Robert Gesink will lead the Dutch Rabobank team to its home classic, the Amstel Gold, on Sunday. The 23-year-old will be hoping to improve on his third place of last year, building on the good form he showed in last week’s Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where he finished 9th overall. He will be supported by a team made up of riders who were with him in Pais Vasco, as well as some who have been racing in the spring classics.
A crash on the penultimate stage of Pais Vasco saw Gesink lose over a minute to stage winner Joaquin Rodriguez, and with it any hope of race victory. The incident also left him with injuries to his hip, elbow and hand – the elbow requiring four stitches – but he is recovering well and should be fully fit.
Also in the team is Milano-Sanremo winner Oscar Freire. Despite being a sprinter, the Spaniard is well capable of climbing the short, sharp Limburg hills and has a number of top ten finishes in the race. His three second places in the first three stages of Pais Vasco (one of which was through disqualification, after he crossed the line first) show that Oscarito is still on form.
Also returning to the team, having sat out last Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, is Belgian Nick Nuyens, who finished eighth in the Amstel Gold last year.
Rabobank also has plenty of Amstel experience directing the race from the team car in the form of 2001 winner Erik Dekker (the last Dutchman to win), and 1991 winner Frans Maassen.
Rabobank team to Amstel Gold:
Lars Boom, Laurens ten Dam, Oscar Freire, Robert Gesink, Sebastian Langeveld, Paul Martens, Nick Nuyens and Bram Tankink.
Reserve: Maarten Tjallingii.