RABOBANK’S FLECHA THIRD AT HET NIEUWSBLAD

Spaniard makes podium at Spring Classics season opener

Rabobank’s Juan Antonio Flecha sprinted to a third-place finish at Belgium’s Het Nieuwsblad road race, the traditional opener to the European Spring Classics season. Flecha avoided a crash in the final stretch to earn the podium spot.

Riding Giant TCR Advanced SL team bikes, the Rabobank squad played a major factor in the 64th edition of the Het Nieuwsblad, which until 2008 was known as Het Volk. After several early breakaways the main group came together until Rabobank made the day’s decisive move on the Taaienberg climb. Four Rabobank riders—Nick Nuyens, Sebastian Langeveld, Juan Antonio Flecha and Joost Posthuma—went over the top first.

After a few more attacks, Langeveld and Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo) broke off the front in a two-man escape. The two held their lead until the final kilometer. Rabobank put Flecha into position for the final dash, and the 31-year-old finished third behind winner Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) and second-place finisher Kevin Ista (Quick Step).

Flecha, who finished third at the 2008 Tour of Flanders and second at the 2007 Paris-Roubaix, is Rabobank’s top threat in the prestigious Spring Classics. The classics season continues Sunday with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.