Yeah.

I'm back (for Marco: de Appie in de Corridor). But have to make the report, it will take some time...
En about the surprise: Sagan is out of form, and a daily form of -5, so no. Stay tuned, in about 2 hours, the report will be posted!

BTW: 198!

Almost 200 pages!

The world will end when this reaches 200 pages

Wait for a little longer. Watching live cyclocross at the moment, in extreme muddy conditions. Fun to watch

The first of the 3 Ardennes classics is the Amstel Gold Race, the only Dutch World Tour-classic. It's the 49th edition of this relatively young classic, with Dutch Jan Raas being the record winner with 5 wins.
Last year, Katusha's Joaquím Rodríguez won the uphill sprint at the Cauberg, beating Roman Kreuziger and the winner of 2012 Philippe Gilbert.




The start of the Amstel Gold Race is in Maastricht, the capitol of the province Limburg. 257 kilometres later, featuring 32 classified hills, most of them short and steep, and a numerous amount of corners, the finish awaits at the Cauberg in Valkenburg.










*** Philippe Gilbert (Dexia), Roman Kreuziger (Movistar), Andy Schleck (Sky).
** Damiano Cunego (Radio Shack), Joaquím Rodríguez (Katusha), Fränk Schleck (Omega Pharma).
* Ben Hermans (Astana), Alejandro Valverde (Dexia), Jelle Vanendert.


Vanendert isn't in his best form yet, so a top 3 will be very difficult. And with a exceptional strong start field, we must be happy with a top 10.

Knew it. Bernard is going to do somethig.

He's got the form for it!

A nice squad you are sending to the Amstel Gold

It's bad weather in the South of the Netherlands today, with lots of showers. This doesn't stop 14 riders in setting up the BOTD. It's a pretty strong good with some very decent hilly riders as Danilo Di Luca (Acqua et Sapone, hills 72), Juan José Cobo (Dexia, 79), Matthias Frank (Red Bull, 76), Robert Kiserlovski (Astana, 77) and the 2 Dutch oldies Karsten Kroon (Rabobank) and Bram Tankink (M&M's). They have a margin of 3'30 to the peloton.



2 riders try to bridge the gap to the 14 leaders, and also these 2 are strong hilly riders. Daniel Moreno (Euskaltel, 78) and Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma, 76) quickly create a gap to the peloton.



The hope of the (Dutch) Limburg-cycling fans can be flushed through the toilet. Their provincial hero Wout Poels, who showed a great form in the Vuelta al País Vasco winning 1 stage, crashes in a descend. He can continue the race, but will finish at more than 15 minutes.



Since the leading group is becoming too strong and big, the domestiques of Radio Shack and Sky increase the pace of the peloton. Consequently, the BOTD gets caught, and at the Vrakelberg, the peloton breaks into 2 groups. The 2nd group, including favourites as Philippe Gilbert, Ben Hermans, Thomas De Gendt, Alejandro Valverde, Simon Gerrans and unfortunately, our 2 leaders Peter Sagan and Jelle Vanendert, have to chase the leading group of 30 (including Rob Ruijgh and Gregory Bernard) to close the gap of 1'03.



It takes the 2nd group 30 kilometres to close the 1-minute gap. In the streets of Maastricht, the 2 groups emerge again, and Vanendert immediately moves to the front of the group, not wanting to get surprised again.



The peloton comes to rest in the following 27 kilometres. Damiano Cunego opens the attacks of the favourites whle ascending the Loorberg. Sky's Andy Schleck is the first one to counter.



Andy Schleck joins Cunego and the 2 create a maximum margin of 35 seconds. This is the sign for the other favourites to react, as teh gap is getting to large. Philippe Gilbert attacks at the summit of the Gulperberg, followed by Joaquím Rodríguez, Fränk Schleck, Thomas Voeckler and Thomas De Gendt. We decide to wait, as it is still pretty early and Vanendert hasn't got the legs to counter. He is only joined by the young Luxemburg rider Gregory Bernard, as Peter Sagan has been dropped already.



Cunego and A. Schleck get caught, and the next one to try it is the 2012-winner Philippe Gilbert (Hi 85). At the Kruisberg, he tries to create a gap to De Gendt (80), A. Schleck (83), Cunego (81), Cancellara (78), Rodríguez (81), Voeckler (76) and F. Schleck (81). A 2nd group with LL Sánchez (76), Scarponi (78) and Hermasn (80) follows at '36 and a 3rd group with Vanendert (80), Kreuziger (82), Valverde (80) and Bernard (81) at 1'04.



The next hill is the Eyserbosweg. Gilbert has been caught again and at the same spot were Michael Boogerd used to attack in his glory days, Damiano Cunego attacks, again.



Also Cunego isn't able to create a margin, so a group of 9 arrives at the foot of the steepest climb in the Netherlands, the Keutenberg, with a maximum gradient of 22%.
In the steepest part of the climb, Gilbert attacks again, this time countered by Andy Schleck. Cunego, De Gendt, Voeckler, F. Schleck, Cancellara, Kreuziger and Rodríguez follow at '24. Simon Gerrans tries to bridge the gap solo and follows at '41, and the chasing peloton, with Gregory Bernard still in it, at 1'00.



After the Keutenberg, the current situation can be summarized as follows: Gilbert and A. Schleck are leading the race, followed by Cunego and Kreuziger at '11, and F. Schleck and Rodríguez at '29. The peloton is closing the gap a bit and follows at '50.



The 3 duo's in the lead join each other and the pace drops before the descend to Valkenburg. Consequently, not only Voeckler can bridge the gap, but also the chasing group of 13 is doing it. Gregory Bernard is moving to one of the first positions of that group.



The chasing group of 13 joins the leading group in the descend. At the foot of the Cauberg, the sprint for the win can begin. I shout at Bernard that he has to move to the fornt of the group, and luckily he has got the energy left to do it. Cunego starts the final kilometre in leading position, with Bernard in 6th.



After having attacked twice, Cunego shows that he is the best rider today and is dropping his opponents in the sprint. Rodríguez is in 2nd and A. Schleck and Gilbert in 3rd and 4th. Bernard has gained one position, having passed Voeckler, and can achieve a top 5 in the AGR!



But nobody can dispute the win of Damiano Cunego, the 3rd (2008 and 2011) of the little prince in the Amstel Gold Race. What a great ride!


At '21, Rodríguez finishes in 2nd, beating Gilbert and Andy Schleck. And at '34, Gregory Bernard is the surprise of the day, finishing in 5th place!!

1	Damiano Cunego	Radio Shack - Nissan	6h23'31
2	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	+ 21
3	Philippe Gilbert	Dexia	s.t.
4	Andy Schleck	Sky ProCycling	s.t.
5	Gregory Bernard	Petronas - Monster Energy	+ 34
6	Thomas Voeckler	Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
7	Roman Kreuziger	Movistar Team	s.t.
8	Fränk Schleck	Omega Pharma - Quick·Step	s.t.
9	Jérémy Roy	Garmin - Barracuda	+ 54
10	Michele Scarponi	Saxo Bank SunGard	s.t.

First of all, all credits o Cunego as he was the strongest today. But what Gregory Bernard managed to achieve, was unbelievable. He stayed calm when the favourites kept on attacking and jumped from group to group, resulting in the 5th place at the age of 24.... Amazing!

Nice to see Bernard grab a fifth place finish

I need to play the lottery this week, cause I knew it.

WOOO!!! Bernard!!!

How did you know that?

Anyway, brilliant result for him!

Bernard is that good.

I'm really surprised about Bernard, as he has developed astonisching. He has now Hill 81 and Stamina 82. And not forget he had a daily form of -2 !! Think I'm gonna enjoy him in the rest of his career.

Write a story just about Bernard

Bernard, that's a surprise. Didn't see that one coming

Next stop, 3 days after the Amstel Gold Race, is the 78th edition of the Flèche Wallonne. This 200km race is organized in the Western part of the Ardennes, with start in the city of Namur and the finish at the summit of the Mur de Huy in Huy.
Last year, a 3-men breakaway surprised the peloton, with Enrico Gasparotto being the winner.




201 kilometres and 10 categorized climbs. The finish awaits after the 3rd ascend of the Mur de Huy, 1.3km at 9.8% with a max gradient of 18%.










*** Damiano Cunego (Radio Shack), Philippe Gilbert (Dexia), Andy Schleck (Sky).
** Roman Kreuziger (Movistar), Joaquím Rodríguez (Katusha), Fränk Schleck (Omega Pharma).
* Gregory Bernard, Simon Gerrans (Dexia), Ben Hermans (Astana).


Just as 3 days earlier, Bernard is the one that should bring us the succes. However, we can't expect anything from such a young rider. So a top 10?

Lets hope that Bernard can put in another good performance