<figure ><img title="Cycling : 99th Liege - Bastogne - Liege 2013" src="http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2015/04/20133973-193757-320x213.jpg"/><p>Dan Martin won the 2013 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège ahead of Joaquim Rodríguez. A late crash derailed his chances in 2014. Photo: Tim De Waele | <a href="http://www.tdwsport.com" target="_blank">TDWsport.com</a></p></figure><p>LIEGE, Belgium (AFP) – Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) said Saturday he hopes his whiplash will have improved enough to allow him to challenge for victory at Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.</p>
<p>Martin, 28, won the prestigious monument two years ago and looked to have a strong chance of retaining his crown last year before crashing on the final bend as he attempted a break for the finish line.</p>
<p>But his preparations for Sunday’s 253km race hit a stumbling block on Wednesday when he crashed badly during the Flèche Wallonne.</p>
<p>“I’m definitely fit enough, it’s just seeing where this whiplash I’ve got is,” said Martin.</p>
<p>“It’s improving every day [but] I also don’t know what will happen during the race tomorrow.</p>
<p>“Six hours like that on a bike, it could make it worse and I’ll have to stop.</p>
<p>“At this point in time we’re optimistic that I can be competitive tomorrow.”</p>
<p>After Martin crashed at the finish in Ans, Australia’s Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) sped past to win a sprint finish ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep).</p>
<p>Valverde, who turned 35 on Saturday, won this year’s Flèche Wallonne Wednesday, while 25-year-old Kwiatkowski triumphed last Sunday at the Amstel Gold race.</p>
<p>Those two come into the race as favorites according to Spaniard Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha), the Flèche Wallonne winner in 2012 who was second to Martin in Liège in 2013.</p>
<p>“Alejandro is going very well, Kwiatkowski is also going very well. I think they’re the two riders at the same level,” said the 35-year-old Catalan climber.</p>
<p>Fellow veteran Gerrans, 34, is ideally suited to the finish in Liège but hasn’t been able to prepare for the race as well as 12 months ago. He broke his collarbone in a training crash in January and then fractured his elbow in his first race back, Strade Bianche, in Italy in early March.</p>
<p>“I’m feeling good, I’m looking forward to getting back into some racing again,” said Gerrans.</p>
<p>“I haven’t done a lot of race days this year so I come into this period pretty fresh and ready to go.</p>
<p>“I think a few more race days would put me in a little bit better condition than where I’m at the moment but … I am feeling good and not tired.</p>
<p>“With not a lot of race days, I’m probably not at quite the level I was hoping to be, just through that lack of racing and missing a few crucial training rides. But, yes, it’s definitely coming along.”</p>
<p>Contrary to Martin, who wants a fast race that comes down to a few hopefuls, Gerrans said he was hoping for an easier day in the saddle, like last year, so that he can arrive at the finish as fresh as possible.</p>
<p>But he acknowledges that Valverde will be hard to beat.</p>
<p>“He’s always good, tell me a season where Valverde hasn’t been good! He’s such a consistent performer, you look at his track record in these races and he’s probably the most consistent performer in these last 10 years.</p>
<p>“So he never ceases to amaze me how good he is.”</p>
<p>Valverde won a record-equalling third Flèche Wallonne title on Wednesday and previously won Liège in 2006 and 2008. But his numerous near misses stand out as well—he’s had seven other podium finishes in the three Ardennes classics, as well as four more in the top 10.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/04/news/martin-hoping-to-recover-from-effects-of-fleche-wallonne-crash-to-contend-in-liege_367914">Martinhoping to recover from effects of Fleche Wallonne crash to contend in Liege</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com">VeloNews.com</a>.</p>
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<p>Martin, 28, won the prestigious monument two years ago and looked to have a strong chance of retaining his crown last year before crashing on the final bend as he attempted a break for the finish line.</p>
<p>But his preparations for Sunday’s 253km race hit a stumbling block on Wednesday when he crashed badly during the Flèche Wallonne.</p>
<p>“I’m definitely fit enough, it’s just seeing where this whiplash I’ve got is,” said Martin.</p>
<p>“It’s improving every day [but] I also don’t know what will happen during the race tomorrow.</p>
<p>“Six hours like that on a bike, it could make it worse and I’ll have to stop.</p>
<p>“At this point in time we’re optimistic that I can be competitive tomorrow.”</p>
<p>After Martin crashed at the finish in Ans, Australia’s Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) sped past to win a sprint finish ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep).</p>
<p>Valverde, who turned 35 on Saturday, won this year’s Flèche Wallonne Wednesday, while 25-year-old Kwiatkowski triumphed last Sunday at the Amstel Gold race.</p>
<p>Those two come into the race as favorites according to Spaniard Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha), the Flèche Wallonne winner in 2012 who was second to Martin in Liège in 2013.</p>
<p>“Alejandro is going very well, Kwiatkowski is also going very well. I think they’re the two riders at the same level,” said the 35-year-old Catalan climber.</p>
<p>Fellow veteran Gerrans, 34, is ideally suited to the finish in Liège but hasn’t been able to prepare for the race as well as 12 months ago. He broke his collarbone in a training crash in January and then fractured his elbow in his first race back, Strade Bianche, in Italy in early March.</p>
<p>“I’m feeling good, I’m looking forward to getting back into some racing again,” said Gerrans.</p>
<p>“I haven’t done a lot of race days this year so I come into this period pretty fresh and ready to go.</p>
<p>“I think a few more race days would put me in a little bit better condition than where I’m at the moment but … I am feeling good and not tired.</p>
<p>“With not a lot of race days, I’m probably not at quite the level I was hoping to be, just through that lack of racing and missing a few crucial training rides. But, yes, it’s definitely coming along.”</p>
<p>Contrary to Martin, who wants a fast race that comes down to a few hopefuls, Gerrans said he was hoping for an easier day in the saddle, like last year, so that he can arrive at the finish as fresh as possible.</p>
<p>But he acknowledges that Valverde will be hard to beat.</p>
<p>“He’s always good, tell me a season where Valverde hasn’t been good! He’s such a consistent performer, you look at his track record in these races and he’s probably the most consistent performer in these last 10 years.</p>
<p>“So he never ceases to amaze me how good he is.”</p>
<p>Valverde won a record-equalling third Flèche Wallonne title on Wednesday and previously won Liège in 2006 and 2008. But his numerous near misses stand out as well—he’s had seven other podium finishes in the three Ardennes classics, as well as four more in the top 10.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/04/news/martin-hoping-to-recover-from-effects-of-fleche-wallonne-crash-to-contend-in-liege_367914">Martinhoping to recover from effects of Fleche Wallonne crash to contend in Liege</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com">VeloNews.com</a>.</p>
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