Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[auscyclefan94]

Amstel Gold Race map...

Anyone have a profile?

 

[flicker]

That is a nasty race isn't it. Turns all over the place, cars parked who knows where, 90 degree turns about every mile and then short steep hills, during the ending sector, bad weather... etc. uphill finish where cars turn off in wrong place, Robellin etc.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I like Gilbert ftw.

 

[maikel]

I think Gesink is gonna win this, rabo will send a very strong team for it.

Btw first there is todays Brabantse Pijl, in which freire is the main favourite with Gilbert

 

[theyoungest]

That is a nasty race isn't it. Turns all over the place, cars parked who knows where, 90 degree turns about every mile and then short steep hills, during the ending sector, bad weather... etc. uphill finish where cars turn off in wrong place, Robellin etc.

That's all very well, but give me the Amstel Gold over Paris-Roubaix anytime. And that's not just national bias.

Finally the climby classics start! Enough already with the Flanders business.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Eyserbosweg will be taken twice, probable result will be that the wait will take even longer. Group of 15-20 at the foot of de Cauberg before a Huy-like sprint.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No, I think a group between 3 and 10 riders will escape on the Keuteberg.
A large group sprint only happened once so far since the finish on the Cauberg. That was the edition with all the mist.. All the others have ended in very small group finishes
I can't see a lot of people waiting for the sprint against guys like Gilbert and Valverde or even Freire.

Btw the official climb count is 31, but being a local, and knowing the other climbs that are not counted (some even of 2/3km length!!) the real amount of climbs is 47.

Yes, that's right, 47 hills over 260km

 

[theyoungest]

Eyserbosweg will be taken twice, probable result will be that the wait will take even longer. Group of 15-20 at the foot of de Cauberg before a Huy-like sprint.

I don't think it will make much of a difference for the race, as the first time they'll take it will be about 100 kms before the finish.

I think Gesink is gonna win this, rabo will send a very strong team for it.

Don't think so, but--to paraphrase Chris Horner--sometimes the moon, the sun, and the stars align...

Rodriguez, Valverde, or F. Schleck FTW.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think Gilbert is gonna take it.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ah, "the race of a thousand turns," is with us again.
I wonder whether Frank Schleck is able to remember his win, in amongst all his crashes, here.

 

[issoisso]

No, I think a group between 3 and 10 riders will escape on the Keuteberg.
A large group sprint only happened once so far since the finish on the Cauberg. That was the edition with all the mist.. All the others have ended in very small group finishes
I can't see a lot of people waiting for the sprint against guys like Gilbert and Valverde or even Freire.

Btw the official climb count is 31, but being a local, and knowing the other climbs that are not counted (some even of 2/3km length!!) the real amount of climbs is 47.

Yes, that's right, 47 hills over 260km

That's pretty much why riders tend to name this one as the harder of the three.



The question for me is, can Valverde hang on? He tends to fade towards the end of the classics. When he manages to (barely) hang on, he wins (see Liége). So far at the Amstel the only time he's been able to hang on until the end, he was completely empty by then.

 

[craig1985]

No, I think a group between 3 and 10 riders will escape on the Keuteberg.
A large group sprint only happened once so far since the finish on the Cauberg. That was the edition with all the mist.. All the others have ended in very small group finishes
I can't see a lot of people waiting for the sprint against guys like Gilbert and Valverde or even Freire.

Btw the official climb count is 31, but being a local, and knowing the other climbs that are not counted (some even of 2/3km length!!) the real amount of climbs is 47.

Yes, that's right, 47 hills over 260km

That is brutal.

 

[Zen Master]

Anyone have a profile?

 

[Inner Peace]

Surely all those hills are too much for Cancellara right?

I really wanna tip him becoz the 'form' is soooooo good right now. Put it this way, I would not be overly surprised if he wins (assuming he races - i hear talk about this but is it confirmed?)

 

[Magnus]

Surely all those hills are too much for Cancellara right?
(assuming he races - i hear talk about this but is it confirmed?)

there's no confirmation yet. According to danish newspaper Politiken, Kim Andersen say that the desicion can pe postponed until saturday afternoon, when they have to hand over the startlist...

 

[The Sheep]

Martens is going to win it for Rabo.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Martens shouldn't be discounted.

Anywhu I don't see gesink winning this, if anything F-W suits him more.
Gilbert for me.

 

[luckyboy]

I hope and think that Gilbert wins. It's gonna be another great week of cycling

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I also tip Gilbert. But as always, I'm usually wrong in that case.

btw one thing of note

Hill 17 on this map, Eyserweg, has been replaced by Eyserbosweg, because of road works.
So this year, 2x the Eyserbosweg, the hardest climb in the race

 

[maikel]

Gilbert didn't look that strong to me today, atleast not in the same league as Valverde, Gesink, Rodriguez I think. I'm getting really excited for sunday's race, I've got a spot at the finishline!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilbert didn't look that strong to me today, atleast not in the same league as Valverde, Gesink, Rodriguez I think. I'm getting really excited for sunday's race, I've got a spot at the finishline!

Gesink rode the Brabantse Pijl a year ago (I think) and he completely sucked.

Don't judge so easily. And I don't think Gesink is a clear cut above the others, he'll be one of those guys that can finish between 1 and 10. Which could also easily be 10, keep that in mind
I still think the Amstel Gold Race is the race worst suited to Gesink abilities. Fleche Wallone is his race and maybe also LBL

 

[theyoungest]

Gesink rode the Brabantse Pijl a year ago (I think) and he completely sucked.

Don't judge so easily. And I don't think Gesink is a clear cut above the others, he'll be one of those guys that can finish between 1 and 10. Which could also easily be 10, keep that in mind
I still think the Amstel Gold Race is the race worst suited to Gesink abilities. Fleche Wallone is his race and maybe also LBL

What does that have to do with anything? It was on a different date (before Pais Vasco) and on a different course.

 

[ErmOkk]

Gesink is a great rider but I don't get it that his name is mentioned so much as the winner of the amstel. Lets face the fact that the chance he wins one of the 3 upcoming classics is barely existent, simply because he isn't a finisher.

 

[ferryman]

Take your pick with a brutal profile like that. I think young Schleck has it as one of his trargets but can't see that on his form. I hope Gilbert gets it after knocking on the door so many times in races this year. BUT also think Bobby G has a big shout!

Don't really care just bring it on!! And I'm over for LBL next week, heh heh

 

[ferryman]

Take your pick with a brutal profile like that. I think young Schleck has it as one of his trargets but can't see that on his form. I hope Gilbert gets it after knocking on the door so many times in races this year. BUT also think Bobby G has a big shout!

Don't really care just bring it on!! And I'm over for LBL next week, heh heh