Procycling Magazine
by daniel friebe
April Edition

Team Columbia powerhouse and five-time Luxembourg sportsman of the year, Kim Kirchen knows a thing or two about winning on the tough, hilly terrain of Belgium’s Ardennes region – last year, he claimed victory at Flèche Wallonne. Here, he reveals a few tricks of the Classicist’s trade…

“I’ve been riding the Ardennes Classics for so many years now that my experience is a real competitive advantage. There comes a point where you don’t just know the route – you also know the race. You know exactly what your options are, how much energy you have, how much energy you need to do certain things.
Amstel’s one race in which a lack of experience almost automatically means wasted energy, because you can save so much by being in the right place on climbs and descents.”