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44th Amstel Gold Race - UPT
Netherlands, April 19, 2009
Ivanov finally wins his "favourite race"
By Brecht Decaluwé in Valkenburg
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He's threatened with Ardennes assaults in the past but today Serguei Ivanov made good on the promise shown and won a dramatic Amstel Gold Race. While it was a dream come true for the Russian, it served as Team Katusha's most significant triumph to date.
The former Astana rider capitalised on a flourish of activity during the latter part of the race to take his place in a three-man group nearing the finish. With a charging peloton hot on their heels, it was then a matter of surviving out front and fighting out the sprint.
Ivanov out-sprinted Saxo Bank's Karsten Kroon in the uphill sprint as the duo left Rabobank's Robert Gesink behind on the final climb of the Cauberg, with the lanky Dutch rider rolling in for third.
Despite having won a Tour de France stage Ivanov claimed the Amstel title was, "the biggest win of my career. This is my favourite race and over the past ten years I have always done well here." Ivanov best finish had been second in 2002. "Today the team worked very hard for me, I am very thankful to them."
The race was overshadowed by a serious crash involving Saxo Bank's Fränk Schleck and Silence-Lotto's Matthew Lloyd. Both were taken to hospital, but first reports indicated no serious injuries.
Stubborn Bozic bridges up later
Right on time - 10:15am - the peloton rolled out of sunny Maastricht where a sizeable crowd had gathered under sunny skies. In contrast to the one-day races earlier this season the peloton quickly allowed a group away on its own. Niki Terpstra (Milram), Rubens Bertogliati (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni), Sergey Klimov (Katusha), Yukiya Arashiro (Bouygues Telecom) and Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano) were the men given a long leash.
Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) noticed the peloton wasn't planning to chase the five riders down and started a long but successful solo pursuit. During the first passage of the Cauberg – after 72 kilometres - the six leaders had a gap of almost 14 minutes on the peloton.
As in years past, with no rider in the early break, Rabobank was forced to work for the peloton's progress, although his year the Dutch outfit was helped by Euskaltel-Euskadi and Caisse d'Epargne and 50 kilometres later the advantage from the leaders had already been cut in half.
Triple world champion starts affairs on the Geulhemmerweg
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The race suddenly exploded when the peloton reached the Cauberg for the second time. Rabobank commenced hostilities with an attack from Pieter Weening. After the Cauberg his teammate Oscar Freire took over and sneaked away with a big group. On the Geulhemmerweg, Freire accelerated again, and this time the Spaniard took off in an 18-man group that only gained a 90-second advantage over the leaders.
At the back of the peloton Fränk Schleck and Matthew Lloyd were the biggest casualties of a nasty crash, with both riders taken to hospital by ambulance for an assessment of their injuries.
While Niki Terpstra jumped away from the leader's group on the climb following the Geulhemmerweg - the Bemelerberg - Freire kept hammering in the big chasing group.
With 20 kilometres elapsed following his acceleration on the Geulhemmerweg, Freire bridged up to Terpstra, taking Marcus Burghardt and Valerio Agnoli along for the ride. The four-man group built a 20-second lead that was kept in check by Alejandro Valverde's teammate, Oscar Pereiro, and the Caisse d'Epargne boys. On the Loorberg, with 36km to go, the Freire long-distance attack was neutralised and all riders were back together.
Ceasefire on the Eyserbosweg
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Belgian rider Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) immediately attacked and got away with Koen De Kort (Skil-Shimano) and Michael Rogers (Columbia-Highroad). On the Gulperberg they were caught back but Devenyns accelerated again, this time joined by Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC), Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas), Rogers, Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil) and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank). The speed in the peloton remained high though and this breakaway was contained as well.
Andy Schleck led the peloton at a steady pace over the Kruisberg while Gasparotto did the same over the famous Eyserbosweg. In the descent Kreuziger sneaked away on his own and he rode up the following climb of the Fromberg on the big ring. Still, he gained no more than 100 metres over a peloton that was reduced to no more than 50 riders.
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha), marked by Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), tried to bridge up towards Kreuziger but the attempt from the Russian fell short since the Italian didn't co-operate in this counter-attack.
On the Keutenberg, the penultimate climb, Simon Gerrans (Cervélo TestTeam) caught Kreuziger, followed by Ivanov, Robert Gesink (Rabobank), Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto), Andy Schleck, Michael Albasini (Columbia-Highroad), Christian Pfannberger (Katusha) and Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank).
Meanwhile, the likes of Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and Davide Rebellin (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) missed this move and were consequently effectively shut out of contesting the finale.
Gesink attacked the leader's group after the climb of the Keutenberg. The Dutchman was joined by Ivanov and Kroon a little later, and while Albasini tried to bridge towards the leaders on his own, it didn't stick. The leading trio was left on its own out front and soon after were the occupants of the podium's three steps.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by ISPA/www.ispaphoto.be
- Jurgen Van den Broeck (Silence-Lotto) was happy before the start.
- Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) likes the weather in the Netherlands.
- Evans hopes to add another win to the one he already has.
- Thomas Dekker (Silence-Lotto) says he is feeling good and should be expected near the front today.
- The six-man lead group the first time up the Cauberg.
- The bunch followed 14 minutes later
- The peloton didn't kill itself yet to contain the break.
- Lots of flag-waving people on the Cauberg.
- The 200m to go sign doesn't count yet.
- Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) takes the win over home country boy Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank)
- Ivanov likes this race
- Kroon had to settle for second
- Katusha was happy with the win.
- And the family too
Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews
- Canadian champion Christian Meier at the start of his first Amstel Gold Race.
- Irish champion Daniel Martin
- Carlos Sastre started in the Amstel Gold Race
- Thomas Dekker is hoping to perform well on home soil
- Christian Pfannberger is an outsider for the win and sports a nice jersey.
- Riders lining up at the start in Maastricht
- Alejandro Valverde Belmonte heading to the start line of the Amstel Gold Race in Maastricht
- Oscar Freire rolls over the start line in Maastricht
- Sergey Klimov (Katusha) leads the break at the first passage of the finish area.
- Not much organisation behind as Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) passes through.
- Christian Pfannberger (Katusha) passes the Milram bus.
- Sergei Ivanov sports the Amstel beer after his win.
- Christian Pfannberger was delighted with the win of his teammate, 'perfetto'.
- Cadel Evans after finishing Amstel.
- Philippe Gilbert finished first of the peloton up the Cauberg, fourth on the day and talks with the team about the tactics: 'It was too late.'
- Sergei Ivanov posing in front of the Amstel Gold Race podium.
Images by Gregor Brown/Cyclingnews
- Allan Davis (Quick Step) all smiles before the start.
- Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas)
- Marco Pinotti (Columbia-Highroad)
- The climbs noted on Marco Pinotti's bike
- The start in Maastricht
- Simon Gerrans, Edward King (Cervélo TestTeam) and Matthew Lloyd (Silence-Lotto).
- Gerald Ciolek (Milram)
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli)
- Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) talks about his race.
- Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank) waves to the camera at the Amtel Gold press conference.
- Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank) explains the race's final moments.
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank) details his Amstel Gold Race.
Images by Elmar Krings
- Lots of people at the start
- The podium in Maastricht
- Davide Rebellin (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli)
- Niki Terpstra (Milram)
- Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) at the presentation
- The break the first time up the Cauberg
- Niki Terpstra (Milram) on the Cauberg
- Damiano Cunego and his Lampre-NGC mates get ready.
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) was happy at the start but had a bad crash later.
- Oscar Freire (Rabobank)
- The early lead group on the Raarberg.
- Caisse d'Epargne chases the break.
- The peloton the first time over the Cauberg.
- Rebellin in early hiding
- Carlos Sastre (Cervélo TestTeam) doesn't make today's race his prime objective for the season.
- Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)
- Valverde adjusts his brakes for the many downhills today.
- The riders wait for the start.
Images by Sirotti/www.sirotti.it
- Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) celebrates early as he held off Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank).
- Ivanov prevailed on the Cauberg
- Kroon was disappointed
- Ivanov wins
- Ivanov had several top 10 places in the Amstel before.
- The Katusha rider is happy.
- Ivanov smiles after the race
- The Amstel Gold Race is run
- Ivanov with the cup
- The podium l-r: Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank, second), Serguei Ivanov (Katusha) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) on the attack.
Images by Erik Van Breugel/www.cyclingmoments.com
- The escape of the day was never going to be allowed to stay away.
- The second time up the Gulpenberg saw Columbia-Highroad's Michael Rogers active at the front.
- The peloton on the Gulpenberg soon after the leaders.
- Marcus Burghardt powers up the Gulpenberg with his teammate Rogers ahead.
- Oscar Freire (Rabobank) was active at the head of proceedings all day.
- Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) was grabbing some great racing miles in his legs, and looking good.
- Rabobank's Robert Gesink goes on the attack after the Keutenberg.
- Karsten Kroon and Serguei Ivanov after the Keutenberg.
- Katusha's Serguei Ivanov after the Keutenberg.
- Michael Albasini (Liquigas) chases the leaders after the Keutenberg.
- Nick Nuyens (c) is followed by Alejandro Valverde as they chase the leaders after the Keutenberg.
- Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) takes a look at where the leaders are.
- Preben Van Hecke and Jurgen Vandenbroecke early in the race.
Images by DCP/Bert Geerts
- Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) attacks.
- Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil)
- Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil)
- Bram Tankink (Rabobank) in the peloton.
- Bram Tankink (Rabobank)
- Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago)
- Erik Breukink
- Erik Dekker ready for Amstel from the view of the team car.
- Gerben Löwik (Vacansoleil)
- Herman Frison and Hendrik Redant discuss Silence-Lotto's tactics.
- Karsten Kroon (Saxo Bank) at the front.
- Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream)
- Nick Nuyens (Rabobank)
- Niki Terpstra (Milram) leads the break.
- Riders chase back on from the caravan.
- Oscar Freire (Rabobank) went on the attack today.
- The rural countryside of the Amstel Gold Race.
- The Rabobank train chugs along.
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- Serge Ivanov (Katusha) on his way to the win.
- Sergei Ivanov (Katusha) at the head of the peloton.
- The peloton heads down one of the narrow roads that are so prevalent in this region.
- Thomas Dekker in the bunch.
- Thomas Dekker (Silence-Lotto) stringing out the bunch.
- Team cars lined up and waiting for the start.
Results - 257.8km
1 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha 6.38.31 (38.814 km/h) 2 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank 3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.08 4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 6 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank 7 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 8 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Rabobank 9 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Team Katusha 10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 11 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 12 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux 13 Jerôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 14 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 15 Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad 16 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 17 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 18 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 19 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 20 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 21 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 22 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0.26 23 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 24 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 25 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - Highroad 0.36 26 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram 27 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence-Lotto 0.57 28 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Silence-Lotto 1.06 29 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 30 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Silence-Lotto 1.29 31 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 2.26 32 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank 33 Bjorn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 34 Chris-Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 35 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Slipstream 2.38 36 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Team Katusha 2.45 37 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 2.52 38 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 2.56 39 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 40 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 41 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence-Lotto 3.09 42 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 43 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 44 Ben Hermans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 4.30 45 Dimitri Muravyev (Kaz) Astana 46 David De La Fuente (Ita) Fuji-Servetto 47 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 48 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Liquigas 49 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 50 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 51 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto 52 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 53 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram 54 Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 55 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step 56 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha 57 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 58 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis 59 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 60 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux 61 Edward King (USA) Cervélo TestTeam 62 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 63 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank 64 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 65 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 4.48 66 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 67 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 68 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 69 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step 70 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana 71 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 72 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step 73 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step 5.23 74 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Silence-Lotto 75 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad 6.02 76 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis 77 Joan Horrach (Spa) Team Katusha 78 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia - Highroad 79 Alan Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 80 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil-Shimano 81 Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis 82 Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervélo TestTeam 83 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 84 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 85 Ricardo Van Der Velde (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream 86 Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil-Shimano 87 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux 88 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 89 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream 90 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 91 Sergey Klimov (Rus) Team Katusha 92 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana 93 Renaud Dion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 94 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas 95 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 96 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 97 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 98 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas 99 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad 100 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha 9.10 101 Mikael Cherel (Fra) Française des Jeux 102 Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 103 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano 9.34 104 Alberto Losada (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 105 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 106 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis 107 Luca Solari (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 108 Brian Bach Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 109 Francis Mourey (Fra) Française des Jeux 9.42 110 Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 9.47 111 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom 10.38 112 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 13.52 113 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Fuji-Servetto 114 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator 115 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 116 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas 117 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam 118 Adi Engels (Bel) Quick Step 119 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 120 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 121 Rui Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne 122 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBox Bouygues Telecom 123 Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. DNF Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Alexandre Pliuschin (Mda) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale DNF Jesús Hernández (Spa) Astana DNF Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Astana DNF Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana DNF Benjamin Noval (Spa) Astana DNF Steve Chainel (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Julien Belgy (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Vincent Jerome (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Evgeny Sokolov (Rus) BBox Bouygues Telecom DNF Vasil Kiryenka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne DNF Alexandre Usov (Blr) Cofidis DNF Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis DNF Egoi Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi DNF Juan José Oroz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi DNF Ruben Perez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi DNF Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi DNF Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux DNF Juanjo Cobo (Spa) Fuji-Servetto DNF Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Fuji-Servetto DNF Jesus Del Nero (Spa) Fuji-Servetto DNF Javier Megias (Spa) Fuji-Servetto DNF Jason Donald (USA) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Huub Duyn (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Christian Meier (Can) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas DNF Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank DNF Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank DNF Mathew Lloyd (Aus) Silence-Lotto DNF Nikita Eskov (Rus) Team Katusha DNF Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram DNF Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram DNF Peter Wrolich (Aut) Team Milram DNF Franck Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank DNF Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam DNF Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam DNF Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Benjamin Gourgue (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Martial Ricci Poggi (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Koen Barbé (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago DNF Rubens Bertogliati (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Jose Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli DNF Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Theo Eltink (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Steve Houanard (Fra) Skil-Shimano DNF Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil-Shimano DNF Jan Bakelants (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator DNF Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
