Philippe Gilbert attacks on Cauberg to claim third A...

Philippe Gilbert won his third Amstel Gold Race. Samuel Sanchez and Jelle Vanendert finished second and third respectively. Joaquim Rodriguez had to abandon the race after 160km due to a crash.   The breakaway had a 14.41 advantage after the first of the four ascents of Cauberg. The young riders who won the junior and under-23 races on the course were also present. They included Matej Mohorič and Alexey Lutsenko. Alejandro Valverde could manage only fourth place. He had also left the last year's race.

The breakaway still held a useful lead of 6.17 with 75km to go. Tinkoff-Saxo threw resources at the pursuit. Riblon took over the lead. Josh Edmondson and Geraint Thomas both called time on the race. Daniel Martin abandoned the event. Ian Boswell was not included in the peloton. Michael Schar was the only rider to keep up with the main pack. He was wearing the dossard of the nominated team leader. He had been at back of peloton for much of day. Ben Swift is the strongest British rider.

The breakaway was leading the race on the Loorberg. The peloton reduced their advantage by 20 seconds. Lampre-Merida's Damiano Cunego was spotted near the front for the first time. Omega Pharma-Quickstep's team-mates massed at the back of the bunch. Tony Martin was the only rider to help the peloton.

Philippe Gilbert attacks on Cauberg to claim third A. Nicola Beom (Bardiani-CSF) and Nibali (Nibali) were in the breakaway. Boem was back among them. Martin bit the dust. Kwiatkowski's demise was hastened by a slipped chain. He had a new bike. He was caught by the team car. The peloton was trying to gain position before the corner.

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) ignited the race with less than 50km to go. Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Fuglsang, Pieter Weening ( Orica-GreenEDGE), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Belisol), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Boem (Boem) were in the breakaway. Katusha hit the front for the first time, and Dani Moreno (La Flèche Wallonne) came to the rescue.

The three leaders looked jaded as they reached the 1.7km ramp of the Keutenberg. Boem unhitched as the slopes reached their peak gradient of 22%. The chasers retained their momentum as well. The Voeckler group dangled 20 seconds ahead of peloton. Van Hecke and Riblon were 1:44 behind them. Tom Jelte-Slagter appeared at the head of a lap.

Philippe Gilbert attacks on Cauberg to claim third place in the Tour de France. Gerrans is 12 seconds behind the Voeckler group.

Van Hecke and Riblon had a 50-second advantage with 15km to go. Voeckler and many of his confederates were absorbed by the bunch. Van Avermaet and Fuglsang stubbornly refused to submit and continued to ride on ahead. Fugl's contribution was less than his Belgian counterpart. Giampaolo Caruso took his place in the breakaway.

Gilbert won the race. Kwiatkowski took the lead briefly, but Sanchez and Vanendert chased him to the finish. Two more races are due before the culmination of this year’s Ardennes Week. Wednesday (April 23) will bring La Fleche Wallonne and with it the Mur de Huy. Sunday ( April 27) brings the hundredth edition of La Doyenne, Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Philippe Gilbert is the leader of the BMC Racing. Jelle Vanendert is second, Simon Gerrans third, Alejandro Valverde fourth, Michal Kwiatkowski fifth, Bauke Mollema sixth, Enrico Gasparotto seventh, Daniel Moreno ninth.