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53rd Amstel Gold Race - 260km

Just as last year, we expect this to be exciting race with so many possible outcomes.
Which of the 35 Hills will be pivotal to the outcome of the race.


Race Profile
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35 Hills
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Favorites
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Past Winners
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I'm not sure about Alaphilippe's chances if it turn into an endurance race. Then Gilbert is a better card to play out.

What Alaphilippe seems to lack is an engine. He is great at being aggressive in last 10k of a hilly stage, punching his way up a steep wall and even putting out a great performance in a short time trial but as proven in Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco this year.. the engine is just not there.
 
Even though the racing has not always been great at Amstel, the line-up is always amazing. Can't think of many races with better riders at the start. Classics specialists, GC riders and sprinters all think they have a chance of winning.
 
It could be one for the ages. 5 of the very best one-day racers in the current peloton are targeting this race: Gilbert, Valverde, Sagan, Kwiatkowski and Van Avermaet. I just hopes this will explode earlier, like last year, to avoid sprinters and their teams.
 
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WheelofGear said:
I wonder what Sagan's tactics are for this race. He is in a luxury position. Going with the break as the most marked man or waiting for the sprint? I can't see any of the riders on the list beating him in a bunch sprint.
You think bunch sprint is even a possibility on the new course? If the way they rode last years course is anything to go by, and now with 7 man teams, I think a bunch sprint is very, very unlikely.
 
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Velolover2 said:
Both Sagan and GVA looks like they are peaking later than last year.

Maybe they will ride Liege as well.
When other riders don't have mechanicals or crash out Greg never seems to be able to win. I think this is his peak form but other riders just are a bit better. I see him getting a top 10 in Amstel but I don't think he will win.

Has been a while since Sagan rode Amstel but under normal circumstances he is always one of the favourites.
 
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Bardamu said:
Velolover2 said:
Both Sagan and GVA looks like they are peaking later than last year.

Maybe they will ride Liege as well.
When other riders don't have mechanicals or crash out Greg never seems to be able to win. I think this is his peak form but other riders just are a bit better. I see him getting a top 10 in Amstel but I don't think he will win.

Has been a while since Sagan rode Amstel but under normal circumstances he is always one of the favourites.
Dont't troll. I can just as easily claim Sagan only won the Ronde in 2016 because Greg crashed. Greg was simply a lot stronger last year than this year. It happens.
 
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Bardamu said:
I think he is at the same level as last year but he was fortunate in most races last year in the spring races. In none of those races did he show his class like Terpstra did this year or even Sagan today.

His sprint to claim an epic 4th place today was pure class.
 
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Bardamu said:
I think he is at the same level as last year but he was fortunate in most races last year in the spring races. In none of those races did he show his class like Terpstra did this year or even Sagan today.
Sagan was very fortunate today that everyone let him go. GVA was far stronger last year. He couldn't drop anyone on the flemish hills this year for example. Last year he could ride away from just about anyone.
 

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