World Champion Cadel Evans (Team BMC Racing) scored his first win for the BMC Racing Team and made history with an impressive victory at Flèche Wallonne earlier today.

Evans overtook Tour de France champion Alberto Contador (Team Astana) with a perfectly timed attack on the steep uphill drag to the finish on the famous Muy de Huy climb. "I thought with 500 meters to go he (Contador) had it but it's not the first time I've done this race and I used it to my advantage today," Evans commented after the finish.

Joaquin Rodriguez (Team Katusha) was second and Contador placed third. Evans is the first Australian to win an Ardennes Classic and the first reigning world champion to win Fleche Wallonne since Belgian Claude Criquielion who won the race as far back as 1985.

Evans, who has previously finished second (2008), fifth (2009) and ninth (2005) in Fleche Wallonne, said previewing the finish climb yesterday was key to his victory. "Director Sportif John Lelangue took us out for reconnaissance and I saw the climb from a different perspective," Evans stated. "I realized I had always raced it with the wrong tactic. Today I had good position right from the start, but waited until the last 100 meters. That was the way to do it."

"Our team (Katusha) did still a very good race, we have a strong team with good relationship between us. That's a pity that I was not able to win. I think missed me a little bit of more confidence in myself after the stomach problem of the Amstel Gold Race I thought I was weaker than normal. But I made a mistake because I was good. Anyway many compliments to Cadel," 2nd place finisher Rodriguez commented.

The BMC Racing Team was without Karsten Kroon in the race finish. The Dutchman crashed into a guard rails in a massive pile-up with 70 km to go. Kroon suffered multiple fractures (broken nose and broken cheekbone) but fortunately no head trauma. He is being treated in a local hospital and will not compete in the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday. "He (Kroon) was the guy I was going to rely on," Evans said and added "but Mathias Frank and Steve Morabito were there for as much as they could be and they did everything they could to help me."

Team BMC Racing president Jim Ochowicz said the win was a special one. "We're beyond excited about this victory today because it's the first one of the year with our new team and it's a big victory for the organization as a whole. The team definitely rode well for Cadel today, as they have since the beginning of the year. It was finally our turn to win a race."