Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) continued his remarkable spring with victory at a particularly exciting edition of the Amstel Gold Race, which seemed to benefit from the much-discussed removal of the Cauberg as the final climb of the day.
The race had faced criticism for becoming a waiting game until the Cauberg finale, but Gilbert, who won the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago, formed part of a decisive selection that formed on the Kruisberg 40 kilometres out. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) wasn’t in that initial move, but the fellow former world champion jumped up to the head of the race 10km later and he and Gilbert emerged as the strongest two in the race, forging clear together over the Bemelberg, the final climb of the day.
The five-man chase lacked cohesion and firepower, and the duo had quite a lead heading into the final kilometre, whereupon the game of cat and mouse began. Kwiatkowski forced Gilbert to the front before delivering a stinging acceleration, but in the slight headwind it proved too far out as Gilbert slowly but surely got himself back on terms and came round to celebrate his fourth win in this Ardennes Classics opener.
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