Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team has announced the selection that will take part in Amstel Gold Race - the first race of the Ardennes Classics - on Sunday.

The 48th edition of the race includes 33 climbs in 251.8 km. The parcour also includes three circuits around Valkenberg. There are two small changes for the race in 2013: The finale is in the same place as the UCI Road World Championships, 1.8 km from the legendary Cauberg in Valkenberg. Also, the finishing circuit now includes the Geulhemmerberg climb on the way to Maastricht, then the Bemelerberg before the final. More climbing means extra difficulty, and an increased possibility of a select group deciding the race.

Hoping to build on his promising showing at the recently concluded Vuelta al País Vasco Peter Velits remains undaunted by the enhanced difficulty of an already challenging race, however.

"At Vuelta al País Vasco I was pretty good. I was second in a stage and present in a long breakaway. I was only struggling one, but for the rest it was good. País Vasco gave me a few good signals for the upcoming races, even if a one day race is different from a short stage race. But I'm motivated. On these roads we became World Champions last year with the team [in the inaugural world team time trial championships]. Today during the training on the Cauberg I was thinking about it. I hope it's going to be a good race for the team. Here we can play with more cards and we will try to obtain some good results."

Omega Pharma-Quick Step line-up for Amstel Gold Race:

Michal Kwiatkowski (POL)
Gianni Meersman (BEL)
Jerome Pineau (FRA)
Pieter Serry (BEL)
Niki Terpstra (NED)
Kristof Vandewalle (BEL)
Martin Velits (SVK)
Peter Velits (SVK)

Starting at 14.30 on Sunday you can follow the action from Amstel Gold Race live here on Cyclingquotes.com