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168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Simon Gerrans had a disappointing Ardennes campaign in his first season with Team Sky last year but proved he can be an Ardennes classic contender with third place at the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Amstel Gold Race behind 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Philippe Gilbert (168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Omega Pharma-Lotto) and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha).

He didn't have the kick to go wit🦹h Gilbert on the Cauberg as he stormed after Rodriguez and then on to the finish line but finished wellไ to take third ahead of Jacob Fuglsang (Leopard Trek), Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) and Oscar Freire (Rabobank). He was rightly pleased with his performance.

"I'm really pleasedꦬ with this third place. Two years ago I was really competitive in these races. Last yea🍸r I didn't have a really great classics campaign but I'm really wrapped to be back up there at the top end of the race," he said after the press conference.

"It was quite difficult coming to these races last year and not being competitive after some mishaps leading up to them. But the team backed me in this race again and this is a really for my team, not only Team Sky but also my little team back in Monaco of my coach, myꦡ trainer and my wife."

Gerrans has had a low profile start to the season 💙as Team Sky focused on the cobbled classics and so chose a conservative race strategy.

"I waited for the selectioඣn, then 💙put it on the line and tried to do the best I could on the Cauberg," he explained.

"I just wen🌠t as hard as I could from the bottom and perhaps had a little bit longer effort in my legs tha𝓰n the other guys. Rodriguez got a really good jump on us; Philippe went after him and the straight past. I tried to kick with Philippe, but then maintained it and took it all the way to the finish line."

Impressed with Gilbert

Gerrans often trains with Philippe Gilbert in Monaco and their families spend time together away from races. He knew he would be make 🐬a strong attack on the Cauberg and was in the right place to go with him but didn't have the power to respond.

"It was an incredible ride th🍷at he did today. When he had to do some work himself in the final kilo🎶metres I thought it might make it difficult for him in the finale and that it was coming together nicely for me," Gerrans said.

"I thought that if I stayed right on his hip and right with h🅠im when he kicked, then I could go with him. But then he unleashed that aℱcceleration that he has and it blew everyone away. It was an impressive ride," Gerrans said.

Up there in Fleche-Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Team Sky will strengthen their team for Fleche-Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Gerrans is convinced this will further help his chance of success later in the week. He wa♔s sixth in Liege-Bastogne-L𝔍iege in 2009 and eighth in Fleche-Wallonne.

"We're bringing 𝄹in a few different guys for Fleche and Liege. We've got Rigoberto Uran and Thomas ꧙Lökvist and this was Steve Cummings' first Amstel Gold Race but he's done Fleche and Liege before. So I think we'll have a stronger team for the next few races," he reasoned.

"I think I can be competitive in Fleche and Liege too. In the last few years, my best results have come in Liege and so I'm feeling good and hope to be up♓ there again."