Gilbert repeats at Amstel Gold Race
By Cycling News published
Belgian prevails with devastating kick on the Cauberg
Philippe Gilbert (Omega-Pharma Lotto) won a captivating Amstel Gold Race with a supreme kick for the line at the top of the Cauberg. The Belgian won ahead of Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) and Simon Gerrans (Team Sky).
Gilbert, who came into the race as the defending champion and number one favourite, rode a textbook race - constantly attentive at the front while his team covered a string of dangerous moves, including an attack from Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) who escaped alone within the final 15 kilometres and came within 500 metres of the win.
“This is the most important week of my season and since Wednesday I've had super sensations. The team was super strong too which helped me mentally to economise my energy. Only during the last three kilometres I had to work a bit to get back to Andy Schleck,” Gilbert said.
“Schleck went at the right moment but I still had Jelle Vanendert and I was confident he could keep him under control. When the gap was up to 16 seconds I got worried. I asked the Rabobank guys to work but they didn't. Anyway, as a top favourite it was my responsibility so I pulled too.”
The race sparked into life in the final 30 kilometres as Katusha set about splitting the field. Joaquin Rodriguez set the pace on the Fromberg, leading a group of favourites including several of his teammates, Gilbert, Schleck and a trio of Rabobank riders of Robert Gesink, Oscar Freire and Luis Leon Sanchez.
Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Simon Gerrans (Team Sky) were among the other riders to make the cut as Euskaltel-Euskadi and Garmin-Cervélo were left floundering behind.
On the descent of the Fromberg Jelle Vanendert set a furious pace to ensure that his Omega Pharma-Lotto teammate Gilbert and the break would not be reeled in.
Leopard Trek made its bid for victory over the top of the Keutenberg, the day's penultimate climb, as Andy Schleck accelerated away from the lead group.
Over the final 13 kilometres the Tour de France runner-up stretched out his lead but never had more than 10 seconds as Omega Pharma-Lotto kept him in check. Rabobank, with their cards still to play, looked like the strongest bet for a win as Freire, Gesink and Sanchez all sat in and let Gilbert's team work.
However, with the final climb of the Cauberg up to the finish to come and Schleck's lead hovering around five seconds, it was Jelle Vanendert again who did the work before Rodriguez hit out for home, catching Schleck in the process.
It would have been the winning play if the Spaniard and 2010 world number one didn't have Gilbert glued to his wheel and in the final 400 meters the Belgian came through to take his second Amstel title in two years, joining Dutchman Jan Raas as the only riders to win back-to-back editions.
The early break
A peloton of 190 riders left the paved Markt in Maastricht, Holland and set out along the twisting roads on the east side of the provincial town near the Belgian and German borders. As in most other spring Classics this season it took a long time before the early break formed.
After 90 minutes of racing a group of four eventually received the freedom to go: local rider and breakaway specialist Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano), Belgian Thomas Degand (Veranda's Willems-Accent) and Italians Simone Ponzi (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Pier Paolo De Negri (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli).
Nobody bothered chasing the four leaders and after 100 kilometres the gap was up to 12 minutes. It was the biggest local team, Rabobank, who took the initiative in the peloton and once they worked the gap quickly dropped back to three minutes on the demanding, hilly roads.
Rabobank reshuffles cards: two old and two new leaders
With 90 kilometres to go Rabobank put the pedal to the metal and thanks to the efforts from Maarten Tjallingii and Bram Tankink the peloton split apart. On the Sibbergrubbe Luis Leon Sanchez put their good work to use with a solo attack which was neutralized by Damiano Cunego (Lampre) and Belgian champion Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil-DCM).
Hitting the Cauberg for the second time, the peloton re-grouped at only half a minute from the leaders, just as Timmer and Ponzi were dropped. The peloton was looking increasingly nervous and after the Cauberg another Rabobank attack followed, this time from Carlos Barredo.
The Spaniard needed about 15 kilometres to close the gap to the two leaders. Belgian rider Jan Ghyselinck (HTC-Highroad) also closed the gap on his own, creating a leader's group of four. Omega Pharma-Lotto kept the gap under a minute and slowly the time started dropping until they were caught when reaching the Loorberg with 36km remaining.
Finale gets underway
A grouped peloton headed to the important Gulperberg which opens the finale at 28km from the finish line atop the Cauberg in Valkenburg.
It was here that Leopard Trek teammates Fabian Cancellara and Fränk Schleck both crashed, the Luxembourg national champion crashing first and bringing down the Swiss rider.
While their race was over, it was at this point Omega Pharma-Lotto and then Katusha began to up the pace.
1 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 6:30:44 |
2 | Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:00:02 |
3 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:00:04 |
4 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek | 0:00:05 |
5 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha Team | |
6 | Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
7 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:07 |
8 | Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack | 0:00:18 |
9 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:19 |
10 | Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:26 |
11 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek | 0:00:28 |
12 | Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:36 |
13 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:00:48 |
14 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:01:38 |
15 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:01:39 |
16 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:01:44 |
17 | Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:02:09 |
18 | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
19 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:02:10 |
20 | Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek | 0:02:13 |
21 | Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:02:14 |
22 | Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek | |
23 | Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
24 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:02:15 |
25 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
26 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:02:18 |
27 | Nick Nuyens (Bel) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
28 | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:02:20 |
29 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:02:21 |
30 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
31 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling | |
32 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
33 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:02:23 |
34 | Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
35 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Pro Team Astana | 0:02:24 |
36 | Craig Lewis (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
37 | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
38 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:26 |
39 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil - Shimano | |
40 | Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:02:27 |
41 | Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
42 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:02:28 |
43 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
44 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShack | |
45 | Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
46 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
47 | Francesco Reda (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:02:29 |
48 | Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team | |
49 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
50 | Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
51 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
52 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:02:34 |
53 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:02:36 |
54 | Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling | 0:02:40 |
55 | Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Team RadioShack | 0:02:46 |
56 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
57 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Procycling | |
58 | Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 0:02:47 |
59 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale | |
60 | Iván Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:02:48 |
61 | Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
62 | Michael Albasini (Swi) HTC-Highroad | 0:02:54 |
63 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard Trek | 0:02:57 |
64 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek | |
65 | Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team | 0:02:58 |
66 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
67 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:21 |
68 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Pro Team Astana | 0:03:25 |
69 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:57 |
70 | Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:04:19 |
71 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
72 | Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | 0:04:39 |
73 | Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
74 | Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | |
75 | Kjell Carlström (Fin) Sky Procycling | 0:04:48 |
76 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:05:54 |
77 | Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | 0:05:55 |
78 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
79 | Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
80 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
81 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:05:59 |
82 | Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
83 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Skil - Shimano | 0:06:00 |
84 | Marc De Maar (AHo) Quickstep Cycling Team | |
85 | Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:06:01 |
86 | Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
87 | Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:06:02 |
88 | Matthew Busche (USA) Team RadioShack | |
89 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team | |
90 | Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:06:03 |
91 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
92 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:06:04 |
93 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
94 | Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Team RadioShack | 0:06:05 |
95 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
96 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:06:27 |
97 | Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
98 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:06:31 |
99 | Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:07:18 |
100 | Jürgen Van Goolen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | 0:08:03 |
101 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:08:13 |
102 | Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:08:14 |
103 | Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
104 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:08:15 |
105 | David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - ISD | |
106 | Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Pro Team Astana | 0:08:25 |
107 | Thomas Degand (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
108 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:09:11 |
109 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil - Shimano | 0:09:12 |
110 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Pro Team Astana | |
111 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team | |
112 | Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:09:13 |
113 | David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
114 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
115 | Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
116 | Jesús Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:09:14 |
117 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:09:16 |
118 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:09:17 |
119 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) HTC-Highroad | 0:12:24 |
120 | Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Skil - Shimano | |
121 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:12:25 |
122 | Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:12:26 |
123 | Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
124 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
125 | Bram Schmitz (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent | 0:12:27 |
126 | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
127 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:13:18 |
128 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
129 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:13:19 |
130 | Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
131 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 0:13:21 |
132 | Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
133 | Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad | 0:13:24 |
134 | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:13:28 |
135 | Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:13:31 |
136 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team | 0:13:33 |
137 | John Degenkolb (Ger) HTC-Highroad | 0:13:34 |
138 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad | 0:13:44 |
139 | Reinier Honig (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | 0:13:48 |
140 | Grégory Habeaux (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | 0:13:59 |
141 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:14:14 |
142 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling | 0:15:03 |
DNF | Gert Dockx (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
DNF | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
DNF | Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Omega Pharma-Lotto | |
DNF | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
DNF | Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
DNF | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) HTC-Highroad | |
DNF | Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-Highroad | |
DNF | Yuriy Trofimov (Rus) Katusha Team | |
DNF | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
DNF | Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
DNF | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | |
DNF | Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek | |
DNF | Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek | |
DNF | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
DNF | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
DNF | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | |
DNF | Rui Costa (Por) Movistar Team | |
DNF | José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
DNF | Mads Christensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
DNF | Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
DNF | Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard | |
DNF | Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Sky Procycling | |
DNF | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
DNF | Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team RadioShack | |
DNF | Grégory Rast (Swi) Team RadioShack | |
DNF | Sam Bewley (NZl) Team RadioShack | |
DNF | Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
DNF | Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
DNF | Gianluca Mirenda (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
DNF | Davide Ricci Bitti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | |
DNF | Benjamin Gourgue (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
DNF | Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
DNF | Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
DNF | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano | |
DNF | Yann Huguet (Fra) Skil - Shimano | |
DNF | Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil - Shimano | |
DNF | Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
DNF | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
DNF | Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent | |
DNF | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent |

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