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Maastricht - Valkenberg, 263 km, The Netherlands

Michael Valgren wins the Amstel Gold race ahead of Roman Kreuziger & Enrico Gasparotto. Sirotti photo

Weather at Maastricht at 2:50 PM, local time: 18C (65F), Partly cloudy with the wind from the SSW at 16 km/hr (10 MPH). No rain is forecast.

The race: Here's the report from second-place Roman Kreuziger's Mitchelton-Scott team.

2013 Amstel Gold Race winner Roman Kreuziger came close to taking a second victory today in the 53rd edition of the lengthy 262kilometre Ardennes classic, after breaking away from a lead group of favourites in the final three kilometres.

In the end it came down to a head-to-head sprint after six and a half hours of racing, with Michael Valgren (Astana) pushing ahead in the closing moment to claim the 2018 victory with Kreuziger taking second for Mitchelton-SCOTT.

Nine make the breakaway
With warm, welcoming conditions at the start line in Maastricht, the scene was set for a long day out in the saddle. In the opening kilometres a group of nine riders formed the day’s breakaway and with distance on their side, the peloton allowed the escapees to gain a maximum advantage of 15minutes and 30seconds after 55kilometres was completed.

Team Movistar and Quickstep-Floors did the initial chasing at the head of the peloton as the riders slowly ticked off each of the 35climbs one-by-one, and the breakaway’s advantage began to gradually decrease.

Kreuziger shows he means business
With 30kilometres to go the breakaway reduced in size and their advantage hovered just one minute ahead. The pace began to increase and Kreuiziger lifted the tempo on one of the final few climbs as the peloton drastically shrunk in size.

A flurry of attacks came on the Keutenberg and Kreuziger made a strong move with Enrico Gasparotto (Bahrain Merida) following his tracks.

The final decisive move
The final time up the Cauberg climb, Kreuziger and Garparotto worked together to successfully stay away and make it across to the remaining breakaway riders, but as they passed the finish line, the chasing group of favourites was in hot pursuit.

Finally, the bridge was made with 13kilometres to go and the front of the race swelled to nine, with race favourites such as Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Julian Alaphilippe (Quickstep-Floors), Jakob Fugslang (Astana) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) present.

Kreuziger waited patiently as the tension rose and after a strong attack by Valgren in the last three kilometres, Kreuziger was the only rider to react. The pair remained ahead with the 31-year-old taking a well fought second place for Mitchelton-SCOTT to kick off their Ardennes campaign.

Roman Kreuziger - Second place
“It was a long final 40kilometres and I spent some extra energy off the front with Enrico Gasparotto and maybe Michael Valgren had something more in the final, but our goal was to be on the podium and we achieved that.

“It’s a pity to lose, because it’s a big classic and I would like to win again after five years since the last time. We knew the guys behind were closing pretty quick and there were some fast guys in there, but chapeau to Michael he showed his class today.

“If I arrived to the sprint with Sagan or Alaphilippe I would be fifth or sixth and that was not our goal we wanted to show our jersey and do our race and I think we did in the best way that we could . I am happy with second place, of course I wanted to win the race again but if you think about it how normally I can sprint then it is a big victory today.

“I had really good information from the team car, so I knew what the gap was and didn’t look over my shoulder until we had crossed the line. This race was one of my goals for the season and it is really good to start the Ardennes Classics week with a podium.”

Matt White - Sport director
“It has always been a happy hunting group for us here at this race, with this being our fifth podium finish in seven years, so it is our most consistent classics race.”

“Roman has won this race before on this same course, so he is no stranger to this sort of final and he showed today he was one of the strongest guys, forcing the move in a crucial section and having the legs to go again when the other guys got across to him, it shows he is in great shape.”

Complete Results:

263 kilometers raced at an average speed of 39.438 km/hr

1	VALGREN Michael	Astana	6hr 40min 7sec
2	KREUZIGER Roman	Mitchelton-Scott	s.t.
3	GASPAROTTO Enrico	Bahrain-Merida	@ 2sec
4	SAGAN Peter	Bora-hansgrohe	0:19
5	VALVERDE Alejandro	Movistar	s.t.
6	WELLENS Tim	Lotto-Soudal	s.t.
7	ALAPHILIPPE Julian	Quick-Step Floors	s.t.
8	FUGLSANG Jakob	Astana	0:23
9	CRADDOCK Lawson	EF Education First-Drapac	0:30
10	VANENDERT Jelle	Lotto-Soudal	0:36
11	IMPEY Daryl	Mitchelton-Scott	0:53
12	VAN HECKE Preben	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
13	GILBERT Philippe	Quick-Step Floors	s.t.
14	VAN AVERMAET Greg	BMC	s.t.
15	MOLARD Rudy	Groupama-FDJ	s.t.
16	DE TIER Floris	LottoNL-Jumbo	s.t.
17	BONO Matteo	UAE-Team Emirates	s.t.
18	HENAO Sergio Luis	Sky	s.t.
19	IZAGIRRE Ion	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
20	WOODS Michael	EF Education First-Drapac	s.t.
21	RIESEBEEK Oscar	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	0:56
22	IZAGIRRE Gorka	Bahrain-Merida	1:19
23	GRMAY Tsgabu	Trek-Segafredo	1:51
24	MATTHEWS Michael	Team Sunweb	2:11
25	TEUNS Dylan	BMC	s.t.
26	PAUWELS Serge	Dimension Data	s.t.
27	COSTA Rui	UAE-Team Emirates	s.t.
28	GESINK Robert	LottoNL-Jumbo	s.t.
29	VUILLERMOZ Alexis	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
30	PACHER Quentin	Vital Concept	s.t.
31	KWIATKOWSKI Michal	Sky	s.t.
32	NIBALI Vincenzo	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
33	JUNGELS Bob	Quick-Step Floors	s.t.
34	DE MARCHI Alessandro	BMC	s.t.
35	MOLLEMA Bauke	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
36	LANDA Mikel	Movistar	s.t.
37	KUZNETSOV Viacheslav	Katusha-Alpecin	3:15
38	BAUGNIES Jerome	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	3:26
39	SBARAGLI Kristian	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
40	SKUJIŅŠ Toms	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
41	LIGTHART Pim	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
42	ROUX Anthony	Groupama-FDJ	s.t.
43	DEVRIENDT Tom	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
44	FRAILE Omar	Astana	s.t.
45	LINDEMAN Bert-Jan	LottoNL-Jumbo	s.t.
46	VAN GESTEL Dries	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
47	PASQUALON Andrea	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
48	COSNEFROY Benoit	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
49	BURGHARDT Marcus	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
50	ULISSI Diego	UAE-Team Emirates	s.t.
51	SPRENGERS Thomas	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
52	BOIVIN Guillaume	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
53	DOMONT Axel	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
54	DILLIER Silvan	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
55	GUERREIRO Ruben	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
56	PONZI Simone	Nippo-Vini Fantini	s.t.
57	CANOLA Marco	Nippo-Vini Fantini	s.t.
58	WARBASSE Larry	Aqua Blue Sport	s.t.
59	MORI Manuele	UAE-Team Emirates	s.t.
60	SMITH Dion	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
61	KING Benjamin	Dimension Data	s.t.
62	BOLE Grega	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
63	MADOUAS Valentin	Groupama-FDJ	s.t.
64	LAMMERTINK Maurits	Katusha-Alpecin	s.t.
65	HOWES Alex	EF Education First-Drapac	s.t.
66	BAKELANTS Jan	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
67	ROJAS José Joaquín	Movistar	s.t.
68	GRIVKO Andrei	Astana	s.t.
69	GASTAUER Ben	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
70	KONRAD Patrick	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
71	MINNAARD Marco	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
72	JUUL-JENSEN Christopher	Mitchelton-Scott	s.t.
73	COLBRELLI Sonny	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
74	JENSEN August	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
75	SLAGTER Tom-Jelte	Dimension Data	s.t.
76	URAN Rigoberto	EF Education First-Drapac	s.t.
77	SERRY Pieter	Quick-Step Floors	s.t.
78	GERRANS Simon	BMC	s.t.
79	RIABUSHENKO Alexandr	UAE-Team Emirates	s.t.
80	GOLAS Michal	Sky	s.t.
81	DUNBAR Edward	Aqua Blue Sport	s.t.
82	MARCZYNSKI Tomasz	Lotto-Soudal	s.t.
83	VAUGRENARD Benoit	Groupama-FDJ	s.t.
84	VERONA Carlos	Mitchelton-Scott	s.t.
85	WEENING Pieter	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
86	MARTENS Paul	LottoNL-Jumbo	s.t.
87	GESCHKE Simon	Team Sunweb	s.t.
88	BETANCUR Carlos	Movistar	s.t.
89	ANACONA Winner	Movistar	s.t.
90	VANMARCKE Sep	EF Education First-Drapac	s.t.
91	MÜHLBERGER Gregor	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
92	NAESEN Oliver	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
93	TEN DAM Laurens	Team Sunweb	s.t.
94	TANKINK Bram	LottoNL-Jumbo	3:35
95	CARUSO Damiano	BMC	4:50
96	DAVIES Scott	Dimension Data	s.t.

2018 Amstel Gold Race map:

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Race day photos by Fororeporter Sirotti:

Team BMC is presented during the starting ceremonies.

Alejandro Valverde waits for the race to start.

The obligatory Amstel Gold Race windmill photo.

Eddie Dunbar & Tsgabu Grmay on the Keutenberg

Simon Geschke on the Keutenberg ascent.

Carlos Betancur

Michael Woods on the Gulperberg

Bram Tankink

On the Loorberg

Michael Valgren wins 2018 Amtel Gold Race.

Enrico Gasparotto finishes third.

Peter Sagan was fourth, ahead of Alejandro Valverde (obscured) and Tim Wellens.

Michael Valgren just after the race.

The podium, from left: Roman Kreuziger (2nd), Michael Valgren & Enrico Gasparotto (3rd)

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Pre-race photos (April 14, 2018) by Fotoreporter Sirotti:

Sirotti caught lots of riders out training on the course.

Mitchelton-Scott along with several regular riders ascend the Cauberg.

Team Quick-Step is led up the Cauberg by Bob Jungels.

Marcus Burghardt and Peter Sagan and Bora-hansgrohe teammates.

Israel Cycling Academy

EF Education First-Drapac

An Astana rider seems to have spotted our photographer.

Lotto-Soudal, and others....

Greg van Avermaet and a teammate, perhaps

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The route: The organizer had this to say about the 2018 route.

The organization of the Amstel Gold Race has decided to make another change in the route of the Amstel Gold Race this year again. After the start on the ‘Markt’ in Maastricht, the riders will ride three big laps through the Southern Limburg hills, just like the last year, including three climbs of the Cauberg and three passages of the finishline in Vilt-Valkenburg. Just like in 2017, when the organisation changed the route, this year only the climbs of the Geulhemmerberg and the Bemelerberg are including in the final lap. So the Cauberg will be avoided in the last kilometers again

In the final lap of 16 kilometers, course director Leo van Vliet makes a change in 2018. “With this change in the final of the Amstel Gold Race we search for more narrow roads to make it harder to control the race for the bunch”; according to Van Vliet. After the climb of the Geulhemmerberg the bunch will not longer descend on the wide road of the Rasberg towards Maastricht, but the descend of the Kuitenbergweg that is parallel to the Rasberg towards the district Amby (Maastricht). Once the riders are down the descend, the riders will ride via the Molenweg and the Peutgensweg to cross the Rasberg towards Bemelen. After the climb of the Bemelerberg the riders will not cycle straight on, passing the famous windmill of Wolfshuis, but take a left turn in the village Gasthuis towards Terblijt. In Terblijt the route continues via the Rijnsbergerweg to end up at the Sibberweg again for the last kilometre.

“In 2017 we saw that a simple change in the route led to a more attractive race. With this new change the contenders for the victory have to find a good position before they enter the final or already left the bunch for an attack”, says Leo van Vliet.

The Amstel Gold Race starts on Sunday, April 15th at 10:30 am at the ‘Markt’ in Maastricht and finishes around 17:00 hrs. in Vilt-Valkenburg. This year’s Amstel Gold Race covers 260 km and contains 35 climbs.

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Start list with back numbers, April 14, 2018:

	QUICK-STEP FLOORS
	DS: Wilfried Peeters
1	GILBERT Philippe
2	ALAPHILIPPE Julian
3	JUNGELS Bob
4	TERPSTRA Niki
5	SERRY Pieter
6	MAS NICOLAU Enric
7	MARTINELLI Davide
	MITCHELTON-SCOTT
	DS: Laurenzo Lapage
11	ALBASINI Michael
12	DURBRIDGE Luke
13	HEPBURN Michael
14	IMPEY Daryl
15	JUUL JENSEN Christopher
16	KREUZIGER Roman
17	VERONA Carlos
	SKY
	DS: Servais Knaven
21	KWIATKOWSKI Michal
22	POELS Wouter
23	GEOGHEGAN HART Tao
24	HENAO Sergio
25	KIRYIENKA Vasil
26	GOLAS Michal
27	WISNIOWSKI Lukasz
	MOVISTAR
	DS: Jose Luis Arrieta
31	VALVERDE Alejandro
32	ANACONA Winner Anrew
33	BETANCUR Carlos Alberto
34	AMADOR Andrey
35	ROJAS Jose Joaquin
36	ERVITI Imanol
37	LANDA Mikel
	TEAM SUNWEB
	DS: Arthur Van Dongen
41	MATTHEWS Michael
42	THEUNS Edward
43	FROHLINGER Johannes
44	GESCHKE Simon
45	TEUNISSEN Mike
46	TEN DAM Laurens
47	KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren
	LOTTO-SOUDAL
	DS: Mario Aerts
51	WELLENS Tim
52	BENOOT Tiesj
53	SIEBERG Marcel
54	MARCZYNSKI Tomasz
55	VAN DER SANDE Tosh
56	VANENDERT Jelle
57	MAES Nikolas
	BMC
	DS: Valerio Piva
61	VAN AVERMAET Greg
62	SCHÄR Michael
63	CARUSO Damiano
64	GERRANS Simon
65	TEUNS Dylan
66	BETTIOL Alberto
67	DE MARCHI Alessandro
	LOTTO NL-JUMBO
	DS: Frans Maassen
71	DE TIER Floris
72	GESINK Robert
73	LINDEMAN Bertjan
74	MARTENS Paul
75	VAN POPPEL Danny
76	TANKINK Bram
77	WYNANTS Maarten
	BORA-HANSGROHE
	DS: Enrico Poitschke
81	SAGAN Peter
82	BURGHARDT Marcus
83	ACKERMANN Pascal
84	KONRAD Patrick
85	MCCARTHY Jay
86	MUHLBERGER Gregor
87	BENEDETTI Cesare
	TREK-SEGAFREDO
	DS: Kim Andersen
91	MOLLEMA Bauke
92	DE KORT Koen
93	STUYVEN Jasper
94	GUERREIRO Ruben
95	GOGL Michael
96	GRMAY Tsgabu
97	SKUJINS Toms
	ASTANA
	DS: Bruno Cenghialta
101	CATALDO Dario
102	DE VREESE Laurens
103	FRAILE Omar
104	FUGLSANG Jakob
105	GATTO Oscar
106	GRIVKO Andriy
107	VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael
	KATUSHA-ALPECIN
	DS: Guennadi Mikhailov
111	LAMMERTINK Maurits
112	HAAS Nathan
113	KUZNETSOV Vyacheslav
114	CRAS Steff
115	PLANCKAERT Baptiste
116	BIERMANS Jenthe
117	SMIT Willie
	AG2R LA MONDIALE
	DS: Julien Jurdie
121	BAKELANTS Jan
122	DOMONT Axel
123	GASTAUER Ben
124	NAESEN Oliver
125	VUILLERMOZ Alexis
126	COSNEFROY Benoit
127	DILLIER Silvan
	GROUPAMA-FDJ
	DS: Martial Gayant
131	SINKELDAM Ramon
132	MADOUAS Valentin
133	MOLARD Rudy
134	ROUX Anthony
135	SEIGLE Romain
136	VAUGRENARD Benoît
137	CIMOLAI Davide
	UAE-TEAM EMIRATES
	DS: Jose Fernandez
141	FARIA DA COSTA Rui Alberto
142	BONO Matteo
143	MARTIN Daniel
144	MORI Manuele
145	RIABUSHENKO Aliaksandr
146	SUTHERLAND Rory
147	ULISSI Diego
	EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC
	DS: Juan Manuel Garate
151	VANMARCKE Sep
152	CRADDOCK Lawson
153	WOODS Michael
154	HOWES Alex
155	BRESCHEL Matti
156	OWEN Logan
157	URAN Rigoberto
	DIMENSION DATA
	DS: Jean-Pierre Heynderickx
161	SLAGTER Tom Jelte
162	DAVIES Scott
163	GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel
164	VAN ZYL Johann
165	KING Benjamin
166	PAUWELS Serge
167	VENTER Jacobus
	BAHRAIN-MERIDA
	DS: Tristan Hoffman
171	NIBALI Vincenzo
172	BOLE Grega
173	COLBRELLI Sonny
174	IZAGUIRRE Gorka
175	IZAGUIRRE Jon
176	GASPAROTTO Enrico
177	PELLIZOTTI Franco
	ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
	DS: Michael Boogerd
181	WEENING Pieter
182	REINDERS Elmar
183	LIGTHART Pim
184	MEIJERS Jeroen
185	RIESEBEEK Oscar
186	GERTS Floris
187	VAN DER LIJKE Nick
	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
	DS: Kjell Carolstrom
191	GOLDSTEIN Roy
192	JENSEN August
193	NEILANDS Krists
194	BOIVIN Guillaume
195	SBARAGLI Kristian
196	PERRY Benjamin
197	WILLIAMS Tyler
	AQUA BLUE SPORT
	DS: Robert Decnodder
201	CHRISTIAN Mark
202	GATE Aaron
203	DUNBAR Eddie
204	HANSEN Lasse Norman
205	WATSON Calvin
206	PEDERSEN Casper Phillip
207	WARBASSE Larry
	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
	DS: Hans De Clercq
211	PLANCKAERT Edward
212	VERWILST Aaron
213	DELTOMBE Kevin
214	SPRENGERS Thomas
215	VAN GESTEL Dries
216	VAN HECKE Preben
217	WARLOP Jordi
	WANTY–GROUPE GOBERT
	DS: Hilaire Van der Schueren
221	BAUGNIES Jérôme
222	MINNAARD Marco
223	DEVRIENDT Tom
224	PASQUALON Andrea
225	SMITH Dion
226	ANTONINI Simone
227	MCNALLY Mark
	VITAL CONCEPT
	DS: Gilles Pauchard
231	COQUARD Bryan
232	BAGOT Yohan
233	TURGIS Tanguy
234	MOTTIER Justin
235	MÜLLER Patrick
236	PACHER Quentin
237	REZA Kévin
	NIPPO-VINI FANTINI
	DS: Mario Manzoni
241	CUNEGO Damiano
242	TIZZA Marco
243	CANOLA Marco
244	GROSU Eduard Michael
245	KOBAYASHI Marino
246	LOBATO DEL VALLE Juan Jose
247	PONZI Simone