hillYes, it's that time of the year again. It's the classic cycle routes again. Remember I updated a year ago I screamed: "Go, go, go" to Michael Boogerd, that Danilo di Luca won? Well, today it was that same race again. It's the Amstel Gold Race. The only real proffesional one-day-race we have we here in Holland. Ofcourse we have the Eneco Benelux Tour. That's a bit the same like the Tour, the Vuelta and the Giro. Only smaller. But it doesn't only go trough the Netherlands also trough Belgium and Luxemburg. At least it should be going trough Luxemburg, but it doesn't. And we have the teams-time-trail in Eindhoven. But that is new. And so the Amstel Gold Race is only real cycling race we have. And big names won there. Alexandre Vinokourov, Michael Boogerd, Bjarne Riis etc. Lance Armstrong became second once. So it's pretty good. And yes today was it again. But I didn't scream today. No, Franck Schleck had sprung away like 13 km in front of the finish. And then Steffen Wesemann sprung away in 3 km in front of the finish. So Schleck number 1 and Wesemann number 2. And Boogerd. He could have won today. He became 3rd. But just because the people didn't want to spring away, because they were afraid of each other. And it was clear that Boogerd would become 3rd, cause he was in a lot in front when they finished.
I did some good bussiness for my "Director Sportive". That's a sort of game in which you have to get 10 cyclers and that's your 'team'. And they score points for you, the entire year. And during all the races I already got at least one cyclers on the podium. With exception of Gent-Welvegem. My 10 cyclers are:
1. Tom Boonen
2. Paolo Bettini
3. Filippo Pozatto
4. Robbie McEwen
5. Juan Antonio Flecha
6. Michael Boogerd
7. Michael Rogers
8. Stefan Schumacher
9. Ivan Basso
10. Alejandro Valverde
And in the races?
Milan-San Remo won by Pozatto
Tour des Flandres won by Boonen
Paris-Roubaix won by Cancelera (but Boonen became 2nd)
Amstel Gold Race won by Franck Schleck (but Boogerd became 3rd)
So for now I am doing pretty good. I am counting on Basso for de Giro and the Tour. And Valverde is my card for the Vuelta and I am hoping for a good Tour for him.
But good the Amstel Gold was today. Personally I like the Amstel Gold more then others it has some good hills in the end. And that makes it pretty exciting. Like today. The moment when Schleck sprung away was on a hill. And also Wegemann sprung away on a hill. And the deciding move from Boogerd? On a hill too. The finish is on top of a hill. Only poor Boogerd. Poor poor Boogerd. Again 3rd. Again on the podium. But again no winner. I surely hope he wins it again or at least another race then. He deserves it. He's one of the better current drivers. For a single-day-course then. Of the not-sprinters (Boonen is a sprinter) he's the 2nd best I think. The 1st best? Bettini. No-one can beat a Bettini at his best. But Bettini didn't win the Amstel Gold tough. Boogerd should...and soon. He's planning the end of his carreer. Maybe not next year. But it's coming soon. And he deserves another Amstel Gold Race on his CV.
