Published January 16, 2013 03:38PM
Amstel Gold Race adds climbing, moves finish to mirror 2012 worlds
Organizers of the hilly Dutch classic announced a new course on Wednesday that sees the Cauberg climb four times
Philippe Gilbert turned around a disappointing 2012 campaign with a single attack on the Cauberg to win the rainbow jersey. Photo: Graham Watson | <a id="www.grahamwatson.com" href="http://grahamwatson.com">www.grahamwatson.com</a>
THE HAGUE (AFP) — The finish of the Amstel Gold Race will not lie at the top of the Cauberg in the next edition of the event, on April 14, but two kilometers away, organizers said Wednesday at a press conference in Valkenburg.
The winner of the Dutch classic will be determined two kilometers away from the top of the hill, as was the case in the road world championships in 2012. Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing), winner of the 2011 Amstel Gold Race, won the world title on this finale in September.
The move of the finish will not necessarily decrease the importance of the Cauberg, as the climb will appear in the race a total of four times, including twice in the final circuit. Organizers claimed that the new Amstel Gold route would see more climbing — north of 4,000 vertical meters — than previous editions.