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The best on the cobbles make way for the best in the hills as we begin the Ardennes week. Join The Roar from 9:15pm (AEST) for live updates of the 2015 Amstel Gold Race.
The Amstel Gold Race is traditionally seen as the swap over between Flanders’ cobbles to the Ardennes’ hills.
The route for the 2015 Amstel Gold race takes the riders from Maastricht to the Cauberg Hill near Valkenburg over a distance of 258 kilometres, with narrow roads, twists, turns and plenty of hills.
The Cauberg Hill is the finishing destination, however upon reaching the summit of the climb there are still about two kilometres of flat to go.
Overall there will be 34 climbs throughout the 258 km raced, but this race will be won right in the back end, on the last four climbs which come one after the other within the final 22 kilometres.
The fourth-last and final climb of the race is the Cauberg Hill, which will be climbed four times in total. The Cauberg is only 900 metres in length but is a real struggle for the riders, as the average gradient is up at 7.5 per cent, ramping up to 13 per cent in sections. The final two summits of the Cauberg come at 21 and three kilometres to go.
This final stretch of tough climbs will be used by the riders with strong teams to launch multiple attacks, while others will aim to hang on until the final ascent of the Cauberg and put everything into one attack.
Looking at the start list and form in the lead-up, the unquestionable favourites are defending champion Phillippe Gilbert (BMC), Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx – Quickstep), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Peter Sagan (Saxo), Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) and Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE).
Another rider who deserves a mention, after finishing just outside the top 10 last year, is Bjorn Lukemans (Wanty). He has shown impressive form on the cobbles over the last two weeks and is a real shot.
Other riders in with a chance include Tom Dumoulin (Giant Alpecin), Bauke Mollema (Trek), Daniel Martin (Cannondale – Garmin), Jelle Vanendert (Lotto–Soudal), Sylvain Chavanel (IAM), former world champion Rinaldo Nocentini and Carlos Bentacur (Both Ag2R).
The team with the most arrows in their quiver is Astana. The team, with its future still in the air after multiple drug scandals, have last year’s Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali, fighter and in-form rider Lars Boom, and Luis Leon Sanchez all as possible winners. How will their team tactics play out?
These one day classics are so hard to pick a winner for, but I have to go with Phillipe Gilbert (BMC) to win his fourth Amstel Gold Race. He is just such a strong rider and has the full support of his team which includes the in-form Greg Van Avermaet, Damiano Caruso and Samuel Sanchez. He should be too strong.
Join us here on The Roar from 9:15pm (AEST) for our live coverage of the 2015 Amstel Gold Race, and be sure to leave your comments as the race progresses.