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Belgium takes possession of the Cauberg

Belgium's Philippe Gilbert of the BMC team has won the Dutch cycling classic "Amstel Gold Race" in Maastricht for the 3rd time. After a short but impressive solo effort, he was followed by the Fleming Jelle Vanendert, a small success for the Belgian Lotto team after a spring season marred by crashes and troubles.

After several riders tried a breakaway, the bunch was back together in the final 10 kilometres in the lead-up to the 4th and final climb of the Cauberg in Maastricht, in the Dutch Limburg province.

The hilly race included no fewer than 34 climbs on small and winding roads over a total of 251 kilometres. It was Philippe Gilbert who accelerated on the Cauberg, setting up a solo effort as nobody could follow. Unlike previous years, the finish was not on top of the Cauberg, but 2 kilometres further. "This suits me less", Gilbert says, but he continued his effort from the top and won anyway.

It's Gilbert's 3rd success in the Gold Race and his 66th victory as a professional rider. In the background, Jelle Vanendert managed a breakaway from a small group to claim second place. Simon Gerrans of Australia came 3rd. The Cauberg is Gilbert's favourite playground, it seems. He also became World Champion on the Cauberg in 2012.

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