 He finished fifth, 19 seconds behind the victor, Maxim Iglinsky of , and said that he was happy with his performance.In April, Hesjedal earned a place on the podium in one of the Ardennes classics, the Amstel Gold Race, which ran through the Dutch hills for .In the final kilometer, he attempted to follow the acceleration produced by Philippe Gilbert on the steep Cauberg, but had to settle for second place, two seconds behind Gilbert.