Cycling: Historic first for Spain

LIEGE, Belgium - Alejandro Valverde completed a big race double and made a slice of cycling history on Sunday when he became the first Spaniard to win the 262km Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Only four days after triumphing in the Fleche Wallonne, Valverde outwitted his rivals in the finale of the oldest classic in cycling's calendar to emerge as a leader of the new generation.

His surge in the last 200m was too strong for Olympic champion Paolo Bettini, who had to be content with second place ahead of fellow-Italian Damiano Cunego.

A group of 10 riders, including Italians Ivan Basso and Danilo Di Luca, Dutchman Michael Boogerd, Germany's Patrick Sinkewitz and Amstel Gold Race winner Frank Schleck, had reached the final Ans climb in the lead.

With three kilometres to go, the finale was as tactical as a track sprint with numerous attempts to break clear.

All were unsuccessful and the final sprint was a fine piece of riding by Valverde two days before his 26th birthday.

He said: "My team mates made it easier and especially Joaquin Rodriguez, who was incredible in the finish.

"He attacked, preventing the other teams from doing so. They had to work to catch him and it made my task easier." With the classics season over, the new generation has been merciless to the old, all the winners of the major one-day races in April being aged between 25 and 27.

In the absence of world champion and Tour of Flanders winner Tom Boonen, Valverde has taken over at the top of ProTour standings on 136 points, seven ahead of the Belgian, and looks in great shape two weeks before the start of the Giro d'Italia.

- REUTERS