Former winner Enrico Gasparotto (Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team) expressed his satisfaction with his result at the end of Amstel Gold Race (1.UWT) yesterday. The Italian finished in third place behind the winner, Dane Michael Valgren (Astana Pro Team) and the Czech rider Roman Kreuziger (Mitchelton-Scott).

Valgren had attacked after the final climb of the Bemelerberg with five kilometres remaining of the 263-kilometre race. Krueziger, who won Amstel Gold in 2013 managed to bridge across to Valgren. Gasparotto also tried to make it across but his effort just fell short as he finished two seconds behind the leading pair.

“When the attack went, I immediately looked at both Peter Sagan and Alejandro Valverde,” said Gasparotto who won the race in 2012 and 2016, “and when I realised that they would not pursue them, I thought I had to try to follow them because I would have surely lost at the bunch sprint”.

“With 400 metres to go, I thought I would reach the two attackers but I missed the moment. I am sincerely happy. I am 36 years old, I have done a race always in the front and the Amstel continues to give me most beautiful emotions and this is a great thing.”

“Today Enrico had “Super-legs,” explained Bahrain Merida Directeur Sportif Tristan Hoffman, “and also the squad worked very well. We were always in the heart of the race and in the finale we were numerous in the first positions of the peloton. Wednesday is Fleche Wallonne, a different race but where we can really make a good result.”

“The tactics that we decided in the morning was to make the race harder with 50km to go and this we did,” confirmed Valgren’s team-mate Grega Bole.

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