Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[ferryman]

Stop the press, just remembered I read that Carlos is riding.....nah start the clock again!

 

[maikel]

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

yes he didn't do well that race, but it wasn't an objective for him as it was for Gilbert yesterday and Gesink is another year older and the Brabantse pijl was then even before de Ronde van Vlaanderen. Now its almost 3 weeks further

 

[blaxland]

I like Gilbert ftw.

What about Kroon seems to be riding into good form?
1st;Kroon
2nd;Gilbert
3rd;Ivanoz
This should be Team Bmc First win this season........

 

[blaxland]

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

I think your spot on Dekkertifosi..what a lot a tough race?The dutch now how to put on a CLASSIC..Go Kroon Go.

 

[Bala Verde]

Is LLS on a short leash?

perhaps a feed will appear here:

http://www.amstelgoldrace.nl/l1/

 

[Sasquatch]

Kroon. This is his objective for the year.

Also, Kolobnev is going to win a big race this year. Don't rule him out either.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

1.Gilbert
2.Van Summeren
3.Monfort

 

[theswordsman]

Riis must have talked him into postponing his rest, because Cancellara is on the Saxo Bank squad for this race and Liege Bastogne Liege.

Amstel Gold Race (April 18): Fabian Cancellara, Andy Schleck, Frank Schleck, Laurent Didier, Jakob Fuglsang, Nicki Sorensen, Jens Voigt, Jonan Aen Jorgensen.

RadioShack Team has announced the following riders to compete in the Amstel Gold Race: Ben Hermans, Chris Horner, Fuyu Li, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sérgio Paulinho, Ivan Rovny, Tomas Vaitkus and Haimar Zubeldia.

Cadel Evans (BMC) will play the three Ardennes classics, Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, his first major goal of the season.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25205

 

[el_angliru]

Yes, according to a Belgian sports paper Riis said after PR, that he wanted to take advantage of Cancellara's present (incredible) form and let him ride in Amstel and LBL!
http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=G0G2ONQNC

 

[Anquetil]

1.Gilbert
2.Van Summeren
3.Monfort

Monfort ? Realy ? I don't think HTC has the team in order to help him.

 

[theyoungest]

Monfort ? Realy ? I don't think HTC has the team in order to help him.

Albasini? Pinotti? Peter Velits? Tony Martin?

 

[Michele]

Peter Velits is pedaling very well these days.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

1.Gilbert
2.Van Summeren
3.Monfort

If that happens hell must have frozen over. Except for Gilbert.

Monfort and Vansummeren are far too weak.

 

[Anquetil]

Peter Velits is pedaling very well these days.

The problem withe Peter Velits is that is good everywhere but the best nowhere. I mean he can climb, he can sprint he's also very good in the TT but he will never take big win I think.

 

[theyoungest]

The problem withe Peter Velits is that is good everywhere but the best nowhere. I mean he can climb, he can sprint he's also very good in the TT but he will never take big win I think.

Doesn't change the fact that he's very well capable of supporting Monfort. Although I don't think Monfort will be team leader, that'll be Albasini I guess.

 

[issoisso]

Monfort will be working for Albasini. Albasini's characteristics are faaaaaaaaaaar better suited to the Amstel.

People keep mentioning stage racers and diesel climbers. This is not Liége.
You have to remember than when a team has a punchier rider, he'll be the designated leader here, as that's what suits the race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

By the way, Gesinks Amstel-training yesterday: 5,5 hours, 190 km, 308 watt average
That's pretty hard, considering Cancellara on 260km in Flanders was 260w or something average? (ofcourse, the average is lower because of the easy pedalling in the peloton)

As addition to Isso's post: Stage racers can win in Amstel though, if they place their attack well in the flat parts on top of the climbs in the final (plateau attacks, just after a climb, deadly!)

 

[theswordsman]

Caisse brings their stars.

Alejandro Valverde and Luis Leon Sanchez lead the Caisse d'Epargne will play the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, and the Fleche Wallonne, on Wednesday.

Arnaud Coyot, Imanol Erviti, Luis Pasamontes, José Vicente Garcia Acosta, Vasil Kiryienka and David Lopez completed the squad led by Yvon Ledanois Navarre.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25213

 

[Big GMaC]

Caisse brings their stars.



http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25213

how the hell is he still racing!!? And Ballan is suspended?

 

[theswordsman]

The German rider Fabian Wegmann returns to action next Sunday in the Amstel Gold Race, after breaking his collarbone five weeks ago in the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico (March 12).

Fröhlinger Johannes, Christian Knees, Dominik Roels, Roy Sentjens, Niki Terpstra, Paul Voss and Peter Wrolich be teammates on the classic beer.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25215

 

[auscyclefan94]

What about Kroon seems to be riding into good form?
1st;Kroon
2nd;Gilbert
3rd;Ivanoz
This should be Team Bmc First win this season........

Hope so... kroon will have good support in evans! Not really sure of how much of a kick kroon has compared to the others?

 

[Bala Verde]

how the hell is he still racing!!? And Ballan is suspended?

Team ethics and moreover Caisse is milking it until a worldwide ban has been issued ...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

If that happens hell must have frozen over. Except for Gilbert.

Monfort and Vansummeren are far too weak.

just being patriotic
Don't believe in it either, but don't know any other belgians that could ride top 3...

Devenyns, Vandenbroeck & Monfort are good, but all tree more suited for LBL
Devolder & Nuyens (and even Vansummeren) could ride top 3, but are all out of form.

As said in Brabantse Pijl Thread: Leukemans could ride 5-10th, not top 3.

Am i forgetting anyone?

 

[tgsgirl]

An in-form Ben Hermans should be able to put in a surprise performance (if he rides like he did in Burgos last year), but he's been ill and out of form. Seeldraeyers can climb, but he hasn't had the most fortunate beginning of 2010 either.
Both may be better for LBL as well, come to think of it.

 

[theswordsman]

And, from the same website as a while ago, Cancellara is out of the Ardennes classics, saying he's given a hundred percent and he's tired. I don't know where Google got "Federer".

Cancellara waiver of the Ardennes Classics: 'I'm tired'
Fabian Cancellara (Team Saxo Bank) has decided to take a break after his spectacular victories in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race run or Liège as planned. Federer returns to racing in the Tour of California (16-23 May).

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25219