Rebellin makes history with third Fleche win

(CNN) -- Veteran Italian Davide Rebellin has made history by winning his third Fleche-Wallonne one-day classic in northern Belgium on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old, who rides for the non-Pro Tour Serramenti team, overtook Andy Schleck of Luxembourg and Australian Cadel Evans in the last 200 meters of the final climb of the famous cobbled 'Mur de Huy' to win by just two seconds.

Saxo Bank rider Schleck hung on for second place with Italian Damiano Cunego third for the second successive year.

Tour de France runner-up Evans -- who finished second to Kim Kirchen in last year's race -- dropped back to fifth position after tiring on the final climb.

The victory means Rebellin, who also won the race in 2004 and 2007, joins Belgian pair Eddy Merckx and Marcel Kint and Italian Moreno Argentin as the only three-time winners of the 73-year-old race.

Rebellin had struggled in last weekend's Amstel Gold Race after a bout of bronchitis, but he told reporters: "I had a good feeling, though I didn't know if I'd be at 100 per cent. Yet as the kilometers went by I felt better and better."