Amstel Gold: Poached Preview

The cobbles are all but gone, as are most of the hard men who rule them. For the end of the spring classics season we get hillier terrain and a decidedly skinnier peloton. Amstel Gold kicks it off Sunday. And the hills only get harder with Fleche Wallone on Wednesday and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, which wraps up the season next Sunday.

One other thing about these next three races is that they often give us a sense about who is on form for the Giro d'Italia, which is coming up in just a few weeks. Pay attention, because the FGBC Giro d'Italia Pool is coming soon too. Once the startlists are out, I'll get a list of riders and values up and you can have at it again for the next round. Good times.

CN covers the basics, and includes a brief run-down of a suddenly very different looking list of contenders. Pez also has a nice preview, chalk full of photos. CW also does a nice job. And PdC chimes in with its own rating of the favourites.

Startlists here. Official website here. Live coverage options here.

Odds:

Valverde 7.00
Rebellin 7.50
Cunego 7.50
Ricco 10.00
Freire 11.00
Kirchen 12.00
Schleck F 12.00
Schumacher 13.00
Dekker 14.00
Kroon 17.00
Gilbert 20.00
Hoste 22.00
Rodriguez J 25.00
Gesink 25.00
Wegmann 30.00
Nocentini 35.00

OTT: Wisely, Cracked World View