It’s show time for Merida

Manama : Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team are set to compete in three classic Ardennes Classics this Sunday, then 19 April and 23 April.

On Sunday is the 52nd edition of the Amstel Gold Race, the Dutch race starts from Maastricht and ends in Valkenburg after 261 km. The route of the 2017 edition travels on familiar roads to a new final. Unlike in recent years, is no longer the Cauberg climb lasts but Bemelerberg: a short ascent (900 meters at 4.5%) is crested with 7.3 kilometres remaining.

Three days later will be the turn of Flèche Wallone. The route winds through the hills of the Ardennes with a very hard finish with the Côte de Cherave and the Wall of Huy in the last 7 Kilometres. Both are 1.3 Kilometres, while the first is averaging 8.1% and 9.6% the second.

Then on 23 April 23 is the Liège-Bastogne- Liège over 258 km which takes in ten steep hills with the famous Saint-Nicolas with only 4.5 km left.

“We are coming into an important phase of the season - says General Manager Brent Copeland - to which our goals and objectives have been planned since the start of the season. The team has worked really hard to present itself in the best possible condition for these next appointments and we see the riders and staff very motivated, we are sure the team will be well rewarded.”

Sports Director Alberto Volpi said “In all three races we have a very competitive team. Jon Izaguirre, Sonny Colbrelli, Enrico Gasparotto and Giovanni Visconti have all been shown to be in good condition and I am convinced that we will be protagonists.”

For the Italian Gasparotto Amstel Gold Race is a very special race: “I won in two editions, the latest just last year. It’s a race that I feel and I’m preparing for months. I hope to give 100%.”

Fresh from his third place at the Vuelta al País Vasco, Jon Izaguirre wants to be confirmed even on the streets of Belgium. “Fleche and Liège are fascinating races whose winners are part of the history of this sport.”

Team Bahrain Merida line-ups:

Amstel Gold Race: 

1)Yukiya Arashiro, 

2)Grega Bole, 

3)Sonny Colbrelli, 

4)Ivan Cortina, 

5)Enrico Gasparotto, 

6)Jon Izaguirre, 

7)Giovanni Visconti, 

8)Meiyin Wang

Fleche Wallone: 

1)Yukiya Arashiro, 

2)Grega Bole, 

3)Enrico Gasparotto, 

4)Jon Izaguirre, 

5)Tsgabu Grmay, 

6)Antonio Nibali, 

7)Giovanni Visconti, 

8)Meiyin Wang.

Liège -Bastogne-Liège: 

1)Yukiya Arashiro, 

2)Grega Bole, 

3)Enrico Gasparotto,

4)Tsgabu Grmay, 

5)Jon Izaguirre, 

6)Luka Pibernik, 

7)Giovanni Visconti, 

8)Meiyin Wang.