Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[maltiv]

Haha, major failure by Team Sky. They are almost as good at climbing as Euskaltel are at riding cobbles!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Terrific finish to win. It's not as though PG kept himself hidden to conserve his energy.

 

[thehog]

10 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack

.

Here we go.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Terrific finish to win. It's not as though PG kept himself hidden to conserve his energy.

yup that's what impressed me most.
ryder's result was excellent, but he was absent other then the finish... Gilbert on the other hand

 

[Parrot23]

Chris H.

Here we go.

To where, do you say?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Haha, major failure by Team Sky. They are almost as good at climbing as Euskaltel are at riding cobbles!

Yeah but wiggins all mighty wasn't present

 

[Parrot23]

Yeah but wiggins all mighty wasn't present

Nah, he's looking for another team already, LOL.

 

[jaylew]

Here we go.

About where I figured. I actually think he might go higher in FW or LBL.

 

[trompe le monde]

Haha, major failure by Team Sky. They are almost as good at climbing as Euskaltel are at riding cobbles!

Surely their defence will be that without their spiritual leader and ascot aficionado Wiggins they were left to drift aimlessly along the course like some rudderless boat.

Aside from Sky's claim to irrelevance, good showing by Astana today. Have to think that the 'gutting' of Astana by The Hog and Friends looks more and more risible as the race calendar marches on.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

LOL, why? He didn't take 2-3 minutes out of the peloton riding into the wind.

Spartacus is back at the gas station (refills need to be re-acquired/restocked).

Yep, but at least Spartacus wasn't there today whereas Gilbert seems to have conserved his incredible form since the Ronde... One might get silly assumptions that way

 

[Credive]

Haha, major failure by Team Sky. They are almost as good at climbing as Euskaltel are at riding cobbles!

What about BMC? Using Evans to protect Kroon was a huge mistake. He could have done something today

 

[9000ft]

Great all day effort for Gilbert. Hellova job! Good finish for Hesjedal also. Top 10 is a great result for Horner.

 

[sublimit]

Sky Failed and Horner came Position 10 so everybody is happy.

 

[El Imbatido]

rabo on home soil= epic fail!

Yeah i think Rabo are still having a bit of trouble polishing that Milan-San Remo trophy

 

[Steel4Ever]

Just love how the rider, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions), who came in second was NEVER mentioned in the live reporting. Not worthy because he is not a "big name"?

Oh well, just me being nationalistic.

 

[Bala Verde]

Post-Race intvw with E. Dekker:

"tactics to have Gesink at bottom of Kruisberg; Gesink either hit something during the race, shaved his elbow (didn't hear this part well...?) or he was unable to move to the front at one point near the Kruisberg, too far back; Freire was good, but not strong enough on the Cauberg; Given the results RAB failed today, and that's what will be in the papers tomorrow; For Fleche, Langeveld and Boom will not ride (kruiswijk and ? replacing those 2); Hesjedal big surprise; Gasparotto and Gilbert not too much; Gilbert was really strong and could make the difference today"

Post-Race intvw with Gesink:
"felt good, but at one point he couldn't follow; he then knew he wasn't strong enough, so he decided to start working for Freire; Course went as they expected, he wasn't well placed before the Kruisberg; AGR was disappointing for him because he wasn't competitive"

Post-Race intvw with Kroon:
"He wasn't with the best in the race, he noticed on Eyserbosweg; Saxo really made the course hard and killed everyone; In 4k he asked Cadel to go; he or Cadel cramped (prolly Kroon); he wasn't strong enough to follow or to sprint; talks about head wind which made course extra hard; happy to stay in people's wheel and draft"

These are the short summies of the intvws

 

[Moondance]

Just love how the rider, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions), who came in second was NEVER mentioned in the live reporting. Not worthy because he is not a "big name"?

Oh well, just me being nationalistic.

Don't take offence... He was completely invisible throughout the race. I might've caught a flash of a Garmin rider once or twice (not knowing it was Hesjedal).

But he showed up when it mattered. Good for him obv.

 

[Steel4Ever]

ryder's result was excellent, but he was absent other then the finish... Gilbert on the other hand

That's why Gilbert won.

I learned that my second year racing -- attack to win.
Hopefully Ryder will be more confident in his abilities now and will do more attacking and (hopefully) more winning.

 

[Mellow Velo]

8 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
9 Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team

If this were a boxing match, it would have been stopped long ago.

 

[Bala Verde]

8 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
9 Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team

If this were a boxing match, it would have been stopped long ago.

Beyond My Cycling-grade....

 

[trompe le monde]

Beyond My Cycling-grade....

Not again.

My last dig at BMC, hopefully. It's really too easy though.

Banal Milquetoast Cyclists

 

[Steel4Ever]

Bad Men Cycling

They should probably just merge with RadioCrap and get it over with.

 

[Michele]

Grande Marcato!
For sure some of the top guys were missing but nice to see him up there.

 

[luckyboy]

Gilbert at Amstel Gold tomorrow.

1. P.Gilbert

I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to gloat

Nice race. I thought Gilbert had lost it when the group got back together before Cauberg. Impressive from De Waele for Landbouwkrediet too. Also Gasparotto.

 

[bianchigirl]

Delighted to see Gilbert take the win - now for la Doyenne