Rebellin: Don't expect a repeat of '04
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) lines up Sunday at Amstel Gold Race as defending champion, something he’ll do all week during the Ardennes run, which also includes Flèche Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Last year, Rebellin became the first racer to sweep the Ardennes treble, but he says repeating the feat is unlikely.

“To have the same success I had last year I believe is almost impossible. These are races I like very much, but what happened is once in a lifetime,” Rebellin said earlier this year.

Rebellin has had some close calls this year, but has yet to snag a win despite strong form and aggressive racing. He was nipping at Bobby Julich’s heels during Paris-Nice and just missed victory at Pais Vasco behind Danilo Di Luca.

Gerolsteiner for Amstel Gold: Davide Rebellin, Andrea Moletta, Ronny Scholz, Fabian Wegmann, Peter Wrolich, Markus Zberg, Heinrich Haussler, Thomas Ziegler

Di Luca wants to capitalize on strong form
Danilo Di Luca, fresh off victory at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco earlier this month, will be one of the main protagonists during the Ardennes week, which debuts Sunday with Amstel Gold.

Di Luca, who lost Flèche Wallone to compatriot Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner), will be looking to capitalize on his good form.

“I went only for some quite short rides (three to four hours) but for 230km training behind a motorbike last Wednesday,” Di Luca said. “I had already been in top form in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. It would be harmful to strain after such a demanding week. I feel sure of myself as I know to have trained excellently. I think to be in top form.”

Co-captaining during the week will be Franco Pellizotti, another rider who’s posting some strong results.

Di Luca said he’s anxious to return from the Ardennes with a victory, adding that Amstel Gold is one of his favorite races.

“I finished fourth last year and third in 2003: I like the finish on Cauberg,” he continued. “The team support will be decisive the long of the varied Dutch route. . . . The most dangerous opponents? Rebellin more than anyone else, and Boogerd, too. He will race on home soil and knows all the tricks of the race. Moreover, he is in great form.”

Bettini back for Amstel
Paolo Bettini, anxious to make up for lost time due to illness and poor showings so far in the 2005 season, will be leading the charge for Quick Step. The Belgian powerhouse team is shifting gears, with Flanders-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen taking a break after a successful run over the cobbles.

Now it’s time for Bettini to step up. The Olympic champion has been hampered with the flu, which sidelined him in February. He skipped racing Flanders to fully recover for the Ardennes and will be starting with extra motivation to score a big win.

Also racing for Quick Step will be Filippo Pozzato, who was key to driving the move that sprung Boonen to victory at Paris-Roubaix, former Flèche champion Rik Verbrugghe and Marc Lotz.

Quick Step for Amstel Gold: Paolo Bettini, Ad Engels, Kevin De Weert, Marc Lotz, Filippo Pozzato, Patrik Sinkewitz, Bram Tankink and Rik Verbrugghe

Another win for Petacchi; rider still in grave condition
With no major bumps in the road, Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) won yet another sprint victory a day after getting dropped over a Cat. 2 climb late in the stage.

Friday’s rolling stage into windy Zaragoza saw the bunch come in for a mass gallop and Fassa Bortolo’s silver train drove Petacchi to his second win in three days ahead of Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros).

Vladimir Efimkin (Barloworld-Valsir), who won Thursday’s stage to grab the overall lead, finished safely tucked in the main bunch to retain the overall lead.

Things get vertical in Saturday’s 11.2km climbing time trial from Herrara de los Navarros to Virgen de la Sierra de Herrera. Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) will be anxious to test his legs on mountainous roads.

In other news, Efraín Gutiérrez (Andalucía-Paul Versan) remains in serious condition in a Spanish hospital after crashing in Thursday’s stage. The 24-year-old hit a parked car early in the race and was transferred by helicopter to a hospital in Alcañiz, where doctors said he broke his femur as well as suffered contusions to a lung and his liver.

Vuelta a Aragon, Stage 3, Sabiñánigo to Huesca, 173km
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita), Fassa Bortolo, 3:57:49
2. Allan Davis (Aus), Liberty Seguros
3. Isaac Galvez (Spa), Illes Balears
4. Javier Benitez (Spa), Relax-Fuenlabrada
5. Marco Velo (Ita), Fassa Bortolo – all same time

Overall standings after three stages
1. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus), Barloworld, 13:08:36
2. Luis Perez (Spa), Cofidis, at 0:04
3. Davis, at 0:09
4. David Fernandez (Spa), Andalucía-Paul Versan, at 0:17
5. Ion Del Rio (Spa), Andalucía-Paul Versan, at 0:21

Ullrich: ‘At least two more years’
While Lance Armstrong is rumored to be considering retirement, longtime rival Jan Ullrich says he’ll race at least through 2007.

The 1997 Tour de France champion, racing this week in the Vuelta a Aragon, said he still wants to win another maillot jaune and hinted at a run at the Giro d’Italia.

“I have two more years with T-Mobile and I am going to keep going while I can to win races,” he told the Spanish wire services. “My priority is to win another Tour, but later I’d like to win a Giro.”

Ullrich said he’s feeling strong despite a bout with the flu early in the season. After kick-starting his season at Circuit de la Sarthe, the 31-year-old German is looking strong at the Vuelta a Aragon. He’ll face an important test in Saturday’s climbing time trial.

Despite rumors that Armstrong won’t race the Tour, Ullrich believes the Texan will be there and admits he remains his toughest challenger.

“Armstrong is the rival that everyone wants to beat, he’s the absolute favorite, but there are other candidates and I respect them all,” said Ullrich.

And he’s not bothered by this year’s Tour course, which features only one long time trial. “I’ll face the Tour as it is. This year I’ve marked my objective to train very hard to win, and I don’t care how many time trials there are.”