With the Tour de France on the horizon, VeloNews editor at large John Wilcockson visited the Ardennes Classics to witness firsthand how this year's Tour contenders were shaping up. At the Amstel Gold Race Belgian Philippe Gilbert used his impressive power to win a difficult uphill sprint ahead of Ryder Hesjedal. At Flèche Wallonne Cadel Evans jumped past Alberto Contador on a steep summit finish for a cagey win. And at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Alex Vinokourov launched a perfect counterattack to outwit Evans, Contador and the Schleck brothers for victory. Any of these three scenarios could have been epic battles at the Tour de France — only RadioShack's Lance Armstrong, Andreas Kloden and Levi Leipheimer were missing. But regardless of who wasn't there, the Ardennes were telling of what's to come in July.