclist rode his first Ardennes Classics, Amstel Gold Race as a favourite and was exceptional during the 260.4 kilometre race.
Enrico Gasparotto of Team Astana occupied the first spot after his top performance at the event. He finished the race in the fastest time of 6 hours, 32 minutes and 35 seconds.
Jelle Vanendert of Team Lotto Belisol and Peter Sagan of Team Liquigas-Cannondale achieved the second and the third positions.
Rodriguez finished 22 seconds behind and occupied the 24th overall spot at the first Classics of the 2012 season.
While commenting on the event, he told nieuwsblad.be, "Every season the Ardennes races have been among my goals. Only there is always a better rider. Take last year: Philippe Gilbert was almost unbeatable".
Joaquim briefed that La Fleche Wallonne will be a real test of his skills, especially the ending at the Mur de Huy. “The Flèche Wallonne with the finish on the Mur de Huy suits me better, like Liège - Bastogne - Liège but actually I don't care,” he explained.
While talking about the other favourites of the race, he explained that Samuel Sanchez, Alejandro Valverde and Vincenzo Nibali are all favourites to succeed during the Ardennes Classics.
He briefed, “Samuel Sanchez, winner of the Tour of the Basque Country, is as much a favourite as I am. Alejandro Valverde is still very dangerous, even after his comeback”.
“Vincenzo Nibali also impressed me. Like at Milan-Sanremo, where he not coincidentally was third after he won Tirreno-Adriatico”.
The Spaniard opened his 2012 winning account by succeeding during the 4th, and the5th stages of the Tour of the Basque Country and also claimed the second overall spot at the race.
Joaquim also bagged the 6th stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico along with the stage 6 win at the event.
La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne Liege are scheduled on April 18th and 22nd and the winner of the race will be awarded with 80 and 100 UCI points, respectively.
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