42nd Amstel Gold Race - PT

Netherlands, April 22, 2007

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Elmar Krings

Images by Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews.com

T-Mobile's Michael Rogers said he was hoping for a good showing today
If he can stay in contact on the climbs, Oscar Freire should be up there. Don't forget, he won two world championships on the tough Verona circuit...
Local hero Michael Boogerd is somewhere in this media scrum
Last year's winner Fränk Schleck
Boogerd is riding his last Amstel. He won the race in 1999 and after a succession of second and third places since then, would love to triumph here and go out on top.
CSC's ever-aggressive Jens Voigt said he'd try to sniff out a good move today.
He is signing an autograph for a young fan here. "Hey, I think I already signed this a few minutes ago," he joked.
Many amateur riders were out, seeing the course first-hand.
Leonardo Duque (Cofidis) (l)
Duque is pictured on the day's third climb, the Lange Raarberg.
Discovery Channel's Vladimir Gusev and world champion Paolo Bettini.
Young Dutch hope Thomas Dekker. His countrymen will be hoping he can take over from Boogerd.
AG2R's Yury Krivtsov drives it on the climb
Spanish classic specialist Juan Antonio Flecha is here, one week after finishing second in Paris-Roubaix. Very few riders do both races due to the hugely different parcours.
Voigt, looking to sniff out that good break
Voigt: 'I'd like to arrive alone at the finish line,' he said.

Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com

Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) (l) helps make the selection with Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile).
Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen) leads the early escape.
The early escape.
Johan Van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto)
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) leads Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) in for 2nd and 3rd.
An exhausting effort by Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner).
German Schumi wins the 42nd Amstel.
Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) wins.
The podium (l-r) Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) and Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).
Carlos Barredo with one to go
The crowds cheer the breakaway on the Cauberg
Flags fly over the peloton on the Cauberg
Danilo Di Luca after finish
Discovery's Beppu in his Japanese National Champ kit
The bunch spread thin on the Gulperberg
The peloton isn't chasing very hard on the Gulperberg
Juan Antonio Flecha sits in the group on the Cauberg
The early breakaway on the Cauberg
Maarten den Bakker on Gulperberg
Matthe Pronk (Unibet.com)
With the break away the peloton climbs steadily
Yaroslav Popovich finishing well down in 33rd place
Lovely farmland at the riders backs as they ascent one of the many bergs
The Schleck brothers lead CSC's effort on the second ascent of the Cauberg
Wesemann leading on Gulperberg

Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) and Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile) make the selection
Peloton.
The group rolling along.
A hot day in the Amstel Gold.
Typical Dutch countryside.
The peloton rolls past a windmill.
The group strung out.
The main escape of five being led by Daniel Musiol (Wiesenhof-Felt).
The peloton on the second ascent of the Cauberg.
The Cauberg.
The finish, but there are still more kilometres to go.
The leaders led by Tom Stubbe (Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen).
The escape led by Daniel Musiol (Wiesenhof-Felt).
The favourites start to fire.
Boogie, Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), racing on home roads.
Tin-Tin Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) finished 2nd today.
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic)
Igor Astarloa (Milram) had a quiet day.
Schumi wins!
Yes! A nice win by German Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner).
Relief as Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) crosses the line.
Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) wins.
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) gets second.
Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) is third behind a Gerolsteiner 1-2.
Matthias Kessler (Astana) was with the top runners.
Boogie in his last time in Amstel Gold.
Valverde leads Bettini over the line.
Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) on the podium.
The top 3 (l-r) Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).
Teammates Stefan Schumacher and 'Tin-Tin' Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).
The Podium (l-r) Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) takes the ProTour lead.
New ProTour leader Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner).
Bettini after a hard effort.
World Champ Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) in a world of pain.
Steffen Wesemann (Wiesenhof-Felt) grinds in a late escape.
Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) after the race.
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) happy in the ProTour jersey

Images by DCP/Bert Geerts

No hurry in le peloton during the opening kilometres.
Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) about to be offered a drink from his team car.
Battling through dust and small roads in the Netherlands.
The peloton was smashed into small groups by the leg-sapping parcours.
Alexandr Kolobnev (Team CSC) breathing hard.
Another small group grimacing in pain.
Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) struggled after his efforts in Paris-Roubaix last weekend.
Luxembourg champ Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile)
Jens Voigt (Team CSC) making himself heard over the radio.
The leading group of five with Piet Rooijakkers (Skil-Shimano) in front.

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Riders heading towards a windmill.

Pre-Race

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Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews.com

Samuel Sánchez was completely relaxed at the start in Maastricht.
Stefan Schumacher crashed in the Basque Country and needed 12 stitches near his knee.
Kim Kirchen could go well in the Amstel Gold Race.
Oscar Freire, can he help Boogerd to the victory or is he aiming for the victory himself?
Juan Antonio Flecha enjoyed the beautiful surroundings in Maastricht.
Michael Boogerd gets ready for his last Amstel Gold Race, as always: nervous.

Images by Elmar Krings

Boogie gives a smile.
Fränk Schleck (Team CSC) rolls out.
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) talks.
Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) at his last time in the Amstel race.
Giampaolo Caruso (Lampre-Fondital) relaxed.
Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) is Holland's young hope.
2005 winner Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) talks.
Freire reflects on season.
René Haselbacher (Astana) relaxed at start.
A huge crowd at the start.
Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel)
Fränk Schleck (Team CSC)
Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) is a hot favourite.
Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile)
Patrik Sinkewitz (T-Mobile) and Marcus Burghardt (T-Mobile) roll out.
The official start.
Hot favourite Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) looking concentrated.
Jens Voigt (Team CSC) makes his way to the start.
Waiting for the start.
Steffen Wesemann (Wiesenhof-Felt) at the start.
Erik Zabel (Milram) interviewed