In praise of the Cauberg
The strip of tarmac that rises from the pretty Dutch town of Valkenburg, gaining 68 metres of elevation on its 900-metre ascent is at first glance, nothing special. Add 200 of the world’s best cyclists and thousands of spectators, however, and this unique stretch of asphalt takes on a different aspect: a stage on which scenes of great drama are played out, seemingly to order.
The tale of this year’s Amstel Gold Race may seem uninspiring to any denied the pleasure of watching it unfold: the last survivors of an early breakaway hauled back by a long-docile peloton finally stirred to action before an uphill sprint won by a rider who had triumphed there on three of his four previous visits. Any who witnessed the action will say different, however.
It speaks volumes for the Cauberg that rather than delivering a predictable denouement, it serves up excitement almost to order. There is no hard and fast rule that states a 250km bike race will be decided in the closing kilometre, particularly one with 34 climbs, and yet the prospect of the Amstel Gold Race going to the wire is one that entices cycling fans to Valkenburg in their thousands each year.
It’s rare to praise the UCI as wise, but by choosing the Cauberg as the final scene for the 2012 world road race championships, cycling’s world governing body almost guaranteed themselves an exciting finish. Organisers of the Amstel Gold Race are fortunate indeed to be able to call on its miraculous powers of excitement every year.
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