Dutchman recovers from fractured collarbone for home Classic
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Michal Kwiatkowski wins the final stage and the overall at Volta ao Algarve(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Poels (Team Sky) wins stage 2 at Ruta del Sol(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Wout Poels on the Paris-Nice podium after winning the stage 4 time trial(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Michal Kwiatkowski (AG2R La Mondiale)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sergio Henao (Team Sky).(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images Sport)
Team Sky have named Wout Poels, Michal Kwiatkowski and Sergio Henao in its squad for Sunday's Amstel Gold Race, confirming a three-pronged attack for the first of the Ardennes Classics.
Completing the seven-rider line up are Michal Golas, an on-form Tao Geoghegan Hart, Lukasz Wisniowski and key domestique Vasil Kiryienka.
Chris Froome will not ride the Ardennes Classics but despite his on-going salbutamol case, is expected to be in action at the Tour of Alps stage race in Italy and Austria as he prepares for the Giro d'Italia. Gianni Moscon will not ride the Ardennes Classics, instead, he will take time off after a full cobbled Classics programme.
Kwiatkowski won the Amstel Gold race in 2015 and finished second last year, beaten by Philippe Gilbert in a two-rider sprint after they got away in the aggressive finale of the race. The Polish rider won Tirreno-Adriatico in March but struggled to be competitive at the Tour of Flanders after dropping into the team for the Flemish classic. Last week Kwiatkowski rode five of the six stages of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and hopes to peak for the Ardennes week.
Poels has not raced since crashing out of Paris-Nice and fracturing his left collarbone. He underwent surgery and was back training indoors after just nine days so that he could be at the start of his 'home' Classic in the Netherlands.
Henao has followed an alternative race programme to prepare for the Ardennes since taking the Colombian national title back in early February. He rode the Colombia Oro y Paz race, Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya.
Tram Sky will face serious competition from Paris-Roubaix winner Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), 2017 winner Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Belgian revelation Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal), Greg van Avermaet (BMC) and Milan-San Remo winner Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida).
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The 262km race route has been given another tweak for 2018, with Cauberg again voided in the final kilometres and a new route leading to the final Bemelerberg climb. The finish is in Vilt-Valkenberg.
Cyclingnews will have full coverage of the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday and the Ardennes Classics, with live updates, news, interviews and photo galleries.
