Kwiatkowski Win Amstel Gold Race

20 April 2015 11:23

Michal Kwiatkowski of Etixx Quick Step showed why he is the world champion by winning the 50th Amstel Gold Race.

The start of the Ardennes Classics and its the only UCI World Tour one day race in the Netherlands.

This 258 kilometre race with its start in Maastrict and its finish in Valkenburg, saw Laurens De Vreese (Astana), Jan Polanc (Lampre), Timo Roosen (LottoNL-Jumbo), Linus Gerdemann (Cult Energy), Johann Van Zyl (MTN-Qhubeka) and Mike Terpstra (Team Roompot) get in to a break shortly after the third climb with forty kilometres gone.

The peloton had let this group get ten minutes clear by the time they had reached the feedzone but it was down to 6.54 back with 147kms to go on a sunny day.

With 107kms left and three climbs of the Cauberg remaining, the six out front had a lead of 7.07.

The crowds were massive on the Cauberg as the escapers went up this 7% climb with a lead of 6.11 and 91kms left in a rae which was without Leuwe Westra who had crashed.

As the gap dropped to 1.44 with 55kms left and then under a minute, as the escapers went up the 15.5% Gulpenerberg climb.

Roy Curvers of Giant Alpecin was involved in a heated exchange with Reynes at a pinch point.

The Gulpenerberg forced a split in the lead group and Gerdemman, Polanc and De Vreese broke away. However, they were caught with 37 kilometres left by first Simon Clarke and David Tanner and then a group which contained Tony Martin of Etixx Quick Step, Alex Howes of Cannondale-Garmin and Vincenzo Nibali of Astana.

They have a lead of 32 seconds with 23 kilometres left and two climbs of the Cauberg to go.

Onto the Cauberg and BMC were leading a peloton which was eighteen seconds clear of Martin, Nibalia, Tanner and Clarke.

With fourteen kilometres to go and Nibali not happy being in the break, Simon Clarke of Orica GreenEdge went up the road as Tony Martin and Nibali shook their heads.

Into Maastricht with 12 kilometres left and Clarke was thirteen seconds clear.

Fuglsang of Astana and Greg Van Avermaet attacked and stormed past Clarke.

With four kilometres to go, the peloton passed them with a Tinkoff Saxo rider on the front before Orica GreenEdge came to the fore with three riders on the front.

On to the Cauberg and Philippe Gilbert of BMC attacked followed by Matthews with Alejandro Valverde just behind.

They were brought back befofe the flam rought. Jakub Fuglsang attacked before BMC led a group out which also contained Dan Martin.

Greg Van Avermaet and Michael Matthews started the sprint but they were not watching world champion Michal Kwiatkowski who came down to the middle to win ahead of Valverde, Matthews, Costa, Gallopin, Van Avermaet, Alaphilippe, Gasparotto, Paterski and Gilbert.

Source: DSG