Amstel Gold Race 2014 [FULL RACE](flemish/english)

April 20, 2014

Amstel Gold Race 2014 – Maastricht – Berg en Terblijt : 251,4 km

With the conclusion of the cobbled Classics, the peloton’s focus now shifts toward the three Ardennes Classics, and its opening round, the Amstel Gold Race. Only two men have ever swept the trio of hilly races, and Philippe Gilbert (BMC) has taken one step toward repeating his feat of 2011 by winning the Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday. Although Gilbert has only stepped onto one Ardennes Classics podium since 2011, he will nonetheless begin Sunday’s 251km race with a target on his back. Challengers who could shoot Gilbert down include the top four from last year in reverse order, Polish road race champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and defending champion Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo). Minus Kreuziger, all three started 2014 at lightning speed winning both one-day and stage races. Valverde and Kwiatkowski have held their form from February while Gerrans has been struck down by illness. The 49th edition of Amstel Gold Race is sure to be another race of attrition with over 30 climbs, twists and turns and a plethora of traffic furniture to keep the peloton on its toes for six-and-half-hours. While the race is youngest of the Ardennes classics, the creation of Ton Vissers and Herman Krott, the list of winners is long and illustrious.

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) won the Amstel Gold Race for a third time in his career on Sunday after making a signature winning move during the last ascent of the Cauberg. The former world champion and Ardennes Classics triple crown winner crossed the finish line with a victory salute ahead of chasers Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Belisol) in second and Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) in third.

“This was a particularly emotional win for me,” Gilbert said. “My wife and my kids were here for the first time in two years. So to have won will be something they will never forget. I have been dreaming of this.”

The Belgian made his timely attack near the base of the Cauberg during the fourth and last of the smaller finishing circuits. A series of riders, including Vanendert and Gerrans, jumped out of the dwindled main field in response to the attack but were unable to close the gap before the finish line in Valkenburg.

Gilbert’s move came after the field caught breakaway riders Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen), Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). His teammate Samuel Sanchez set him up perfectly with an attack at the base of the Cauberg that forced Orica-GreenEdge to chase. The move drew out Gerrans and Valverde, but Gilbert launched on the left side of the road with devastating force and soloed the final 3km to victory.

“My teammates really did a great job before the final ascension of the Cauberg,” Gilbert said. “They all did a very good job to place me in the best position. During the briefing, it was planned for Samuel to do an attack at the foot of the Cauberg. It was not a surprise for me, but I think it was one for my adversaries. I only had to wait for the best moment to attack. And I did that when it was most difficult and hurting for everyone.”

How it unfolded

The 250km classic started in Maastricht and ended with four smaller circuits on the Cauberg, with the finish line about 1.8km past the top of the climb. The race is notorious for its twisty and narrow roads, short and steep climbs, and a strong collection of fans. There were some 34 climbs on a parcours and not many flat sections, making this race a of attrition. It is the first of three Ardennes Classics, followed by La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Under pleasantly dry and sunny conditions, Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo) took the start line as the defending champion alongside a series of other previous winners including former Ardennes Classics triple crown champions Gilbert and Davide Rebellin (CCC Polsat).

Pim Ligthart (Lotto Belisol) kicked of the day’s breakaway right off the start line and was joined by seven other riders to establish a four-minute lead during the first kilometres of the race. The eight-man move also included Van Hecke, Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Matej Mohoric (Cannondale), Manuel Belletti (Androni Venezuela), Pirmin Lang (IAM Cycling), James Van Landschoot (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Nicola Boem (Bardiani CSF).

Riblon and Rory Sutherland (Tinkoff-Saxo) bridged across to the move and they gained nearly 14 minutes ahead of a seemingly content main peloton over the day’s fourth climb, the Bergeseweg.

With a tough 200km still ahead, the breakaway worked in unison to reach the first ascent over the Cauberg, where they picked up another minute in their quest to stay ahead of the field.

BMC led much of the initial chase from the peloton, keeping the breakaway in check for Gilbert, who proved to be in top form after winning De Brabantse Pijl – La Flèche Brabançonne last Wednesday. “[Winning De Brabantse Pijl] was important because I am a winner and I’m always racing to win,” Gilbert said. “It was important for me to gain the trust of my team. It is also a very beautiful race and it was important on the calendar so I wanted to win it, but yes, it was also important for today.”

Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Katusha eventually sent some of their riders to aide in BMC’s efforts to bring the gap down to a more manageable distance as the race approached the half-way point. Movistar also joined in the chase and the gap came down to eight minutes over the Vrakelberg and toward the Eyserbosweg.

For the second consecutive year, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) was sidelined after an unfortunate accident with 150 km to go. The crash also involved Andy Schleck (Trek Factory Racing), who later abandoned the race as well.

The gap continued to fall when Omega Pharma-QuickStep joined the chase over the Cauberg for the second time with roughly 80km to go. Some of the breakaway riders struggled to stay on pace after such a long effort.

With 35km to go, Boem, Van Hecke and Riblon continued on ahead in hopes of holding a small gap into the final circuits. Boem, who previously tried to make a move on his own, ended up losing contact with his two companions.

A few kilometres back, over the top of the Kruisberg, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) made an attack to try and bridge across to the pair of leaders. He was joined by Fuglsang, Van Avermaet, Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge) and Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol), but the main field followed just 20 seconds back.

Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) attacked from the bunch in a bid to bridge to Voeckler’s group. Paul Martens (Belkin) and Bjorn Leukemans (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) also made it across.

Van Hecke and Riblon muscled over the Cauberg for the second to last time with just under two minutes ahead of Voeckler’s group and another 20 seconds ahead of the main field. But a series of attacks were beginning to start from the main bunch including a strong but short-lived move from Garmin-Sharp’s Nathan Haas.

Up the road, Weening tried to take a flyer out of Voeckler’s chase group but Fuglsang countered and eventually Van Avermaet, Leukemans, Kolobnev and Martens caught back up to the pair on the descent.

The leading duo, Van Hecke and Riblon, tried desperately to hang on to a small lead with less than 15km to go but the gap had dropped to just 30 seconds. Van Avermaet and Fuglsang were the last to remain from the chase group while the rest were reabsorbed back into the peloton.

Van Hecke, Riblon, Fuglsang and Van Avermaet united as the race headed over the Bemelerberg, however, Garmin-Sharp and Omega Pharma-QuickStep led the main field just 10 seconds behind. Ultimately, the field came back together with seven kilometres to the finish line.

Orica-GreenEdge buried themselves at the front of the field to put their favourites Gerrans and Michael Matthews in top position heading into the final climb over the Cauberg.

Gilbert launched an attack at the base of the ascent with three kilometres to go and opened an instant gap. Gerrans, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) tried to respond but it was too late, and with only a few hundred metres to go, Gilbert was on his way to winning his third Amstel Gold Race.

Results :
1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 6:25:57
2 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol 0:00:05
3 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica Greenedge 0:00:06
4 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
5 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
6 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano 0:00:10
7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
8 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
9 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha
10 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar 0:00:12
11 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
12 Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica Greenedge
13 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice
14 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin Sharp
15 Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr
16 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha
17 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
18 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo
19 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha 0:00:21
20 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
21 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Garmin Sharp
22 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
23 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr
24 Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 0:00:23
25 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:00:36
26 Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
27 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
28 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha
29 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
30 Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
31 Marco Marcato (Ita) Cannondale
32 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
33 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
34 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida
35 Alex Howes (USA) Garmin Sharp
36 Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling
37 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
38 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
39 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
40 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
41 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:01
42 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
43 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
44 Dominik Nerz (Ger) BMC Racing Team
45 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar
46 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
47 Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol
48 Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida
49 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale
50 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida
51 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
52 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
53 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:01:32
54 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
55 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.fr
56 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica Greenedge
57 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Lampre-Merida
58 Angelo Pagani (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
59 Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
60 Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 0:02:03
61 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
62 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team 0:02:16
63 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Team Katusha 0:02:54
64 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Team Katusha
65 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale
66 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
67 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica Greenedge 0:03:07
68 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol 0:03:23
69 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 0:03:32
70 Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Sharp 0:05:36
71 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin Sharp
72 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 0:06:26
73 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
74 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
75 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) IAM Cycling
76 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica Greenedge
77 Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:08:45
78 Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team 0:10:00
79 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky
80 Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
81 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
82 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol
83 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol
84 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
85 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
86 Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
87 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Androni Giocattoli
88 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
89 Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
90 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
91 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
92 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar
93 Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Cannondale
94 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
95 Antonio Parrinello (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
96 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.fr
97 Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
98 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol
99 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
100 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
101 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
102 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
103 Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
104 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo
105 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
106 Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale
107 Marco Canola (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
108 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
109 Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling
110 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:13:15
111 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
112 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Cannondale
113 Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
114 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
115 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
116 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano
117 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
118 WoutPoels (Ned) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
119 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
120 Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
121 Arthur Vanoverberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
122 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:16:13
123 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF David Tanner (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
DNF Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale
DNF Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale
DNF Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale
DNF Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr
DNF Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin Sharp
DNF Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp
DNF Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp
DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida
DNF Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF John Gadret (Fra) Movistar Team
DNF Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica Greenedge
DNF Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica Greenedge
DNF Christian Meier (Can) Orica Greenedge
DNF Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF Thierry Hupond (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha
DNF Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky
DNF Joshua Edmondson (GBr) Team Sky
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
DNF Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
DNF Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
DNF Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
DNF Andy Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
DNF Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
DNF Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing
DNF Manuel Belletti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Nicola Testi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Omar Bertazzo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Andrea Zordan (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
DNF Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling
DNF Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Michel Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Nico Sijmens (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
DNF Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
DNF Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
DNF Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani-CSF