Gilbert claims fourth Amstel Gold victory
Belgian Philippe Gilbert outsprinted 2015 winner Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland to capture his fourth Amstel Gold win in a tactical finale.
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VALKENBURG, Netherlands (AFP) — Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert’s strategy to skip Paris-Roubaix following his Tour of Flanders win two weeks ago paid off in Valkenburg on Easter Sunday. The 34-year-old Quick-Step Floors rider defeated fellow former road race world champion and 2015 winner Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) in a two-man sprint finish to claim the the prestigious Amstel Gold Race for the fourth time.
“In the end with Kwiato we went hard, I saw the guys behind were on the limit — I was too but if you can find one or two percent more it makes the difference,” Gilbert told television cameras. “I told him (Kwiatkowski), ‘We ride until the last K (kilometre) and the best man wins’. That’s the best deal you can make.”
The two breakaway leaders were slowly being caught by five chasers as they played cat and mouse in the final kilometre, with Gilbert teasing Kwiatkowski into launching his bid for victory first, with more than 300 metres left.
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Kwiatkowski tied up allowing Gilbert to streak past in the final metres to claim victory in the battle between two former world champions.
“He surprised me a little in the sprint, but it was a headwind so I didn’t panic, and I saw I was getting closer and closer, and it was perfect for me in the end,” said Gilbert.
Top 10 results
- 1. Philippe GILBERT, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, in 6:33:55
- 2. Michal KWIATKOWSKI, SKY, at :00
- 3. Michael ALBASINI, ORICA-SCOTT, at :10
- 4. Nathan HAAS, DIMENSION DATA, at :10
- 5. Jose ROJAS, MOVISTAR, at :10
- 6. Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA, SKY, at :10
- 7. Jon IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at :14
- 8. Michael GOGL, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 1:10
- 9. Sonny COLBRELLI, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 1:11
- 10. Michael MATTHEWS, SUNWEB, at 1:11
Gilbert had already won the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago and Three Days of De Panne in the week leading up to that as he enjoyed a successful cobbled classics season that included second place finishes at Dwars door Vlaanderen and E3 Harelbeke.
Kwiatkowski had also been in great shape, winning Milan-San Remo — which like the Tour of Flanders is one of cycling’s ‘Monument’ races — and Strade Bianche while finishing second at the Tour of the Algarve.
Switzerland’s Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott) won the five-man sprint for third place while Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), the star performer of the season so far, could manage only 12th.
Results
- 1. Philippe GILBERT, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, in 6:31:40
- 2. Michal KWIATKOWSKI, SKY, at :00
- 3. Michael ALBASINI, ORICA-SCOTT, at :10
- 4. Nathan HAAS, DIMENSION DATA, at :10
- 5. Jose ROJAS, MOVISTAR, at :10
- 6. Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA, SKY, at :10
- 7. Jon IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at :14
- 8. Michael GOGL, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 1:10
- 9. Sonny COLBRELLI, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 1:11
- 10. Michael MATTHEWS, SUNWEB, at 1:11
- 11. Juan Jose LOBATO DEL VALLE, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 1:11
- 12. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING, at 1:11
- 13. Oliver NAESEN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:11
- 14. Arthur VICHOT, FDJ, at 1:11
- 15. Tiesj BENOOT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:11
- 16. Kristian SBARAGLI, DIMENSION DATA, at 1:11
- 17. Jay MCCARTHY, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 1:11
- 18. Daryl IMPEY, ORICA-SCOTT, at 1:11
- 19. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, MOVISTAR, at 1:11
- 20. Paul MARTENS, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 1:11
- 21. Sebastian LANGEVELD, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 1:11
- 22. Christopher JUUL JENSEN, ORICA-SCOTT, at 1:11
- 23. Nick VAN DER LIJKE, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 1:11
- 24. Tomasz MARCZYNSKI, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:11
- 25. Alex HOWES, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 1:11
- 26. Maurits LAMMERTINK, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 1:11
- 27. Diego ULISSI, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 1:11
- 28. Anthony ROUX, FDJ, at 1:11
- 29. Manuele MORI, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 1:11
- 30. Georg PREIDLER, SUNWEB, at 1:11
- 31. Dion SMITH, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 1:11
- 32. Fabio FELLINE, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 1:11
- 33. Simone PETILLI, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 1:11
- 34. Rudy MOLARD, FDJ, at 1:11
- 35. MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN, ASTANA, at 1:11
- 36. Dries DEVENYNS, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 1:11
- 37. Jelle VANENDERT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:11
- 38. Rui Alberto FARIA DA COSTA, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 1:11
- 39. Bob JUNGELS, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 1:11
- 40. Enrico BATTAGLIN, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 1:11
- 41. Daniel MORENO, MOVISTAR, at 1:11
- 42. Tim WELLENS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:11
- 43. CYRIL GAUTIER, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:11
- 44. Dylan TEUNS, BMC RACING, at 1:11
- 45. Warren BARGUIL, SUNWEB, at 1:11
- 46. Tom-Jelte SLAGTER, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 1:32
- 47. Antwan TOLHOEK, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 1:46
- 48. Jacques Willem JANSE VAN RENSBURG, DIMENSION DATA, at 2:55
- 49. Simon CLARKE, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 3:42
- 50. Dylan VAN BAARLE, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 3:42
- 51. Xandro MEURISSE, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 4:05
- 52. Jakob FUGLSANG, ASTANA, at 4:05
- 53. Angelo TULIK, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 6:19
- 54. Simon GESCHKE, SUNWEB, at 6:19
- 55. Cesare BENEDETTI, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 6:43
- 56. Patrick KONRAD, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 6:43
- 57. Serge PAUWELS, DIMENSION DATA, at 6:43
- 58. Thomas SPRENGERS, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 6:43
- 59. Jonathan HIVERT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 6:43
- 60. Lilian CALMEJANE, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 6:43
- 61. Gianluca BRAMBILLA, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 6:43
- 62. Giovanni VISCONTI, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 6:43
- 63. Alessandro DE MARCHI, BMC RACING, at 6:47
- 64. Sam OOMEN, SUNWEB, at 7:05
- 65. Tosh VAN DER SANDE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 7:16
- 66. Petr VAKOC, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 7:30
- 67. Grega BOLE, BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 7:30
- 68. Michal GOLAS, SKY, at 7:30
- 69. Sean DE BIE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 7:30
- 70. Bram TANKINK, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 7:30
- 71. Jérôme BAUGNIES, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 7:30
- 72. Bert-Jan LINDEMAN, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 9:21
- 73. Lorenzo ROTA, BARDIANI-CSF, at 9:21
- 74. Pim LIGTHART, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 9:21
- 75. Rúben GUERREIRO, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 9:21
- 76. Thomas DEGAND, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 9:21
- 77. Ángel VICIOSO ARCOS, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 9:21
- 78. Martijn BUDDING, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 9:21
- 79. SEBASTIAN HENAO GOMEZ, SKY, at 9:21
- 80. Jeroen MEIJERS, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 9:30
- 81. Romain SICARD, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 9:30
- 82. KEVIN REZA, FDJ, at 10:26
- 83. Mikael CHEREL, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 10:26
- 84. BENOIT VAUGRENARD, at 10:26
- 85. Eliot LIETAER, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 10:26
- 86. Matej MOHORIC, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 10:26
- 87. Ben HERMANS, BMC RACING, at 10:26
- 88. Silvan DILLIER, BMC RACING, at 10:26
- 89. Jan TRATNIK, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 10:26
- 90. Jakub KACZMAREK, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 10:26
- 91. Simone PONZI, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 10:26
- 92. Jesus HERRADA LOPEZ, MOVISTAR, at 10:26
- 93. André CARDOSO, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 10:26
- 94. Viacheslav KUZNETSOV, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 10:26
- 95. Jaco VENTER, DIMENSION DATA, at 10:26
- 96. Mads Würtz SCHMIDT, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 12:11
- 97. Rick ZABEL, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 12:11
- 98. Roy CURVERS, SUNWEB, at 12:11
- 99. Floris GERFS, BMC RACING, at 12:11
- 100. Kevin DELTOMBE, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 12:11
- 101. Tao GEOGHEGAN HART, SKY, at 12:11
- 102. Adrian KUREK, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 12:11
- 103. Jonas KOCH, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 12:11
- 104. Michal PALUTA, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 12:11
- 105. Maximilian SCHACHMANN, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 12:11
- 106. Brendan CANTY, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 12:11
- 107. Giulio CICCONE, BARDIANI-CSF, at 12:11
- 108. Guillaume MARTIN, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 12:11
- 109. Wilco KELDERMAN, SUNWEB, at 12:11
- 110. Andrea PASQUALON, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 12:11
- 111. Axel DOMONT, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 12:11
- 112. Timo ROOSEN, LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 12:11
- 113. Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING, at 12:11
- 114. Stijn VANDENBERGH, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 12:11
- 115. Carlos Alberto BETANCUR GOMEZ, MOVISTAR, at 12:11
- 116. Nikita STALNOV, ASTANA, at 12:11
- 117. Arnaud COURTEILLE, FDJ at 12:11
- 118. Imanol ERVITI, MOVISTAR, at 12:11
- 119. Rory SUTHERLAND, MOVISTAR, at 12:11
- 120. Oscar RIESEBEEK, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 12:11
- 121. Johann VAN ZYL, DIMENSION DATA, at 12:11
- 122. Aime DE GENDT, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 12:11
- 123. Pieter VANSPEYBROUCK, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 12:11
- 124. Mathew HAYMAN, ORICA-SCOTT, at 12:11
- 125. Toms SKUJINS, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 12:11
- 126. Roman KREUZIGER, ORICA-SCOTT, at 12:11
- 127. Gregor MÜHLBERGER, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 12:11
- DNF Enrico GASPAROTTO, BAHRAIN-MERIDA
- DNF Yukiya ARASHIRO, BAHRAIN-MERIDA
- DNF Meiyin WANG, BAHRAIN-MERIDA
- DNF Ivan GARCIA CORTINA, BAHRAIN-MERIDA
- DNF Owain DOULL, SKY
- DNF Lukasz WISNIOWSKI, SKY
- DNF Danny VAN POPPEL, SKY
- DNF Zdenek ŠTYBAR, QUICK-STEP FLOORS
- DNF Daniel MARTIN, QUICK-STEP FLOORS
- DNF Marc SOLER GIMENEZ, MOVISTAR
- DNF Michael HEPBURN, ORICA-SCOTT
- DNF Simon GERRANS, ORICA-SCOTT
- DNF Jens KEUKELEIRE, ORICA-SCOTT
- DNF Albert TIMMER, SUNWEB
- DNF Remy MERTZ, LOTTO SOUDAL
- DNF Bart DE CLERCQ, LOTTO SOUDAL
- DNF Daniel OSS, BMC RACING
- DNF Lars BOOM, LOTTONL-JUMBO
- DNF Erik BASKA, BORA-HANSGROHE
- DNF Marcus BURGHARDT, BORA-HANSGROHE
- DNF Christoph PFINGSTEN, BORA-HANSGROHE
- DNF Michael SCHWARZMANN, BORA-HANSGROHE
- DNF Fumiyuki BEPPU, TREK-SEGAFREDO
- DNF GREGORY DANIEL, TREK-SEGAFREDO
- DNF Jesus HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ, TREK-SEGAFREDO
- DNF Edward THEUNS, TREK-SEGAFREDO
- DNF Oscar GATTO, ASTANA
- DNF ANDREY GRIVKO, ASTANA
- DNF Laurens DE VREESE, ASTANA
- DNF Alexey LUTSENKO, ASTANA
- DNF Matti BRESCHEL, ASTANA
- DNF Jenthe BIERMANS, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
- DNF Marco MATHIS, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
- DNF Baptiste PLANCKAERT, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
- DNF Alexis GOUGEARD, AG2R LA MONDIALE
- DNF Julien DUVAL, AG2R LA MONDIALE
- DNF Quentin JAUREGUI, AG2R LA MONDIALE
- DNF Odd Christian EIKING, FDJ
- DNF Cedric PINEAU, FDJ
- DNF Matteo BONO, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
- DNF Marco MARCATO, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
- . Ben SWIFT, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
- DNF Alberto BETTIOL, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC
- DNF Benjamin KING, DIMENSION DATA
- DNF Youcef REGUIGUI, DIMENSION DATA
- DNF Preben VAN HECKE, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
- DNF Benjamin DECLERCQ, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
- DNF Jens WALLAYS, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
- DNF Kenneth VAN ROOY, SPORTS VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
- DNF Tim ARIESEN, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
- DNF Martijn TUSVELD, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
- DNF Taco VAN DER HOORN, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
- DNF Marco MINNAARD, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT
- DNF Enrico BARBIN, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Nicola BOEM, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Mirco MAESTRI, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Marco MARONESE, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Vincenzo ALBANESE, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Paolo SIMION, BARDIANI-CSF
- DNF Maciej PATERSKI, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE
- DNF FrantišEk SISR, CCC-SPRANDI POLKOWICE
- DNF Bryan COQUARD, DIRECT ENERGIE
- DNF Tony HUREL, DIRECT ENERGIE
- DNF Fabien GRELLIER, DIRECT ENERGIE
- DNF Paul OURSELIN, DIRECT ENERGIE