pics by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Gerolsteiner’s Stefan Schumacher hit the big time with an impressive win in the Amstel Gold Race, jumping away within the last 3km from a small group that had earlier escaped over the Eyserbosweg climb. Team mate Davide Rebellin’s presence in the group ensured that the chasers, Alejandro Valverde, Danilo Di Luca, Paolo Bettini,
Michael Boogerd and Matthias Kessler, would be reluctant to go too hard to bring him back, and the German arrived at the foot of the Cauberg with a substantial lead, which he held on the vicious climb to finish with 21 seconds in hand.

Schumacher had earlier been a possible non-starter after crashing in the Tour of the Basque Country and cutting his knee, receiving a wound that needed 12 stitches.

1 Stefan Schumacher Gerolsteiner
2 Davide Rebellin Gerolsteiner
3 Danilo Di Luca Liquigas
4 Matthias Kessler Astana
5 Michael Boogerd Rabobank
6 Alejandro Valverde Caisse d’Epargne
7 Paolo Bettini Quickstep-Innergetic
8 Oscar Freire Rabobank
9 Riccardo Riccò Saunier Duval-Prodir
10 Fränk Schleck Team CSC