Amstel Gold Race 2014: Gilbert back in charge!

Amstel Gold Race 2014: Results

1. Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
2. Jelle Vanendert (Belgium) + 0.04
3. Simon Gerrans (Australia) + 0.08
4. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) s.t.
5. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) s.t.
6. Simon Geschke (Germany) s.t.
7. Bauke Mollema (The Netherlands) s.t.
8. Enrico Gasparotto (Italy) s.t.
9. Daniel Moreno (Spain) s.t.
10. Yukiya Arashiro (Japan) s.t.

Race report
10 riders made up today’s breakaway, Pim Ligthart, Preben Van Hecke, James Vanlandschoot, Jaroslaw Marycz, Aleksej Loetsenko, Christophe Riblon, Matej Mohoric, Pirmin Lang, Nicola Boem and Manuel Belletti. They built a large gap that grew as much as 15 minutes at one point.

Other notable occurences early in the race saw Joaquim Rodriguez, on of the favourites, abondon after a crash. Andy Schleck also quit the race injured while reigning Liege champion Daniel Martin left the race with a sore knee with 80 kilometres remaining.

Van Hecke and Riblon proved the strongest of the breakaway and surged on ahead. The expected attacks from the peloton started on the descent of the Kruisberg with Thomas Voeckler attackoing with Pieter Weening, Tim Wellens, Greg Van Avermaet, Jakob Fuglsang and Zdenek Stybar. It was a dangerous move, andthe big favourites weren’t going to alow for a repeat of last year when Kreuziger escaped to win.

Coming into the final climb of the Cauberg it was all back together with a group of about 50 riders. Omega Pharma QuikStep led it out, until BMC’s Samuel Sanchez unleashed a vicious attacks on the lower slopes. Gerrans, Kwiatkowski and Valverde were chasing but as soon as he was caught, teammate Gilbert attacked and it was devastating.

He created enough of a gap by the top of the Cauberg to ride solo to the finish for his third Amstel Gold victory.

Vanendert managed to catch and pass the main chasers for 2nd while Gerrans won the sprint for 3rd.

Gilbert meanwhile, is already looking forward to Wednesday’s Fleche Wallone.

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