| The First Ardennes Double in 1951
SPECIAL NOTE: L-B-L promoters, led by Les Sport, made changes to the race date. They moved the race to April-early May from a fluctuating June to August date. The new date put L-B-L on the same weekend as Fleche-Wallonne, setting up an extrodinary possiblity of an Ardennes 'weekend' Double.
Germain Derijcke (Bel) animated the race when he plunged off the final climb and flew into Liege in the lead. Attentively Swiss champion Ferdinand "Ferdi" Kubler closed quickly as Derijcke came into view of the finish. Kubler made the connection as the sprint opened up. A superior sprinter Kubler easily crossed the finish line first.
Ferdinand "Ferdi" Kübler became the first rider to accomplish the Ardennes Double, a victory in both the Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in the same year.
SPECIAL NOTE: The prestige of L-B-L continued to soar when it was added to the Elite year-long competition, Challenge Desgrange-Colombo.
| L-B-L April 22, 1951 |
| 211 Km |
1.
Ferdi KUBLER (Sui) 5h41'01" * |
2.
Germain Derijcke (Bel) |
3.
Wout Wagtmans (Ned) +21" |
Starters: 161 |
Finishers: 72 |
Average Speed: 37.122 km/h |
| Fleche Wallone April 21, 1951 |
| 220 Km [ Charleroi to Liege ] |
1.
Ferdi KUBLER (Sui) 6h21'59" * |
2.
Gino Bartali (Ita) |
3.
Jean Robic (Fra) |
Starters: 148 |
Finishers: 47 |
Average Speed: 34.561 km/h |
L-B-L 1952
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