41st Amstel Gold Race - PT

Netherlands, April 16, 2006

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com

The face of Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) shows the pain of a hilltop finish after 253 kilometres in the saddle. After winning the race in 2004, the Italian finished sixth today.
Christophe Brandt (Davitamon-Lotto) finished in 38th place.
Bram Tankink (Quickstep-Innergetic) ended up in 56th place.
2006 Amstel winner Fränk Schleck (Team CSC) admires his trophy.
Jens Voigt (CSC ) congratulated his team-mate Fränk Schleck as soon as he crossed the line, 6'10 minutes after the Luxembourger claimed victory.
The podium - (L to R) Stefen Wesemann (T-Mobile, 2nd), Fränk Schleck (CSC, 1st) and Michael Boogerd (Rabobank, 3rd).
A show of hands all round for Amstel winner Fränk Schleck.
Everybody wanted a piece of the Schleckster in Valkenburg.
Fränk Schleck embraced by his partner.
We're going to have a HUGE night tonight, babe!
The man of the moment: Fränk Schleck.
Fränk Schleck hugs his papa.
The Eddy Merckx die-hard fan club. Members: 1
Fränk Schleck goes about the winner's business of answering questions at the post-race press conference.
"CSC is the best team in the world," said Schleck, "and we're not only team-mates, but we're great friends."

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Rain coats are still needed at the first passage of the Cauberg
Grey skies dominated the whole race
These cobbles again...
There were many spectators, despite the rain
The typical windmill and the breakaway riders Moreau, Thijs, Albasini and Schmitz
The early breakaway
The bunch, not actually driving the pace yet
A bird's view
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner)
Andrey Kashechkin (Liberty Seguros)
Filippo Pozzato (Quick.Step)
The break is falling apart
Moreau, not exactly having a good time
Rabobank controlled the field with all its men
Full steam ahead
The Rabo clan: Dekker, Freire, Boogerd, Dekker the younger
Watch it, buddy
It was a hard race on everyone, not only Liquigas
Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas)
Olympic champion Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step) closely watched by T-Mobile
Belgian champ Serge Baguet (Quick.Step) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre)
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) rode a brilliant race today
Out of the way!
Igor Astarloa (Barloworld) concentrates
Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step) is hurting
What a race! Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) in the finish
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) in the finish
Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), missed out again...
The chasers arrive: Kroon, Sinkewitz, Rebellin, Perdiguero
Bettini gets into the finish, a little disappointed
The winning way: Fränk Schleck (CSC) comes into the finish
A beautiful solo victory
Schleck (CSC) can't believe he's made it!
A happy winner of the 41st Amstel Gold Race
True sportsmanship by Boogerd
Schleck holds it up
The podium: Schleck (1st), Wesemann (2nd), Boogerd (3rd)
Fränk Schleck (CSC) with the Trophy
Congrats from Karsten Kroon
CSC has the spirit

Images by Elmar Krings

Fränk Schleck (CSC) celebrates
Dirty, but happy: Schleck can't believe it
Boogerd arrives in the finish
The podium, with Boogerd showing his feelings
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) and Alexandre Moos (Phonak) come into the finish
Il Grillo crosses the line
Boogerd has never been able to repeat his 1999 win
The crowd in front of the podium
The nest group came in: Dekker, Flecha (Both Rabobank) and Jaksche (Liberty)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) probably had other plans today
Ivanov (T-Mobile) rode a strong race - he must be disappointed
Karsten Kroon (CSC) did a perfect teammate's job today
These three were the strongest today
The podium, with Schleck grinning from ear to ear
Big hug from Bjarne Riis and Fränk Schleck
Sanchez (Euskaltel) managed to hold on to the best riders in Amstel
Here he comes!
Schleck savours the win
Yess!!
Jens Voigt congratulates his teammate
Wesemann almost made it come true for T-Mobile today

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Green Dutch countryside
300 m to go
The weather wasn't too nice today
Fränk Schleck's winning attack
Boogerd tries to hold on
Fist in air, Schleck cries out his victory

Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

Steffen Wesemann finished second on the Cauberg
Karsten Kroon (CSC) receives a kiss from his partner
Karsten Kroon (CSC) was very happy with his performance
Karsten Kroon (CSC) talking to Dutch television
Cap off for his team's performace - Bjarne Riis
Another T-Mobile rider in the top five, Patrik Sinkewitz
Belgian Björn Leukemans wasn't happy with his result
Jens Voigt (CSC) was happy with the team's performance
Erwin Thijs (Unibet) looking at what he pulled off today
Erwin Thijs can look back to a good performance
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) at the press conference
Frank Schleck (CSC) bored, or thinking back about his performance?
Frank Schleck talking to the press after the race

Images by Mani Wollner/www.foto-grafik-satz.de

The four leaders on top of the Epenerbaan-climb with 127km to go
The peloton was still more than eight minutes behind at Epenerbaan
After climbing the Hulsberg there were only three riders left at the top
With less than 100km to go in Huls some riders seemed to be still relaxed
Geez, that's tough! Riders fight for air in the wet, humid conditions
Some riders fighting hard not to lose contact in Huls
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) with one of his attacks at the Gulperberg at less than 30km to go
Steffen Wesenmann giving all he's got to give on the climb
Team Gerolsteiner following their German rival
Andrea Moletta (Gerolsteiner) leading his teammate Davide Rebellin
Franck Schleck (CSC) was attentive at the Gulperberg
Marten den Bakker (Milram) showing exactly what he thinks about the climb
Suffering behind the peloton
Just a few metres to go to the top
Go faster, Frank! Schleck gets a last shout with 100 meters to go
After four kilometres the group of the day was already gone
The peloton not enjoying the weather
In Sibbe there was a faithful copy of Eddy Merckx, waiting for the race to pass
The peloton passes the Merckx lookalike - now that's living art!
Racing was no fun once again today
Steffen Wesemann on his way to finishing second

Pre-race

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Anthony Tan/Cyclingnews.com

That was then - the scene yesterday in Maastricht - happy, smiling faces.
And this is now - the scene outside Maastricht's Town Hall half an hour before the start of the 2006 Amstel Gold.
Journalists and photographers patiently wait for the riders in dreary conditions.
Maastricht's Town Hall was the place to be - if you were a VIP.
A sea of umbrellas 10 minutes before the start in Maastricht's Grote Markt, but the riders just wouldn't come out of their team buses.
Moto drivers take shelter inside Maastricht's Town Hall before a very, very wet day.
The spread put on by the race organisers for journos, photographers and VIPs.
Michael Albasini (Liquigas) and Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile) lead the breakaway with Erwin Thijs (Unibet.com) on Albasini's wheel; initiating the early move was Frenchman Christophe Moreau (AG2R).
The breakaway rolling through the town of Vilt, a few kilometres after cresting the first of three ascensions of the Cauberg.
Flat, exposed plains also characterise the Amstel Gold, and with a moderate wind, echelons are sure to form later in the race.

Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

Eleven minutes later, Bram De Groot (Rabobank) leads the chase back in the peloton, with Erik Dekker on second wheel.
Erwin Thijs did most of the work on the Cauberg
Posthuma and Flecha doing the hard work on the Cauberg for Rabobank
The peloton crossing the finish line for the second time today, 80km to go
At the back it's hard
These guys were dropped on the Cauberg
Stéphane Goubert (AG2R) probably wished he was back in France
Christophe Moreau was dropped from the leading group and is ready to abandon from the race

Images by Brian O'Connor

Chris Horner (Davitamon-Lotto)
Phonak's BMC bikes trying to stay dry.
CSC's Cervelos propped up against the bus
The peloton passing through Beek, behind Moreau
Horner's bike under a bus shelter to keep it dry

Images by Elmar Krings

It was a mess at the sign on
Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) rarely finishes off the podium
Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) has a laugh with Karsten Kroon
Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step) is definitely a threat
Erik Dekker (Rabobank) focused
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) smiling as usual
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) will be one of Rabobank's main men
Jorg Jaksche (Liberty) tends to do OK in Amstel
Karsten Kroon (CSC) is a good bet today
Christophe Moreau (AG2R) at the start
Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile) at the start
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) a good bet for a Spanish win
Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) is an alternative leader
Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) looking forward to it
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) grins at the start
Umbrella city in Maastricht
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) is one of the favourites
Jens Voigt (CSC) imposing
Ready for the start in the Grote Markt
Schmitz leads the break on the Raarberg
Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile) leads Christophe Moreau in the break
The peloton climbs the Raarberg early in the race
The pack on the Raarberg
Thomas Dekker (Rabobank, R) towards the back on the Raarberg
Lampre and Barloworld on the front
The peloton head off into the mist