VALVERDE WINS PARIS-CAMEMBERT

Alejandro Valverde won the Paris-Camembert semi-Classic in France today (Tuesday).

It was the Caisse d'Epargne rider's third win of the season. He won a stage and the overall classification at the Tour of Murcia in early March.

Valverde skipped the Tour of the Basque Country last week but showed he's in good shape for Sunday's Amstel Gold Race in Holland.

Amstel Gold is the only one of the three Ardennes Classics Valverde has yet to win. The Spaniard, who turns 28 a couple of days before Liège-Bastogne?Liège will be one of the most heavily marked men in the coming week of racing.

Jerome Pineau of Bouygues Telecom and Benoit Vaugrenard of Française des Jeux were second and third. Ireland's Nicolas Roche of Crédit Agricole was ninth.

VALVERDE'S ARDENNES HISTORY

How the Spaniard has done in the three hilly spring classics

Amstel Gold Race

13th in 2005

23rd in 2006

6th in 2007

Flèche Wallonne

40th in 2005

1st in 2006

2nd in 2007

Liège-Bastogne-Liège

34th in 2005

1st in 2006

2nd in 2007