Upcoming: 72nd La Fleche Wallonne, April 23, 2008

The Fleche Wallone: the race that sees the true one day specialists show themselves ahead of the oldest classic of them all, Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The Fleche is a race for the quick, punchy climbers, as the dreaded Mur de Huy climb meets the riders after almost 200 kilometers in the saddle. All of the usual suspects are ready to battle it out for the title in Belgium, as the spring classics season rolls on.

Heading the list of favorites for the Fleche is the recent winner of the Amstel Gold race, Damiano Cunego. The small Italian climber rode to victory in Holland at the Amstel, and will look to do the same in Belgium on Wednesday. The other favorites for the race include last year's winner from Gerolsteiner, Davide Rebellin, Rabobank's all-arounder Thomas Dekker, Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde, Silence-Lotto's Cadel Evans, and CSC's Frank Schleck, who looked very good at the Amstel before eventually losing the sprint to the quicker Cunego.

The Fleche is a popular race that all riders dream of competing in

In addition to the big favorites are a handful of riders capable of taking the upset win. Agritubel's Christophe Moreau is a good climber, and will have his entire team at his disposal at the Fleche. He should be considered dangerous if he can stay in contact at the end of the race. Caisse d'Epargne's Luis Leon Sanchez took a stage at Paris-Nice, and has the climbing burst to drop the field on the Mur de Huy. Sandy Casar of the French Francaise des Jeux team is a great climber, and a decent breakaway rider as well. And the German national champion Fabian Wegmann will look to take the win if his team leader Rebellin can't stay at the front.

Lance Armstrong took the 1996 version of Liege with a vicious attak on the Mur de Huy

Some other dark horses for the Fleche include High Road's Kim Kirchin, who had a two wins at the recent Vuelta al País Vasco stage race, Rabobank's climbing phenom Robert Gesink, and CSC's Karsten Kroon, who has been close many times in the Wallonnian classics, but has never been able to climb the top step of the podium. Last but not least are Riccardo Ricco of Saunier Duvall and Milram's Igor Astarloa. Ricco is a tempestuous rider who has had a terribly bad early season, but he has the talent to contend at the Fleche. Astarloa is a former world champion who hasn't garned any major results in recent years. His quickness on short climbs however gives him a great chance for the win.

The defending champion Rebellin is again a favorite for the hilly Fleche

The Fleche Wallonne will definitively show who has the best chance in Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The ten steep climbs out on the course will stretch each rider's legs, and the final Mur de Huy will seperate all but the best before the finish line. Belgium prepares once again to cheer on the best in the world in some of th eoldest and most prestigious races.