As with all of the Ardennes Classics, today's course is up and down, with a tough climb just before the finish.

5 riders in the break today.


Christian Torres fell with 146km remaining, just before a split. He was able to hang around the back.


The first attack came from Ulissi with 40km to go. All of the main riders followed, but most of our riders were behind at this point.


Virgilijus and me followed the upper group of favourites.


We were just about to join them as even more attacks came raining down. 20km to go at this point.


Unfortunately we were dropped with 15km to go. I was dead.


Grazhys actually got back with 8km left, but he was empty as well, as the attacks continued to come thick and fast.


The win eventually goes to Westra of Belkin. A pretty surprising result.


Virgilijus came home in 11th.



Then I followed shortly after in 13th despite my best efforts.

So that's my first Amstel Gold Race done. Not too bad, with a decent result, but it could've been more.

1 year ago I was able to burst onto the scene here. I finished in second place, just centimetres from victory. Hopefully I can repeat my performance on a similar course.

Just a break of Van de Walle and Keukeleire today.


With 31.5km to go, the first attacks come. Rolland leads them out and is followed by Betancur and Martin.


This was the time to react. Virgilijus managed to catch them, but the peloton followed straight after. The break had already been brought back.


Darwin and I got a taste of the 17% gradient slope which would lead into the finish. I needed to have most of my energy for that for sure.


Then with 12km left Betancur and Gilbert attacked. It would be hard to bring them back.


When pacing didn't work, we decided to attack. Unfortunately John didn't really accelerate.


With 6km left I was solo in 6th, but in good shape. I had hopes of catching the pair in front of me.


But it was I who would be caught. I did manage to reel in Martin, but so did the bunch.


Betancur won it in a sprint.


I managed to take a decent 14th.

So, I was unable to repeat my success from last year, but in my opinion it was a good performance. Just L-B-L now, hopefully I can avoid last year's troubles on the narrow roads.

Last year we struggled here, but now we have a much better team and are aware of the dangers of this course. It is also my first time racing with Thibaut Pinot. Let's do this.

6 riders break today.


It was absent for a while, but the curse returned. Virgilijus fell with 77.5km, but he also took Francesco Ginanni with him. Of course Omega put men back to help, so our man was able to save his energy.


As the weather improved, so did the racing. With 39km to go there was a split on the steep and narrow roads. Fortunately we'd learned from last year, and still had myself, Grazhys, Pinot and Rodriguez in the front.


33km out Martin and Betancur attacked. Virgilijus and I started pacing.


They were caught with 25.5km to go. My friend and I were still in the lead group of 13, while Pinot and Michael had been dropped.


There was a big attack 19km out. We tried to stick with them, but it was too difficult.


However, I went in Virgilijus' wheel, and we went on in persuit. We caught the group 15.5km out. I was chasing Betancur with Vanendert, Ginanni, Martin and Kiserlovski. Virgilijus was dead after helping me.


Eventually the group was whittled down to just me, Vanendert, Ginanni and Martin. When we had 7.6km left, Betancur had 33" and Kiserlovski was 13" behind.


5km out I decided to go. The others were better hill climbers than me, so I decided to beat them the old fashioned way.


3km left and I could do this. I still had the energy.


Under the flamme rouge I actually got close to Betancur. Just one problem though, with all the flat-land I had kind of forgotten there was a bit of a hill at the end. I was empty, but I still had enough of a gap to be able to stay in second.


Betancur of course took the win, while me, Martin had started a menacing sprint.


The good thing was that he had left it a bit late. I thought I was safe, and started to push through the pain into the last few hundred metres.


And I held him off quite easily in the end. 2nd place for me!


Virgilijus also managed a nice 13th, and Pinot finished in 32nd to give us the team award.



Great day today. I took a 2nd place in the hardest of the Ardennes classics, and I am absolutely over the moon. I have a couple of interviews soon, so see you later!

This stage will be the most important for the GC. We have a strong team here to support me, so hopefully I can come away with a good result.

Dalivier tried going in the break to compete for the millions of mountain points at stake, but Lopez Garcia managed to drop him and Mugerli to go solo for the stage.


The first attack came from Castroviejo, and he was followed by Taaramae and Ion Izagirre with 63.5km to go. It was a bit early, so we only sent Dennis up.


And surely enough the group was caught, but with 50km left Rohan was caught out while getting water. Jarlinson, Robinson, Alec and myself were still in the favourites' group of 12.


Unfortunately I was out of luck as all 3 of my companions were dropped with 40km still to ride


Once we went up a hard slope, I decided to put up a hard pace. You can just see Jarlinson at the back there, while Robinson was just one place in front of him.


Eventually most of the other riders cracked. I was in a group of 4 with Castroviejo, Izagirre and Busche. With an individual time-trial on the final stage 3, I had to be very weary of Castroviejo. Robinson was in the group behind meanwhile.


We caught Lopez 13km out. I tried to make a move.


I made it over the climb first with Izagirre. My main objective was now to gain as much time as possible over Castroviejo.


Of course the stage win soon became my priority. Ion tried an attack 6km out, but I decided not to follow.


Fortunately my skill on the downhill was too good, and I caught up in no time. With 3km left, it was a true game of cat and mouse. Of course no-one wanted to lead out the sprint, and with Castroviejo 1'20 behind, we were both thinking of the stage win and the stage win only.


And I got him to lead out the sprint. I was confident at this point: I still had energy, and I had him leading me out.


I decided to go with 800m left.


And I could raise my arms in another victory! I was in Yellow, and I had a sprinters' stage to relax and prepare for the final time trial.


YEEEEESSSS! 2nd in Liege, and now a victory here in Poland.


Robinson was also able to finish in 8th. Lovely work.






And on the front page of Cyclingnews as well!

A more flat stage, but still rather bumpy. Alec may have a great chance today, no time gaps though.

Pomoshnikov, Zielinski, Mugerli and Wackermann went in the break.


I decided to put up a high pace on the last climb, with 19km left.


Jarlinson went to lead out Alec. We didn't have anyone else who Sean wanted to contribute to the cause.


Jarlinson put in a great pull - as usual - and caught Zielinski to wrap up the break. He also managed to get a great gap.


Unfortunately our lack of numbers seemed to handicap us. Jarlinson couldn't go full power, but still put in a decent leadout.


With 600m to go it looked like it was Alec vs Caleb Ewan of UHC. Lasca was also coming fast though.


And it looked like we'd have our 2nd stage win as many days. Alec put in a great late burst of speed, but so did Lasca. Really close with 300m left.


And the Spaniard took the win! Still, a decent result for us, and also a good one for rookie Diluca. Fellow neo-pro Max Assif - who looks to follow in the path of Virgilijus Grazhys - finished 3rd. Lasca really is becoming one of this team's main enemies.


I also managed to finish 9th. Not bad at all. 4 in the Top 10 today, so a great outing.


And another day in Yellow! I'm a much better time-trialist than Izagirre, but Castroviejo is really good. I'll have to stay within 1'23 of him tomorrow.

Here we go, the last day. I've been in Yellow, now to keep it...

Rohan was really good for us. He smashed the leading times at both checkpoints.


And eventually he finished in a provisional 1st by 1'01.


And then off I went. A pretty much flat 25km awaited me. This would be a great win to hold on to just before the Tour de France.


I crossed the 1st check at a wonderful 4th. I was just 13" behind Castroviejo, and Izagirre was way behind.


At the 2nd check, he had 55" on me. He needed 1'23 to win the GC.


So, through he came. The Spanish Champion beat Rohan by 5 seconds. It was up to me to finish off strong.


And in I came; behind by...

1'06! I came 7th on the stage, and that was enough for the GC win! Now, I just have to travel to Argovie and then it's off to the Tour. This form is looking good!