44th Amstel Gold - Live Part 1
The early break of six riders out to prove that resistance is not futile - up the road with a  3 minute gap...

The peloton crowds on the climb of one of the 31 bergs.  Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

Welcome to our live coverage of the 44th edition of the Amstel Gold race. With 31 classified climbs, the Amstel Gold race could barely be any more different from the flat, yet brutal terrain of the Paris - Roubaix race that were passed over last weekend. Nonetheless, the 258km ride today, setting off from Maastricht should provide us with another exciting day of racing.

Frank Schleck climbs with the peloton on the Gulperberg. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

 191 riders set out this morning, with Cervelo's Dan Lloyd not taking the start. 2008 winner Damiano Cungeo (Lampre, Bib #1) is seeking back-to-back victories, while Alejandro Valverde will be looking to add this race to his list of successes, that contains  Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. However, many are questioning whether the Spaniard (Bib #48) will be focused on the race following recent off the bike allegations.

 Team Saxo Bank could be a team to look out for; Alexandr Kolobnev (Bib # 171) and both the Schleck brothers have placed highly in big single day events. Kolobnev placed 2nd in the Stuggart World Championships of 2007, and fourth in the Olympic Road Race last year. Andy Schleck trailed his team-mate in Beijing, while brother Frank was a winner here in 2006. He was beaten into second by Cunego last year, so will be a marked man over the tricky climbs.

My outside bet for today is Nick Nuyens, riding for Rabobank. Being on home soil, his team will want to show their sponsor off to their home nation - Oscar Freire may be their leader today, but I can't see him placing well at the top of the Cauberg.

1504 CEST - 170 km, 88km to go We join the race in progress... A breakaway group have a lead of around 3 minutes and 20 seconds on the Peloton. The riders upfront are Yukiya Arashiro (Bouygues Telecom), Katusha's Sergei Klimov (Katusha), Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano), Borut Bozic (Vacansoliel), Niki Terpstra (Milram) and Rubens Bertogliati (Diquigiovanni).  The break escaped just a handful of kilometres after the race got underway at 10:15am.

The six man break  Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

 The gap soared to around thirteen minutes, prompting Caisse d'Epargne, Rabobank and Euskatel to chase. With 130km to go, the gap was around 7'15", and 30km down the road, the Peloton had gained three minutes on the escapees.

1514 CEST - The race hits the Cauberg for the second time. The Peloton are 2'14" behind our six leaders.

 1516 CEST - Thomas Dekker: 'The Bosberg is the key moment, it's always important to be at the front there'. Samuel Sanchez: 'It's a race I like, I like the finish of the Cauberg. The race is the essence of Cycling; it's man versus man. Team work and earpieces have little significance'.

1519 CEST - The gap is down to 1'29". Oscar Freire is having a dig off the Peloton, and while he isn't getting very far the pace is increasing. Team mate Stef Clement is struggling at the back of the pack. The Spaniard is continuing his attack.

CRASH - a Lotto rider is down. So is FRANK SCHLECK.  He is not moving, possibly a problem with his Collarbone. A neck brace goes on, and the Medical Ambulance is there. Four people are around Schleck, and the Lotto rider is Matthew Lloyd. Schleck is moving both legs, while Lloyd still shows few signs of movement.

The break climbs the Gulperberg   Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

1525 CEST - 68km to go. Our six man leading group have a lead of around 1'25". They will be reeled in before too long. There appears to be a 20 man group ahead of the main peloton, though the information over Race Radio is extremely patchy at the moment. Potentially, this could have stemmed from the pressure applied by Oscar Freire. Tony Martin is in it. I think the leading group are sitting up for this second group.

Just in: In the first stage of the Jelajah Tour in Malaysia,  veteran Japanese rider, Makoto IIjima (Bridgestone Anchor) took the win and leaders jersey with Amir Zargari of (Azad University ) second and neo-por Ahmad Haidar Anuawar (Trek Marco Polo) third.

1529 CEST - Schleck and Lloyd are still lying on the road. I think Schleck may have broken his Collarbone.  Albersini is also in the second group, and I believe Gustav Erik Larsson is in it too.  Garmin and Liquigas also have riders in this second group.

1531 CEST - Niki Terpstra has attacked from the leading group, He has gained a sizeable lead on his companions, while Lloyd is getting stretchered into an Ambulance. Frank Schleck is still lying flat, this is a serious accident sadly. Schleck was targeting this Race, and was also being tipped to do well in the Tour de France.Schleck is going into the Ambulance, a concerned Bjarne Riis is looking on worryingly. Let's hope it proves to be less damaging than it appears at the moment.

Milram's Terpstra is still alone upfront. Skil Shimano, BBox Bougyues Telecom, Francaise des Jeux and Columbia (possibly Pinotti) represented in the second group. Katusha have a rider there too, it's Albert Timmer.

Niki Terpstra attacks the break. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

 1540 CEST - 41km to go. The six leaders have just passed over the Bemelerberg, Climb 23 out of 31; the Wolfsberg is next on the menu in 8 kilometers.

1545 CEST - Ryder Hesjedal and Valerio Agnoli are in the chase group. Terpstra is alone, and a mix of the original six man group and the twenty chasers have formed in persuit of the leader. It appears that seven riders are chasing the Milram rider, while the others have dropped back to the Caisse d'Epargne led Peloton. 

Freire and Agnoli have caught Terpstra.  It's actually Marcus Burghardt (Columbia) who is upfront; he has just bridged the gap up to the three man lead group. Earlier, we had thought it was Tony Martin and/or Marco Pinotti. Burghardt won Gent Wevelgem in 2007, and has gone straight to the front to inject some pace. Four in the lead chase group: Terpstra, Agnoli, Burghardt and Freire, this group has possibilities, the only question is if they have gone too early.

1548 CEST - The Peloton almost grinds to a standstill as a narrow 90 degree right turn almost catches an Euskatel rider out. Oscar Pereiro is pulling hard on the peloton. It appears that it is just our 4 man lead group out front now, with everyone else having been caught.

1552 CEST - 48km to go, 15 seconds is the gap between our leaders and the Peloton. Parts of this route are ridiculously narrow, and littered with unnecessary street furniture. Lots of 'Traffic Calming Measures', as they are described back in the UK.

If Damiano Cungeo wins today, the winners of Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix and Amstel Gold will have been the winners of the respective races from 2008.

1600 CEST - 15 seconds is the gap. Our leading group is Oscar Freire (Rabobank, #121), Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas #101), Niki Terpstra (Milram, #165) and Marcus Burghardt (Columbia, #143) More street furniture.......tut tut.

1603 CEST - The Peloton does not seem to have much urgency to it. No one team is pulling hard. Apparently Frank Schleck suffered a blow to his head;although he wanted to get back on his bike before being told otherwise. The TV Cameras pick up Alejandro Valverde, who looks calm despite the events of the past couple of weeks. He's in second wheel as his team mobilize up front. Johan Van Summeren is upfront too, as is Sylvain Chavanel.

Mick Rogers attacks on the Gulperberg  Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

1606 CEST - The leaders reach Slenaken, which comes with 39 km remaining. the leaders are on the Climb 25 - The Loorberg - 1500 metres long with an average gradient of 6%. The Peloton are over the top of the climb now, the gap to our leaders isn't too big at all now. Dries Devenyns (Quick Step, 115) has attacked from the Peloton.  He's about half way between the leading 4 and the main pack. About six kilometers to the Gulperberg which will try the riders road weary legs with its 10% average gradient.

1613 CEST - The group has been caught, and it is Devenyns alone upfront. He has a few seconds on the back, currently being led by Columbia.

1614 CEST - Mechelen, 32km to go. Our lone leader is still riding hard, but the Peloton are on his trail. The pack is strung out, with many riders struggling to hold the wheel in front. There's been a crash in the Peloton, Johan Coenen (Vlaanderen, #222) has just changed his bike. Upfront Michael Rogers (Columbia, #148) has joined up with Devenyns. The duo have a lead of 5 seconds, which is about to be bridged.

Rogers catches Yukiya Arashiro    Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti  

We hit climb 26, the Gulperberg - An attack from Liquigas. - 28km to go.

1624 CEST - A small breakaway group of about six riders has emerged from the attacks over the Gulperberg. 6 bergs left on the menu as we approach our finale in Valkenburg.

Our Live Coverage Continues in Part 2

44th Amstel Gold - Parcours, Map & Bergs
"44th Amstel Gold - Start List
The Amstel Gold Race - A Historical View
44th Amstel Gold - 2009 Favorites

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Remaining Bergs
230.9 km - 26. Gulperberg, asphalt
    Height: 155 metres Length: 600 metres Slope: 10%
236.0 km - 27. Kruisberg, poor asphalt
    Height: 160 metres Length: 700 metres Slope: 8%
238.1 km - 28. Eyserbosweg, poor asphalt
    Height: 180 metres Length: 900 metres Slope: 11.5%
241.8 km - 29. Fromberg Afvaartweg, asphalt
    Height: 165 metres Length: 1600 metres Slope: 5%
 246.3 Km - 30. Keutenberg  asphalt
    Height: 160 metres Length: 1200 metres Slope: 8%

 257.7 km - 31. Cauberg 250 (.9 km to finish) asphalt #3
    Height: 130 metres Length: 1000 metres Slope: 8%
 258.6 km Finish Valkenburg