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 15 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2010 — sirotti 9 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2009 — sirotti 57 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2008 — sirotti
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| 2011 Amstel Gold Race Teams |
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| Team Rosters and |
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Group riders by: or
OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (OLO) (BEL)  AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM) (FRA)  BMC RACING (BMC) (USA)  EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (EUS) (ESP)  HTC-HIGHROAD (THR) (USA)  KATUSHA (KAT) (RUS)  LAMPRE - ISD (LAM) (ITA)  LEOPARD-TREK (LEO) (LUX)  LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE (LIQ) (ITA)  MOVISTAR (MOV) (ESP)  ASTANA (AST) (KAZ)  QUICKSTEP (QST) (BEL)  RABOBANK (RAB) (NED)  SAXO BANK SUNGARD (SBS) (DEN)  SKY (SKY) (GBR)  GARMIN-CERVELO (GRM) (USA)  RADIOSHACK (RSH) (USA)  VACANSOLEIL-DCM (VCD) (NED)  COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE (COF) (FRA)  FARNESE VINI - NERI SOTTOLI (FAR) (GBR)  LANDBOUWKREDIET (LAN) (BEL)  SKIL - SHIMANO (SKS) (NED)  TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - MERCATOR (TSV) (BEL)  VERANDA'S WILLEMS - ACCENT (VWA) (BEL) |
17 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2011 (more photos added) — sirotti/reuters 
Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates. |
Amstel Gold Race 2011 results 1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 2 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 3 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling 4 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek 5 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha Team 6 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 7 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 8 Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 9 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 10 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
Gilbert repeats at Amstel Gold Race — cyclingnews
Philippe Gilbert wint opnieuw de Amstel Gold Race
— sporza.beGilbert wint Gold Race opnieuw — nos.nlGerrans grabs Amstel bronze — teamskyPhilippe Gilbert says he’s not the best classics rider, just the most complete all-rounder — velonewsRodriguez fooled by Gilbert in Amstel Gold Race — cyclingnewsNo regrets for Andy Schleck after his Amstel Gold Race attack — cyclingnewsGilbert is the new Superman — cyclingnewsGilbert powers to repeat victory in Amstel Gold Race, Schleck move unsuccessful
— velonation Last Km from 2011 — sporza.be 17 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2011 (more photos added) — sirotti/reuters Podium Ceremony — rtbf.be Graham Watson's photos — grahamwatson
April 17 update:
2011 Worldwide broadcasters and initial sources for live video — steephill.tv
2011 Official startlist w/ bib numbers — steephill.tv
Start time: Sunday 10:15 CET (8:15:00 AM GMT+0000); Current Weather for Maastricht
Earliest live video: 14:15 CET (12:15:00 PM GMT+0000); See all the live video, audio and text options
Approximate finish: 16:15 CET (2:15:00 PM GMT+0000); Current Weather for Valkenburg
Current Situation/Live Text Updates
Team rosters with bib numbers
| media source | tv or internet | comments/restrictions | |
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 live video (english) live video (english) live video (english) live video (english) live video (english) live audio (english)live ticker (english) tv schedule (british) |
live at 14:15 BST/15:15 CET (105 min); highlights at 22:00 BST (60 min); Audio languages: EN |
FR | DE | ES | ITTicker languages: EN |
FR | DE | ES | IT |
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live video (flemish) live video (unrestricted) live video (unrestricted) live ticker (english) tv schedule |
Sporza live at 14:15 CET; | |
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live video (dutch) |
restricted. | |
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live video (dutch) tv schedule |
NOS TV w/ Dutch ticker (restricted). NOS will have Live footage from the Rabobank and Vacansoleil team cars. | |
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live video (italian) tv schedule |
RAI starts at 14:05 CET (105 min); check back at race time for an unrestricted link | |
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live video (french) live video (unrestricted) |
RTBF; French commentary; starts at 14h15 CET | |
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live video (luxembourgish) tv schedule
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RTL Luxembourg; starts at 14h00 CET | |
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 live audio (english) |
English audio available worldwide with a subscription to cycling.tv | |
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live text updates |
English updates. | |
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 steephill text updates #agr twitter group |
short text updates from any and everyone | |
check back at race time for more and updated links;  send a comment or a new live link |
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Amstel Beckons for Leopard-Trek
— cyclingnewsVisconti declared fit for Amstel Gold Race
— cyclingnewsHesjedal on-form for Amstel Gold Race
— cyclingnewsFabian Cancellara ahead of Amstel Gold start: "I feel liberated - as free as a bird."
— velonationAmstel Gold Race 2011: race preview — telegraph.co.ukFränk Schleck looking for a birthday present at the Amstel Gold Race
— cyclingnewsVideo: Gilbert ready for any outcome at Amstel Gold Race
(English) — cyclingnews 15 Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2010 — sirottiPhilippe Gilbert still the favorite over the bergs of Amstel Gold — velonewsAmstel Gold:
The Ardennes kick off in the Netherlands — cyclingnewsStrong Leopard team for Amstel Gold Race
— cyclingnewsRobert Gesink downplays Amstel Gold chances: "I am not the man to beat Sunday."
— velonationCadel Evans to miss Amstel Gold and Fleche Wallonne due to injuries sustained in a training crash — velonation
April 13 update:
Determined Cancellara will have final shot at Classics victory in Amstel Gold
— velonation
Robert Gesink to lead Rabobank in Amstel Gold Race
— velonation
Ardennes Classics on the horizon
— afp
Leukemans en Devolder leiden Vacansoleil in Amstel Gold Race
— nieuwsblad.be
AGR 2010: Part 1 of 2, Eyserbosweg / Fromberg / Keutenberg (08:05 Dutch) — nos
AGR 2010: Part 2 of 2, Final kilometers (10:47 Dutch) — nos
AGR 2004: Boogerd vs. Rebellin (08:42 Dutch) — nos
AGR 2003: Cauberg viert primeur (10:01 Dutch) — nos
AGR 2002: Bartoli wint in Maastricht (04:05 Dutch) — nos
AGR 1999: Boogerd en Armstrong op Halembaye (00:59 Dutch) — nos
Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2010 — sirotti2010 Amstel Gold Race results: 1 Philippe Gilbert (BEL; OmegaPharma - Lotto) 259 km in 6:22:54 2 Ryder Hesjedal (CAN; Garmin-Transitions) + 0:02 3 Enrico Gasparotto (ITA; Astana) 4 Bert de Waele (BEL; Landbouwkrediet) + 0:05 5 Roman Kreuziger (ITA; Liquigas) 6 Damian Cunego (ITA; Lampre) 7 Frank Schleck (LUX; Saxo Bank) + 0:07 8 Marco Marcato (ITA; Vacansoleil) + 0:09 9 Karsten Kroon (NED; BMC Racing) + 0:11 10 Chris Horner (USA; RadioShack)
Gilbert keeps his promise on the Cauberg — cyclingnewsGilbert sprints to Amstel Gold win — velonews
Grootse Gilbert is ongenaakbaar in de Gold Race (flemish report and interviews) — sporza.beInside Cycling with John Wilcockson: Philippe Gilbert played it smart at Amstel Gold — velonews Last Km (03:25 flemish) —sporza.be Eyserbosweg/Fromberg/Keutenberg Climbs (08:05 dutch) | Last 7 Km (10:47 dutch) — nos Graham Watson photos — grahamwatson Big Photos from Amstel Gold Race 2010 — sirotti
Volcano forces some to miss Amstel Gold (startlist updated) — velonewsPermission granted for helicopters used in TV — velonationPreview: Mother Nature Weighs In — velonationThe climbs: photos, profiles and stats — amstelgoldrace.nlCan the Dutch break their duck in Amstel? — cyclingnewsRace Favorites: Horner and Hesjedal are North America's best chance — velonewsValverde and the punchers take aim at Amstel — AFPSchleck: 'I want to win Amstel Gold' — velonewsCancellara will take a pass on remaining classics — velonewsBradley Wiggins is stranded in Spain; Team Sky to go with seven riders — teamsky Provisional Startlist (updated: April 17th 15:42 PDT) Gesink op weg naar AGR/Gesink doing AGR recon (03:20 dutch) — nos.nlValverde favori embarrassant de l'Amstel (Google Translation) — rtbf.be Andy & Frank Schleck meet the press in Lanaken, Belgium pre-Ardennes Classics — dailypelotonTeam BMC Racing Bets on Kroon — roadcycling Last year's preview still applies — steephill.tv Double Dutch Does the Trick (2009 Course Preview) — pezcyclingnews
March 15 update:
Teams announced for Amstel Gold — velonews
44th Amstel Gold Race Results 1 Sergei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha 6.38.31 (38.814 km/h) 2 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank 3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.08 4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 6 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank 7 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 8 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Rabobank 9 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Team Katusha 10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
Full Results — cyclingnews Highlights — sporza Highlights The Last Km (coming) — sporzaIvanov wins Amstel Gold — velonewsIvanov winnaar Amstel Gold Race ( interviews in Dutch with Gesink and Kroon) — nos.nl Photos — yahoo/gettys The ugly finish to stage 8 of Tour of Turkey: Scroll ahead to 3'40" for the wrestling take down of the Yellow Jersey on what should have been a ceremonial finsh 9 Big Photos from Amstel Gold 2009 — sirotti Graham Watson Photos — grahamwatson
The route follows a circuitous and bumpy path on the roads near the city of Maastricht before ending in Valkenburg |
Racing on a hilly course with narrow roads is always good entertainment. 31 short climbs in total. |
A total of 31 short climbs dot the 258 kilometer course, which is one of the more confusing among the major classics. The course traces a series of circles, frequently doubling back upon itself, including three trips up the Cauberg. The climbs rarely last much more than a kilometer, but they are relentless in their repetition. Few flat roads interrupt the rhythm of constant climbing. The Eyserbosweg, which comes with approximately 20 kilometers to go, often serves to whittle down the finishing group, though it comes too far from the finish to be decisive. There is no set pattern to how Amstel is won, and the kilometers between the Eyserbosweg and the finish on the Cauberg typically involve a fair amount of tactical gamesmanship.
| steephill is also on Twitter with race info and video updates |
Adding to the difficulty, the roads are technical with tight corners, quick climbs, and steep descents. The narrow roads place a premium on riding at the front, while countless speed-bumps and numerous road furnishings stand ready to cause havoc in the bunch. A good portion of the race runs through residential areas, where parked cars stalk an inattentive rider. These obstacles can make for nervous racing, especially if the weather turns wet as it so often does.
Two of the favourites, Cunego and Evans, recently did battle at Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali |
Likewise for Spanish talent Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d'Épargne who must also rank among the favorites to win. Valverde shares Cunego's fast finish and strong climbing. Though currently in a spot of bother with the anti-doping authorities in Italy, Valverde continues to ride and win, thanks to the indulgence of the Spanish Federation. At the beginning of the season, Valverde claimed the Tour de France as his main objective of the year, and suggested that he would not ride to win before July. Perhaps that plan remains his intention, but in recent weeks, the Spanish rider has shown steadily increasing form. His most recent victory came at the Klassika Primavera where he won the sprint from a group that included Cunego. Valverde has twice won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but never the Amstel Gold Race, where his highest finish is third. Should Valverde falter, his Caisse d'Épargne team-mate Joaquim Rodriguez has consistently achieved results in the hilly classics and earlier this season won the Montelupone stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, which finished on a wall-like climb.
It's been quite some time since Davide Rebellin won all three of the Ardennes week races, Amstel, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, in 2004. But he hasn't exactly sat idle since then. This year will likely mark Rebellin's final year of racing, and he has declared the Ardennes and Worlds as his main objectives. The Italian classics talent consistently figures in the finale of these Spring classics, and finished second at Amstel Gold in 2007 and second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2008. Riding for Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoni (phew!), Rebellin can count on Michele Scarponi and Alessandro Bertolini for support, though he may find it difficult to match the speed of both Cunego and Valverde on the Cauberg.
Frank Schleck didn't particularly enjoy watching Damiano Cunego's victory salute last year. |
Fränk Schleck of Saxo Bank won the 2006 edition of this race, attacking 9 kilometers from the finish to celebrate a solo victory on the Cauberg. Since then, Schleck has consistently made the podium at the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Schleck has the climbing legs and endurance for these hilly classics, but a lack of finishing speed complicates his chances. He needs to escape alone or find the right breakaway partner to win. If he goes to the line with a rider like Valverde, Schleck is all but certainly riding for second.
If things don't go well for Schleck on the day, the Saxo Bank roster is well-stocked with talent. Alexandr Kolobnev recently finished second at the GP Miguel Indurain, and Karsten Kroon played race-maker at Brabantse Pijl, but finished fifth after misjudging the sprint. Though he hasn't shown especially good form lately, Andy Schleck rode a stellar Liège-Bastogne-Liège last season in support of Fränk. Did I mention this Saxo Bank team is stacked?
Hot off a third place finish at the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Philippe Gilbert of Silence-Lotto has set the Amstel Gold Race as one of his objectives for the season. The Ronde result came as a surprise: Gilbert had not expected to ride the Flemish monument. A Walloon, Gilbert has long dreamed of winning his home races, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but has said in recent interviews that he believes that the Amstel Gold Race suits him better. He has yet to achieve a high finish at the Dutch classic, though, and his performance remains one of the more suspenseful aspects of this year's race. Gilbert will share team leadership at Silence-Lotto with Dutch talent Thomas Dekker, who has ridden well in these hilly classics in the past. Dekker has struggled to find form this season, though, in part as a consequence of allergies. So far in his career, the young Dutch rider has typically shown better in the stage races than in one day classics.
Other riders to watch include Kim Kirchen of Team Columbia-High Road, who last year won Flèche Wallonne. Kirchen has the legs for the climbs, but doesn't quite have the finishing speed of riders like Valverde and Cunego. Kirchen has spent the Spring re-building his form after he broke his collarbone at the Tour of California. Also returning from injury is Oscar Freire of Rabobank. Freire is generally characterized as a sprinter, but he has a versatile talent which has thrice won him Brabantse Pijl, a race that serves as a preview for the hilly Spring classics. The Amstel Gold Race is nonetheless likely too heavy on the climbing for the former World Champion. Instead, Rabobank will rely on young Dutch climbing talent Robert Gesink for a good result. The team sent Gesink to Tirreno-Adriatico for some speed work earlier this season, but he has struggled to find form and did not figure in the finale at Brabantse Pijl. Gesink may have found his legs since then, and if so, he could certainly cause his share of trouble on the hilly roads around Maastricht.
Cadel Evans, meanwhile, is on steadily building form, though he has declared the Tour de France his principal objective. Evans typically rides well in the hilly classics, though he lacks the finishing speed of the outright favorites. He celebrated one of his highest finishes in the Ardennes last year with a second place at Flèche Wallonne. He shares team leadership at Silence-Lotto with Philippe Gilbert. Christian Pfannberger of Katusha, has no previous results at Amstel, but has showed some form recently at the GP Miguel Indurain and the Settimana Coppi e Bartali. Like Pfannberger, German rider Fabian Wegmann of Team Milram is riding well, finishing second at Brabantse Pijl, but has never managed a high placing in the Spring classics. Wegmann has a nice turn of speed for the finish, but has struggled with the relentless climbs and lengthy distances of races like the Amstel Gold Race.
Long Shot Shout-out! A long shot shout-out to Vincenzo Nibali of Team Liquigas. The talented Italian is more made from the mold of a stage racer than a one day rider, but has recently shown a marked liking for the front of the bike race. Sadly, this effort has not rewarded him with any big victories just yet. In past seasons, he has won the GP Ouest-France and the Giro di Toscana, and recently finished fifth at GP Miguel Indurain and fifth at Klassika Primavera, ahead of Cunego, but behind Valverde. Well, yes, I did say he was a long-shot, didn't I? Forza Vincenzo! — Gavia
2008 third and fourth place finishers, Alejandro Valverde and Davide Rebellin, are also back this year. |
more previews...
Official Site: course map and climb profiles — amstelgoldrace.nl
Malty mayhem guaranteed on Amstel's bergs — cyclingnews
How To Win Amstel Gold — podiumcafe
Just posted April 17th 2009,
57 Big Photos from last year's 2008 Amstel Gold Race ()
