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Amstel Gold Race Discussion
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 03-08-2015 15:38
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 Amstel Gold Race
At last the Ardennes arrive. A bit later than usual we start the yearly gathering of one-day events in the Benelux region. To kick it off we go to the Netherlands for the Amstel Gold Race.
The Cauberg, the final hill of the course, is the typical decider where the candidates usually lay down their bids for victory. The list of past winners is a tribute to that fact:
| 2007 | | Filippo Pozzato (AG2R) | | 2008 | | Samuel Sanchez (Discovery) | | 2009 | | Michael Boogerd (Phillips - Hummel) | | 2010 | | Frank Schleck (Accumalux - Huez) | | 2011 |  | Edvald Boasson Hagen (B&O) | | 2012 |  | Philippe Gilbert (Pendelton's Twicer) | | 2013 |  | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Aker - MOT) | | 2014 |  | Yuri Trofimov (Tinkoff) |
This year is no different with the best hilly riders of the MG peloton around to contest for the first race of the Ardennes week.
| Team | First name | Last name | HIL | STA | RES |  | Edvald | Boasson Hagen | 85 | 81 | 74 |  | Jan | Bakelants | 84 | 81 | 78 |  | Yuri | Trofimov | 83 | 80 | 78 |  | Dimitri | Claeys | 83 | 74 | 68 |  | Francesco | Ginanni | 83 | 78 | 78 |  | Simon | Spilak | 82 | 80 | 81 |  | Simone | Ponzi | 82 | 77 | 72 |  | Tejay | Van Garderen | 82 | 78 | 75 |  | Chris | Froome | 82 | 77 | 73 |  | Ben | Gastauer | 82 | 78 | 70 |  | Toms | Skujins | 82 | 80 | 77 | | Aleksandar | Flügel | 81 | 79 | 67 |  | Maurice | Schreurs | 81 | 76 | 72 |  | Stefan | Schumacher | 81 | 78 | 73 |  | Robin | van der Hugenhaben | 80 | 77 | 76 |  | Diego | Ulissi | 80 | 83 | 71 |  | Jack | Bobridge | 80 | 74 | 74 |  | Cyril | Gautier | 80 | 76 | 72 | | Riccardo | Ricco | 80 | 80 | 81 |  | Tommy | Zaini | 80 | 74 | 65 | | Nicolas | Roche | 80 | 78 | 75 | | Frank | Schleck | 80 | 76 | 75 |  | Carlos | Betancourt | 79 | 72 | 71 |  | Philippe | Gilbert | 79 | 79 | 75 | | Sergio | Barrio | 79 | 69 | 63 | | Pello | Bilbao | 79 | 77 | 71 | | Mohamed Shawal | Anuar Aziz | 79 | 76 | 72 | | Andrea | Palini | 78 | 75 | 68 | | Damiano | Caruso | 78 | 76 | 71 | | Tomohiro | Kinoshita | 78 | 78 | 76 |  | Peter | Sagan | 78 | 78 | 74 |  | Jelle | Vanendert | 78 | 77 | 74 |  | Sean | De Bie | 78 | 75 | 75 | | Vincenzo | Nibali | 77 | 78 | 77 | | Jakub | Kratochvila | 77 | 70 | 68 | | Michael | Van Stayen | 76 | 76 | 71 | | Francisco | Ventoso | 75 | 76 | 71 |  | Mikhail | Ignatiev | 75 | 81 | 74 |
EBH and Trofimov are the cronic candidates to every hilly event and the Amstel is no different. The norwegian is looking for a memorable hattrick here in the Netherlands, while the russian will try to equal the no. of victories of his rival. Bakelants and Claeys are belgium's best options for victory, as former winner Gilbert enters this race as more of an outsider. Other than these we have lots of suitable candidates in Ginnani, Spilak, Gastauer or Van Garderen who could all be great entertainers here.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 03-08-2015 15:46
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Top 30 here we come.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 03-08-2015 15:55
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+ 1
Really can't expect too much from Bobridge after his non-showing in Badaling. I doubt he will join the crucial moves, so I'm hoping for him to be in the first bigger group when it goes up the Cauberg.
A breakaway appearance should be the first main goal. Phelan, Khederi or Burghardt would be cool to see there.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:07
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Top 10 the target, somewhere around that will do. Trofimov to continue his dominance.
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| Smowz |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:14
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Skidpants for a top ten would be good , a top five fantastic.
Odd year points to Hagen win, anything less is a waste. Interesting to see how giro fail Ricco and Cali fail Spilak combine.
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:17
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Since the top 30 seems quite crowded I will just ask for a top 50 and be in the BA.
Let's show our colors!
In my opinion, Bakelants FTW.
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| OlegTinkov |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:38
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Yes, Bakelants deserves to be on that winners list.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 03:23
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| Kami |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:42
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Hoping Ulissi can top 10, but he could just aswell end top 30. Very competitive field. Hoping we will atleast see a good exciting race instead of a big group finishing togheter (although that would favor Ulissi).
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:57
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More strength in depth will hopefully get a fair points haul in the Ardennes. Or a weird AI breakaway could give us the win! EBH vs Bakelants vs Trofimov is interesting.
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| ember |
Posted on 03-08-2015 17:51
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Right, our most important part of the season is here. The win is obviously the goal, especially as Amstel Gold Race should be the race best suited to Boasson Hagen as well, purely looking at the stats, of the three Ardennes classics, but we shall see.
Fingers crossed he won't repeat Badaling and is actually up for it this week, as it's three crucial races for our season, considering both team goals and ranking points.
Thanks for the preview, Gustavovskiy, looking forward to the race! |
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| Heine |
Posted on 03-08-2015 18:28
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Gogo Claeys and Flügel!
Trofimov to win this, like I always guess with hilly classics...
I hope for an interesting race, hopefully we will see the favorites attack, attack and attack each other a bit more. The best scenario for me would be if Flügel attacks mid-stage and then Claeys trying to follow when the best riders go. Since that is best case it would never happen though
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| Bushwackers |
Posted on 03-08-2015 19:29
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I'm calling Trofimov for the win. Schumacher needs to to overperform. Nice preview, can't wait!
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| Crommy |
Posted on 03-08-2015 22:37
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Can't help but feel this Ardennes campaign is either going to be really, really good, or really, really bad
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 04-08-2015 06:49
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We are going here without a pressure after a good Giro and in front of our other big GT goals. Igantiev as our best hilly guy should be ready for some later powerful attack and try to escape from the better puncheurs, lets see how the race will pan out. Someone like Tanovitchii or Brataschcuk in the early break would be cool too. Top 30 is the goal. 
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:27
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Solid (invisible) 14th place for Bobridge. Couldn't expect him to join the attacks, so I'm pleased to see him just pacing towards a Top-15. Others did worse afterall.
Sagan though True overperformer, Roman seriously must love him.
Ponzi is just great in classics. Congrats, rjc!
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:30
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Grand Tour Champion
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Tsatevich 24th > TVG 26th.
Really PCM? There is something really wrong with that... 
Nonetheless, thanks for the report. 
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| roturn |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:31
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Becherovka beating Tinkoff and Aker. Who did see that one coming?
At least Vesuvio is challenging them with a strong Gastauer today.
Spilak`s training seems to work for Festina, while Ponzi was just the strongest today.
Disappointing result for Pokerstars and Quickstep in especially with their riders, while Orange got some nice surprise by Vichot here. |
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| beagle |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:32
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Back in old line. Ginanni and Roche hugely underperformed, while riders like Sagan overperforming again and again.
Thanks Gusta for report and congrats to today´s lottery winners.
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:35
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Some real surprising results there with plenty of overperformances (Sagan ... again!, Vichot, etc) and underperformances (TJVG etc).
3rd is fantastic for Gastauer, certainly amongst those higher than expected results!
Thanks Gustav for the report.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 04-08-2015 15:40
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I called it!
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