Watch that time Phillippe Gilbert absolutely crushed it on the final climb to win Amstel Gold
The Belgian annihilated his competition on the Cauberg
Photo by:
Sirotti
Belgian Philippe Gilbert took his third Amstel Gold race in 2014 with an incredible attack up the Cauberg. In 2012 Gilbert triumphed in the World Championships on the same finale. It was his third Amstel Gold title.
Early on, a breakaway formed. Ten riders had 14:30 over the Movistar and Orica-GreenEdge-powered peloton at the first of four passes up the Cauberg and 7:30 by the second pass. It was an attack from Nicola Boem (Italy/Bardiani-CSF) on the steep Gulpenerberg with 47 km to go that animated the race. His move whittled the break down to six men.
Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) bolted from the main group on the Kruisberg with 39 km to go, taking five strong riders with him. Up ahead Christophe Riblon (France/Ag2r) and Preben Van Hecke (Belgium/Topsport Vlaanderen) rolled up the Keutenberg as the last remnants of the breakaway with 1:58 over the reinforced Voeckler chase and 2:18 over the peloton.
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The race continued over the third pass of the Cauberg with 21 km to go, the Voeckler chase just dangling off the front of the reduced, Omega Pharma-QuickStep-led peloton and the intrepid duo beating on ahead.
Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark/Astana) and Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium/BMC) lit out from the chase group before it was swallowed up with 13 km to go and two climbs left. Before the penultimate climb, the Bemelerberg, the leading duo became a quartet. However, with 7 km to go, the race was all together.
Pieter Weening (The Netherlands/Orica-GreenEdge) put in a strong dig before the final Cauberg ascent with Marcus Burghardt (Germany/BMC) ushering Gilbert to the front of the bunch. Then Gilbert’s teammate Sammy Sanchez attacked on the Cauberg proper, forcing a response from Simon Gerrans (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge), Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland/Omega Pharma) and Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar). But Gilbert accelerated on the left side of the road with intent and crested the hill alone.
With a tailwind, Gilbert powered the final 1.8 km to victory. Check out his incredible attack below.
