Cunego wins Amstel Gold Race

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

VALKENBURG, The Netherlands (AFP) — Italian Damiano Cunego won the one day cycling classic the Amstel Gold Race, a 257 kilometres ride from Maastricht on Sunday.

The Lampre rider prevailed in a nine-bike dash to the finish on the Commet summit, pulling clear in the final 100 metres of this 43rd edition of the ProTour event.

Luxembourg's Frank Schleck took second, Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde in third with Davide Rebellin and local favourite Thomas Dekker behind.

The leaders surged ahead of the peloton 12km from the line to swallow up Russia's Sergei Ivanov and Christian Pfannberger who had made a break shortly before.

This was the 26-year-old Cunego's first win in a major spring classic and the 2004 Tour of Italy victor, nicknamed 'the little...