THE HAGUE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippe Gilbert won the Dutch cycling classic Amstel Gold Race for the second consecutive time on Sunday.

After 260.4 kilometers from Maastricht to Valkenburg, the Belgian rider of the Omega Pharma-Lotto team took the victory on the final climb of the Cauberg.

Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain finished second for team Katusha ahead of Simon Gerrans of Australia from Team Sky who captured a third spot. Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark ended fourth for team Leopard and Alexandr Kolobnev of Russia, also from Katusha, had to settle for a fifth place.

A chasing group of fifteen riders were hunting for Andy Schleck in the final fifteen kilometers and the Leopard team cyclist from Luxemburg was caught on the Cauberg. Rodriguez went for the win on the last climb, but Gilbert grabbed the victory in superior style.

Gilbert became the second rider to win the Amstel Gold Race two years in a row. Dutchman Jan Raas was the first to do this. He won the event four years in a row between 1977 and 1980.