Italian Enrico Gasparotto has won an exciting Amstel Gold Race using his sprint to get to the line ahead of Jelle Vanendert and Peter Sagan.
PHOTO ALBUM (by Thomas van Bracht)
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Enrico Gasparotto won Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race in Valkenburg (Netherlands). Astana’s Italian rider won the small sprint for the finish from Jelle vanendert (Lotto Belisol team) and Peter Sagan (Liquigas- Cannondale). Only about 200 metres before the finish, they caught Oscar Freire. After about 50 kilometres, nine riders broke away from the bunch. The breakaway consisted of the following riders: Belgians Steven Caethoven, Sébastien Delfosse and Eliot Lietaer, Frenchmen Romain Bardet and Cédric Pineau, the American Alex Howes, the Italian Simone Stortoni and Spanish rider Pello Bilbao.
They stayed away for a long time, at one moment they even had a 13 minute lead over the peloton, but when the bunch started to turned the gas on, their advantage diminished fast. The favorites kept quiet for a long time but in the last ten kilometres, Freire made his move. Gilbert also had a go at the beginning of the Cauberg but it was not strong enough to carry him clear of his rivals for the wins.
Freire caught 100 metres from a sensational victory
Had the race been a hundred metres or less, we would be talking about the great win of “Amstel Gold Race” by Oscar Freire.
The former world Champion (x 3) Spanish rider surprised all his rivals attacking with seven kilometres to go, opening up a gap of 15 seconds over the first chasing group. But in the end the up hill finish got the better of him, the Cauberg: First Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) launched his counter-attack, with no luck; then Philippe Gilbert (BMC) opened up his sprint early to try and close the gap, pulling the first chase group up to Freire before giving up.
In the end, three riders were able to pass Freire in the last 100 metres: Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) the winner, followed by Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Belisol) and Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale). Freire: “It’s a pity. In the end I thought I could win but they passed me with just 100 metres to go. I felt I was in shape, so I did a good action but it wasn’t enough. The last climb was too hard and my legs were not at their best after this long race and my solo attack with several climbs and a strong headwind.”
“Anyway, I think I followed the right strategy because it was very difficult to control the race: moreover, when you feel in a good condition, you need to try these kind of moves.â€
Results
1 Enrico Gasparotto Astana Pro Team 06:32:35
2 Jelle Vanendert Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
3 Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale 00:02
4 Oscar Gomez Freire Katusha Team @ same time
5 Thomas Voeckler Europcar @ same time
6 Philippe Gilbert BMC Racing Team @ same time
7 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
8 Fabian Wegmann Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:04
9 Rinaldo Nocentini Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
10 Bauke Mollema Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
11 Maxim Iglinskiy Astana Pro Team @ same time
12 Frank Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
13 Elia Favilli Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
14 Dries Devenyns Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:09
15 Ryder Hesjedal Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
16 Nicki Sørensen Team Saxo Bank 00:12
17 Daniel Moreno Fernandéz Katusha Team @ same time
18 Thomas Dekker Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
19 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa Movistar Team @ same time
20 Simon Gerrans GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:19
21 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya Sky Procycling @ same time
22 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte Movistar Team 00:22
23 Karsten Kroon Team Saxo Bank @ same time
24 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ same time
25 Romain Bardet Ag2R – La Mondiale 00:30
26 Giovanni Visconti Movistar Team 00:36
27 Vasil Kiryienka Movistar Team @ same time
28 Niki Terpstra Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
29 Robert Kiserlovski Astana Pro Team @ same time
30 Alex Howes Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:47
31 Damiano Cunego Lampre – ISD 00:51
32 Mickael Cherel Ag2R – La Mondiale 01:05
33 Paul Martens Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
34 Chris Anker Sorensen Team Saxo Bank @ same time
35 Daniele Pietropolli Lampre – ISD @ same time
36 Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team @ same time
37 Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
38 Johnny Hoogerland Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team 01:17
39 Gianni Meersman Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
40 Thomas Löfkvist Sky Procycling @ same time
41 Arthur Vichot Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 01:30
42 Vincent Jerome Europcar @ same time
43 Pieter Serry Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 02:03
44 Simon Geschke Argos-Shimano @ same time
45 Davy Commeijne Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
46 Tom Dumoulin Argos-Shimano @ same time
47 Laurens De Vreese Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
48 Eduard Vorganov Katusha Team @ same time
49 Kevin Reza Europcar @ same time
50 Benoit Vaugrenard Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
51 Pieter Jacobs Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
52 Robert Gesink Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
53 Kevin De Weert Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
54 Esteban Martinez @ same time
55 Matteo Carrara Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
56 Dirk Bellemakers Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
57 Manuele Mori Lampre – ISD @ same time
58 Anthony Roux Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
59 Steven Kruijswijk Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
60 Michel Kreder Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
61 Rob Ruijgh Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
62 Edvald Boasson Hagen Sky Procycling @ same time
63 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil Movistar Team 02:21
64 Romain Sicard Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
65 Geoffrey Soupe Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
66 Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
67 Francesco Gavazzi Astana Pro Team @ same time
68 Evgeni Petrov Astana Pro Team @ same time
69 Gorka Izagirre Insausti Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
70 Ben Hermans RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
71 J̩rome Pineau Omega Pharma РQuickstep @ same time
72 Federico Canuti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
73 Maciej Paterski Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
74 Maxime Monfort RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
75 Daniel Martin Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
76 David Tanner Team Saxo Bank @ same time
77 Pablo Lastras Garcia Movistar Team @ same time
78 Andriy Grivko Astana Pro Team @ same time
79 Mauro Santambrogio BMC Racing Team 02:40
80 Marco Marcato Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team 02:51
81 Sander Armee Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 03:01
82 Chris Horner RadioShack – Nissan 03:19
83 Angel Ruiz Madrazo Movistar Team 03:43
84 Arnaud Gerard Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 04:32
85 Martin Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
86 Bruno Manuel Silva Pires Team Saxo Bank 04:46
87 Michael Albasini GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
88 Imanol Erviti Ollo Movistar Team @ same time
89 Bert De Waele Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
90 Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
91 Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan 05:39
92 Dennis Vanendert Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
93 Francis De Greef Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
94 Angelo Tulik Europcar @ same time
95 Jurgen Van Goolen Accent.jobs – Willems Veranda’s @ same time
96 Lars Boom Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
97 Johannes Frohlinger Argos-Shimano @ same time
98 Ben Gastauer Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
99 Christopher Juul-jensen Team Saxo Bank @ same time
100 Julien Berard Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
101 Troels Ronning Vinther Team Saxo Bank @ same time
102 Dominik Nerz Liquigas – Cannondale 07:00
103 Alessandro Spezialetti Lampre – ISD @ same time
104 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
105 Leonardo Bertagnolli Lampre – ISD @ same time
106 Xabier Zandio Echaide Sky Procycling @ same time
107 Yann Huguet Argos-Shimano @ same time
108 Mathew Hayman Sky Procycling @ same time
109 Luca Paolini Katusha Team @ same time
110 Simone Ponzi Astana Pro Team 07:33
111 Bjorn Thurau Europcar @ same time
112 Pim Ligthart Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team 08:02
113 Bert-jan Lindeman Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
114 Jelle Wallays Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
115 Reinier Honig Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
116 Xavier Florencio Katusha Team @ same time
117 Matthieu Sprick Argos-Shimano @ same time
118 Jan Bakelants RadioShack – Nissan 11:26
119 Jurgen Van Den Broeck Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
120 Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
121 Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
122 Eliot Lietaer Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
123 Damiano Caruso Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
124 Daniele Ratto Liquigas – Cannondale 11:31
125 C̩dric Pineau Equipe Cycliste FDJ РBigMat @ same time
126 Giovanni Bernaudeau Europcar @ same time
127 Matteo Rabottini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
128 Christophe Riblon Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
129 Wesley Sulzberger GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
130 Lieuwe Westra Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
131 Daryl Impey GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
132 Bram Tankink Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
133 Mads Christensen Team Saxo Bank @ same time
134 Steven Caethoven Accent.jobs – Willems Veranda’s @ same time
135 Simon Clarke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
136 Oleg Chuzhda Accent.jobs – Willems Veranda’s @ same time
137 Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armienta Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
138 Sebastien Delfosse Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
139 Borut Bozic Astana Pro Team @ same time
140 Yukihiro Doi Argos-Shimano @ same time
141 Simone Stortoni Lampre – ISD @ same time
142 Steve Chainel Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
143 Raymond Kreder Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
144 Brian Bulgac Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
145 Marco Bandiera Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
