Road Bike Racing - Amstel Gold Race

The youngest race on the spring World Cup calendar takes place this Sunday in the Maastricht region of Holland.

Visit the following link, click on "Route" and view the animated route map. This is easily the best course walk-through available online and the Amstel Gold parcours is as confusing as they come.

www.amstelgoldrace.com

That's a cool way to look at the route. I look forward to the race.

That is cool, great find!

Ok, I didn't review the course very well before I picked Zabel. The finish is uphill this year and I think that favors Freire and Bettini.

I think Boogerd has a chance if he gets away, but if he finishes in a group with Freire, he will definitely be the guy who sacrifices himself at the bottom of the final climb to take the pressure of Freire. This could be a scenario that leads to victory for Boogerd if no one wants to chase and take Freire with them. I just don't see Freire/Rabobank sitting on their hands here if Boogerd has the company of another sprinter after the big climb in the middle of the circuit. Freire is Rabobank's fast man now and he's the guy they want at the finish of every race, even if this is home territory for Boogerd.

If a break of say Rebellin, Boogerd, VDB, Vino, and Bartoli types get away, all-rounders and no pure sprinters, Rabobank might ride for Boogerd, but I think Boogerd is still a lottery pick unless he's alone. At the finish, Bettini is a better climber than Freire, but Freire can ascend when he wants to(as can Zabel for that matter) and is a faster finisher.

If a strong group of all rounders gets away and Vino's in it, I pick him.

I always want to see my man Mirko win and he's definitely in there with a chance.

Barring MSR, picking the favorites has been a loser's game this year. Who knows what will happen.

Nice win for Rebellin!

Nice win for Rebellin!

Good to see him beat someone in a sprint. He outfoxed Boogerd, but Boogerd has to be alone to win.

Good to see him beat someone in a sprint. He outfoxed Boogerd, but Boogerd has to be alone to win.

This has to give Rebellin confidence heading into Liege next weekend. He has come so close before.

I'm sure Lance Armstrong enjoys this victory almost as much as Rebellin. Boogerd sat on Armstrong's wheel in the 1999 edition for what seemed like an eternity, coming around him to take the two-man sprint for the win. When Vinokourov won last year, Armstrong spent the finale of the race marking Boogerd, frustrating him to no end (see www.amstelgoldrace.com, 2003 report, for starters).

Interesting note for Dekker fans...

In the 2001 edition, much to the chagrin of his team car, Dekker worked with Armstrong all the way to the 1 km kite. They then lined up side by side to start the sprint.

Boogerd sat on Armstrong's wheel in the 1999 edition for what seemed like an eternity, coming around him to take the two-man sprint for the win.

That year Raas sat in the team car for Rabobank and ordered Boogerd not to work. I don't remember for how many kilos Boogerd road in Armstrong's draft, but I know it was a long way, and that was a flat finish. After all that, he didn't win that one by much.