Valverde wins Paris-Camembert

Eurosport - Tue, 15 Apr 23:29:00 2008

Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde won the Paris-Camembert semi-Classic on Tuesday afternoon.

CYCLING 2008 Alejandro Valverde - 0

Valverde warmed up for the Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands on Sunday by finishing ahead of Jerome Pineau of Bouygues Telecom and Française des Jeux's Benoit Vaugrenard on the 203 km course.

He was 18 seconds ahead of the chasing pack at one point, but was caught five kilometres from Vimoutiers.

It was his third win of the season, including an overall victory in the Tour of Murcia last month.

Spaniard Valverde, 27, has never won the Amstel Gold, finishing seventh in 2007.

However he has triumphed in the other two upcoming springtime Ardennes Classics, winning the Flèche Wallonne in 2006 and ending in second in 2007, finishes replicated in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport