By winning today's Amstel Gold Race in commanding fashion, Philippe Gilbert (BMC) again proved that he rules on the Cauberg when he is on the top of his game. With two out of four wins in the hilly classics now already in the pocket, Gilbert could not avoid questions about his ability to repeat his fantastic winning streak of 2011 but the former world champion insisted that he was better back then.

BMC Racing Team's Philippe Gilbert soloed to victory Sunday at Amstel Gold Race to win for the third time in five years. On the same finish where he soloed to win the 2012 world road title, Gilbert put in a vicious attack the fourth and final time up the Cauberg climb.

In the clear over the top, he powered his bike to a gap that kept growing until he started celebrating in the final 50 meters of the 251.4-kilometer race.

"This was a particularly emotional win for me," Gilbert said. "My wife and my kids were here for the first time in two years. So to win will be something they will never forget. I have been dreaming of this." J

elle Vanendert (Lotto Belisol) was runner-up five seconds later and Simon Gerrans (ORICA-GreenEDGE) finished third. Also a winner here in 2010 and 2011, Gilbert's victory was his second straight after holding off Michael Matthews (ORICA-GreenEDGE) Wednesday at Brabantse Pijl.

BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said the performance re-confirms the importance of the hard work the team put in during its winter training. "This victory was a result of perfectly-executed strategy and 100 percent delivery by the team of that strategy, from start to finish," he said. "I give full compliments to everybody: the riders, managers, staff, all the way down the line."

The entirety of the BMC Racing Team played a part in the team's ninth win of the season. Past Olympic road race champion Samuel Sánchez attacked at the foot of the Cauberg to set up Gilbert's winning move after Marcus Burghardt escorted him into a forward position on the descent leading to the climb.

Earlier, Greg Van Avermaet covered an attack by Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) with 30 km to go in a move that was not brought back until seven kilometers remained. And Ben Hermans, Dominik Nerz, Michael Schär and Peter Velits all contributed to the chase of the day's breakaway when its gap peaked at nearly 13 minutes after about 100 kilometers.

"My teammates really did a great job before the final ascension of the Cauberg," Gilbert said. "They all did a very good job to place me in the best position. During the briefing, it was planned for Samuel to do an attack at the foot of the Cauberg. It was not a surprise for me, but I think it was one for my adversaries. I only had to wait for the best moment to attack. And I did that when it was most difficult and hurting for everyone."

“It’s a Classic with the same high level of riders as in the Worlds. The best are here, just as they were back then. I was in a good position at the foot of the Cauberg, then it was planned that Sánchez would attack and when he did, that made it even tougher for my rivals.

“I waited a bit longer, then I went for it on the inside part of the curve, taking the final part of the climb at 100 percent. I had been worried that the tailwind we’d had on the previous ascents of the Cauberg might change, because sometimes that happens here in the afternoon, the wind changes direction, but in fact it didn’t, so that was perfect."

“I was a bit stronger then than I was this time around, I’d already won other races earlier in the season,” he said when asked to compare his form with the one he had in 2011. “At BMC it’s a bit different- I do work for the other riders, [Cadel] Evans, Tejay [van Garderen] in some of the stage races so I don’t have so many opportunities, but then when they have to work for me, I do them better."

Gilbert was pleased to be on the podium with former teammate Vanendert.

“He’s a former teammate and a friend of mine, and on top of that he called me last summer, saying he’d dreamed the two of us finished first and second in Liège. Well, it wasn’t Liège, but it came true here.”