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Amstel Gold Race, Sunday, April 20. World Cup Round 4, 250.7 km.

This will be a leg breaker with a hilltop finish on the Cauberg after a day that totals 31 climbs. This will be an important form test for Lance Armstrong as the Tour de France gets closer. Armstrong has managed 2nd twice in Holland's only Classic.

Can Van Petegem lever his superb form into 3 Classic wins in a row? Rabobank's Michael Boogerd and Oscar Freire as well as Saeco's Di Luca and Celestino will be there to try to deny him that pleasure. Other potential contenders include Erik Zabel (with teamates Cadel Evans and Daniele Nardello), Francesco Casagrande and Davide Rebellin. Erik Dekker will be there. He says it's to support his Rabobank team because he says his form isn't quite up to snuff. You know, just riding with the guys.

The record for wins in the race is Jan Raas who won it 5 times between 1977 and 1982, earning him the nickname "Amstel Gold Raas".

Complete podium history of the Amstel Gold Race

Results:

1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom). 6hr 1min 3sec. 41.661 km/hr. He escaped from a group of 10, including Boogerd and Armstrong with about 5 km to go. They hesitated and Vino was gone.

2. Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) @ 4sec

3. Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) s.t.

4. Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) s.t.

5. Matthias Kessler (Telekom) s.t.

6. Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) @ 6sec

7. Michele Scarponi (Domina Vacanze) s.t.

8. Lance Armstrong (US Postal) @ 8sec

9. Angel Vicioso (ONCE) @ 12sec

10. Igor Astarloa (Saeco) @ 20sec

11. Sergei Ivanov (Fassa Bortolo) @ 31sec

12. Gianni Faresin (Gerolsteiner) s.t.

13. Laurent Dufaux (Alessio) @ 46sec

14. Oscar Freire (Rabobank) s.t.

15. Erik Zabel (Telekom) s.t.

16. Michele Bartoli (Fassa Bortolo) s.t.

17. Luca Paolini (Quick Step) s.t.

18. Javier Pasqual Rodriguez (ONCE) s.t.

19. Frank Vandenbroucke (Quick Step) s.t.

20. Mario Aerts (Telekom) s.t.

 

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