Andersen wins espoir Liège - Bastogne - Liège

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Bontrager-Livestrong's Ian Boswell and Chipotle Development Team's Josh Berry overcame extreme weather conditions to finish second and third Saturday at the U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege race in Belgium. Denmark's Michael Andersen (Glud & Marstrand) soloed in for the win.

Saturday’s weather, which included snow flurries, helped whittle the field of 198 starters to just 56 by the finish of the 180.8km U23 race that runs prior to this weekend's ProTour event. Boswell attacked the peloton with about 20 kilometers remaining and bridged to a seven-rider chase group, including Berry.

The leaders hunted down Andersen’s leading trio, which had escaped the peloton with about 70km remaining. Andersen attacked the lead group with just over 10km remaining in the race and set off for the finish on his own. At the top of the last climb of St. Nicholas with about 7 km to go, he led Boswell, Berry and the two former riders from his lead group by about 31 seconds.

The chase group swelled to 10 riders before Boswell attacked one more time at 5km. Berry also jumped away from that group, and the two Americans set off in search of the lone Dane at the head of the race. But Boswell soon ran out of race course, and Andersen finished about 15 seconds ahead of Boswell and then Berry at about 52 seconds in arrears. Team USA's Larry Warbasse, who finished fifth last year, was 24th.

The podium finish marks Boswell's best in three tries and the best-ever by an American. Berry, who was riding his first race for the US national team, told the local press that his upbringing in Idaho's Sun Valley prepared him well for the harsh conditions.

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