47th Amstel Gold Race (The maze) - Sunday April 15, 2012

[El Pistolero]

Thomas Dekker ‏ @DekkerThomas Beantwoorden Retweeten Toevoegen aan favorieten · Openen
Niet helemaal mijn ding. Draaien en keren. De benen zijn ok. Goede training voor de Amstel.

 

[BRCYC11]

Samuel Sanchez is indeed riding AGR

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Thomas Dekker ‏ @DekkerThomas Beantwoorden Retweeten Toevoegen aan favorieten · Openen
Niet helemaal mijn ding. Draaien en keren. De benen zijn ok. Goede training voor de Amstel.

? that was about br pijl. In amstel he knows the course better so the twisting and turning doesn't bother him there

 

[ccyclo]

This is a f....ing good team

http://www.syklingensverden.com/?artID=1051&navB=1

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

? that was about br pijl. In amstel he knows the course better so the twisting and turning doesn't bother him there

it does bother him because he sucks at placing himself. I don't xpect anything from him sunday. maybe in lbl he can

 

[sTTevie]

no one has yet mentioned the fact that (due to road works in Valkenburg) the finale has underwent change

for the 3rd & final climb of the Cauberg the riders will no longer descent the (technical) Sibbergrubbe (where Ivanov went all out in 2009 & almost rode in the grassy banks, but dit set up his base for his escape & later victory ... & where last year Phil hauled back a lot of time on Schleck with his superior descending skills)

now the riders leave the Sibbergrubbe on their right & go straight towards the Daalhemmerweg for the final descent to the Cauberg
this is a very 'easy' & straight forward descent, nothing technical about it (wide lane, almost no corners)

so an escape by a strong rider (with some TT skills) has a lot more chance to stick this year than any other years where most of the attempts to break away on the Keutenberg were countered & caught ...

 

[will10]

no one has yet mentioned the fact that (due to road works in Valkenburg) the finale has underwent change

for the 3rd & final climb of the Cauberg the riders will no longer descent the (technical) Sibbergrubbe (where Ivanov went all out in 2009 & almost rode in the grassy banks, but dit set up his base for his escape & later victory ... & where last year Phil hauled back a lot of time on Schleck with his superior descending skilss)

now the riders leave the Sibbergrubbe on their right & go straight towards the Daalhemmerweg for the final descent to the Cauberg
this is a very 'easy' & straight forward descent, nothing technical about it (wide lane, almost no corners)

so an escape by a strong rider (with some TT skills) has a lot more chance to stick this year than any other years where most of the attempts to break away on the Keutenberg were countered & caught ...

Thanks for that I remember reading about it a while ago. Hopefully will make for a better finale.

 

[theyoungest]

It's not due to road works, the new final was announced quite some time ago as a way to give attackers on the Keutenberg more of a chance.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I know he is the lieutenant for Rodriguez, but Moreno could be a dangerous outsider as well.

 

[sTTevie]

It's not due to road works, the new final was announced quite some time ago as a way to give attackers on the Keutenberg more of a chance.

that's how Leo sold it to the world but the traditional ring road that was used up until now is getting a new sewage system ...

http://www.valkenburg.nl/index.php?simaction=content&mediumid=1&pagid=1217&stukid=13077

there's no other decent way towards the Cauberg (if you're coming from Sibbergrubbe) than the ring road ...
so, however you put it, Sibbergrubbe was no longer an option for 2012

 

[Netserk]

The immensely strong Movistar squad:
Alejandro Valverde
Giovanni Visconti
Rui Costa
Jose Joaquin Rojas
Angel Madrazo
Pablo Lastras
Vasil Kiryienka
Imanol Erviti

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

vacansoleil sending a very strong team as well:

CARRARA Matteo
LINDEMAN Bertjan
HOOGERLAND Johnny
POELS Wout
LIGTHART Pim
MARCATO Marco
RUYGH Rob
WESTRA Lieuwe

They're just missing a real big contender for the win.

Hopefully get somebody in the brake, then Hoogerland and Westra can place attacks in the final, and if it all comes down to it, Poels can try and contend the sprint on the Cauberg, lead out maybe by Marcato or Ligthart.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I know he is the lieutenant for Rodriguez, but Moreno could be a dangerous outsider as well.

but he will have to work 100% in the final

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

vacansoleil sending a very strong team as well:

CARRARA Matteo
LINDEMAN Bertjan
HOOGERLAND Johnny
POELS Wouter
LIGTHART Pim
MARCATO Marco
RUYGH Rob
WESTRA Lieuwe

They're just missing a real big contender for the win.

Hopefully get somebody in the brake, then Hoogerland and Westra can place attacks in the final, and if it all comes down to it, Poels can try and contend the sprint on the Cauberg, lead out maybe by Marcato or Ligthart.

westra will win easily

 

[Fetisoff]

Katusha roster

Xavier Florencio, Oscar Freire, Alberto Losada, Daniel Moreno, Luca Paolini, Joaquim Rodriguez, Angel Vicioso, Eduard Vorganov. Sport Directors: Christian Henn, Valerio Piva.

And a little picture

The title of this "article" on the official site is "Joaquim Rodriguez and Oscar Freire together for "Amstel Gold Race"

 

[DominicDecoco]

Jrod has already won this hasn't he.

 

[Tom T.]

Friere is my dark horse. He's smart and in good form, was only 5 seconds back last year. Otherwise, Garrans is my top choice.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Jrod has already won this hasn't he.

No. He was 2nd here last year and that was his best ever

 

[Netserk]

No. He was 2nd here last year and that was his best ever

I think he meant this years edition

 

[DominicDecoco]

No. He was 2nd here last year and that was his best ever

Not what I meant.

 

[El Pistolero]

I hope Freire wins this. One of the best one day racers in history, but he needs more classic wins on that palmares!

 

[movingtarget]

Gerrans and Rodriguez will be hard to beat. I give Freire some chance.

 

[Lanark]

I'd be really surprised if Gerrans could extend his form from Down Under to Milano - Sanremo until the Gold Race. The Vuelta a Pais Vasco doesn't give much hope either.

 

[El Pistolero]

He should go solo after the Keutenberg. That way Rodriguez will be in a seat.

 

[Moncoutie]

I hope Freire wins this. One of the best one day racers in history, but he needs more classic wins on that palmares!

Couldn't agree more!