2024 Amstel Gold Race Preview: The cobbled Classics at the moment are simply mud within the wind and by way of the Brabantse Pijl, we transfer onto the hilly Classics. The Amstel Gold Race is that this Sunday, April 14th and the kind of riders modifications from the tough roads specialists to those that may climb, besides perhaps one… Mathieu van der Poel. There are different doable winners, we listing the favourites and take a look at the course and historical past.
Eddy Merckx ‘solely’ received Amstel twice
The Amstel Historical past
The Amstel Gold Race was first run in 1966, making it one of many youngest Classics. The Dutch race was a dream of Herman Krott who ran the Amstel Bier crew, a crew which nurtured riders like Fedor den Hertog, Joop Zoetemelk, Gerrie Knetemann, Gert-Jan Theunisse and Leo van Vliet, however he was engaged on a Dutch Traditional. He wished a race that may be on a par with the Tour of Flanders and Milano-Sanremo. His meant route was from Amsterdam to Maastricht, however that turned out to be unfeasible. Breda was begin city and the end was in Meerssen and held on Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag) 1966.
The primary Amstel winner – Jean Stablinski, right here with Jacques Anquetil
The winner of the primary version was Jean Stablinski. A Polish, naturalised Frenchman, was additionally a World champion, a Classics and Vuelta a España winner. It was Stablinski final huge win, for Krott he was a giant fish to start out the listing of winner. The Amstel Gold Race just isn’t one of many Monuments, however the listing of winners incorporates all the massive names: Eddy Merckx (twice), Gerrie Knetemann (twice), Freddy Maertens, Jan Raas (5 instances), Steven Rooks, Joop Zoetemelk, Jelle Nijdam, Eric Van Lancker, Adrie van der Poel, Frans Maassen, Johan Museeuw, Bjarne Riis, Michael Boogerd, Erik Zabel, Erik Dekker, Michele Bartoli, Alexandre Vinokourov, Davide Rebellin, Fränk Schleck, Philippe Gilbert (4 instances), Enrico Gasparotto, Mathieu van der Poel, Michał Kwiatkowski, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar.
Three of the highest Dutch riders of the 70s and 80s: The late Gerrie Knetemann, Jan Raas and Hennie Kuiper within the 1977 Amstel Gold Race. This was the primary Amstel win for Raas when he rode for Frisol, his different 4 wins had been for Raleigh. Knetemann received twice, first in 1974 after which once more 11 years later in 1985. Kuiper by no means received his house race.
The house nation has probably the most winners with eighteen victories, adopted by Belgium on 13 and 7 for Italy. The final house win dates from 2019, when Mathieu van der Poel was the final Dutchman to win in 2019. In 2021 Wout van Aert beat Tom Pidcock by a millimetre. In 2022 Michał Kwiatkowski out-sprinted Benoît Cosnefroy, after the Pole had attacked with 21 kilometres to go after which final 12 months Tadej Pogačar stamped everywhere in the race for a solo win (see under).
Race founder Herman Krott
Race founder Krott handed away in 2010. In 1996, Krott handed over the job of race director to Leo van Vliet, who shall be on the head of his twenty eighth Amstel race on Sunday. It can even be Leo van Vliet’s final time on the helm of the Amstel Gold Race. In 2025 the Amstel Gold Race may have a brand new organiser and Flanders Classics will take over, though Van Vliet will nonetheless stay race director. Krott’s legacy is remembered by the Herman Krott Trophy, for probably the most combative rider within the Amstel race.
Philippe Gilbert received Amstel 4 instances
The 2023 Amstel Gold Race
Tadej Pogačar was the highest favorite earlier than the beginning of the Amstel Gold Race and lived as much as his No.1 billing. The Slovenian put in his closing assault on the Keutenberg, 30 kilometres from the end. He dropped Tom Pidcock and Ben Healy to solo to victory. Healy was second and Pidcock simply held on for third.
The break of the day got here early. Mathias Vacek (Trek-Segafredo), Leon Heinschke (DSM), Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies), Ward Vanhoof (Flanders-Baloise), Tobias Ludvigsson & Alessandro Fedeli (Q36.5) and Marin Urianstad (Uno-X) bought collectively and constructed up a lead of 5 minutes. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than UAE Staff Emirates, for prime favorite Tadej Pogačar, began chasing. The break nonetheless had a lead when the began the Maasberg, Adsteeg, Korenweg and Nijswillerweg, the primary foremost climbs of the day. Ninety kilometres from the end, Alpecin-Deceuninck began the finalé. The Belgian crew had been with out Mathieu van der Poel, however weren’t going to sit down again and await Pogačar. Gianni Vermeersch was the instigator of a really robust chasing group of 15 riders. Vermeersch was joined by prime favorite Pogačar, Tom Pidcock, Magnus Sheffield, Tosh Van der Sande, Ben Healy, Lars van den Berg, Kevin Geniets, Quentin Pacher, Axel Zingle, Alexey Lutsenko, Christopher Juul-Jensen, Matteo Sobrero, Arjen Livyns and Andreas Kron. Bahrain Victorious had utterly missed the transfer and needed to chase. The 7 early escapees had already been caught and dropped. Within the peloton it was as much as Bahrain Victorious and Jumbo-Visma, who additionally needed to chase after Van der Sande dropped out.
Two assaults from Pogačar
With 50 kilometres to go, there was a giant crash within the peloton. The ten remaining entrance riders raced on to the subsequent climbs; the Gulperberg, Kruisberg and the robust Eyserbosweg. Simply earlier than the Kruisberg, Pogačar needed to change bikes. With Pogačar again within the first group, the climb of the Eyserbosweg was getting nearer. On the steepest sections of this climb, the massive favorite determined to make a transfer for the primary time. Because of this, the main group utterly exploded and solely Pidcock was capable of comply with the Slovenian. It was clearly too quick for all of the others, though Ben Healy managed to return after the Eyserbosweg. Lutsenko and Kron additionally tried to tug again the chief, however Pogačar, Pidcock and Healy weren’t going to be caught. On the notably steep Keutenberg, with ramps above 20%, the race was put to the sword. Pogačar gave it one other robust effort. Healy was the primary rider to crack after which Pidcock misplaced maintain simply earlier than the highest. Pogačar was now solo with 28 kilometres to go. Pidcock and Healy had been at 15 seconds, however on the flatter highway, Pogačar stretched his lead. The Slovenian began the Geulhemmerberg, the penultimate climb, with a lead of 30 seconds. On this climb the lights went out for Pidcock, who was unable to comply with Healy. The Irishman of EF Training-EasyPost bought nearer to Pogačar on his personal. Pogačar was struggling within the closing and Healy bought inside 20 seconds, however the Slovenian didn’t let him get any nearer. He prolonged his lead within the final 10 kilometres and had loads of time to get pleasure from his first Amstel Gold Race victory. The 22 year-old Healy completed second in his first Amstel participation. A really drained Pidcock simply held Lutsenko and Kron off for third place.
Healy was second
2023 Amstel Gold Race Outcome:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Staff Emirates in 6.02.02
2. Ben Healy (Irl) EF Training-EasyPost at 0:38
3. Tom Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 2:14
4. Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Dstny
5. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan.
The Parcours:
The route is kind of the identical as final 12 months, though there may be one change. From this 12 months, the Amstel Gold is not going to begin from the Vrijthof, however from the Maastricht Market. The race has been ranging from the capital of Limburg since 1998, however since 2019 the riders had been offered on the Vrijthof. From this 12 months, the presentation will return to the Market.
2024 Amstel Gold Race map
After the beginning, the riders head north to Sittard and may have the primary impediment of the day, the Maasberg, a brief cobbled climb. The Adsteeg, Bergseweg and Korenweg come later. There is no such thing as a Cauberg within the early a part of the race, as there was earlier than 2023. The well-known climb in Valkenburg shall be climbed twice as an alternative of 3 times. The primary passage is after 172 kilometres. Between kilometres 95 and 130 there are some longer climbs, together with the Camerig, which is likely one of the longest climbs in South Limburg and the Netherlands, and the one to the Drielandenpunt in Vaals. Then the robust Gulperberg from Gulpen, the climb the place Mathieu van der Poel attacked in 2019, on the best way to his victory. After the primary passage on the end in Berg en Terblijt, simply after the primary climb of the Cauberg there are 80 kilometres to go.
2024 Amstel Gold Race profile
The true finale begins with simply over 40 kilometres to go together with the Gulperberg, now from Gulpen. From the descent on the opposite facet from Gulpen, the riders then go by way of the Geuzeweg and Cappucijnenweg on slender, twisting roads to the foot of the Kruisberg. Instantly afterwards there may be the Eyserbosweg, after which the Fromberg and the very steep Keutenberg come in a short time. After the Cauberg has been climbed for the second and closing time, the ultimate lap begins 16 kilometres earlier than the end. The Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg, which needed to be climbed earlier, might be the deciders. The highest of the Bemelerberg is 7 kilometres from the end. As soon as on the summit, the riders flip left in direction of Terblijt. By way of the Rijnsbergweg to the Sibberweg, the place the riders will cross beneath purple flag of the final kilometre. The end line is on the Rijksweg.
Tadej Pogačar on the assault final 12 months
Climbs
1. Maasberg (0.3km at 5.1%) – 241km
2. Adsteeg (0.7km at 4.7%) – 222km
3. Bergseweg (2.5km at 3.3%) – 205km
4. Korenweg (0.9km at 5.7%) – 203km
5. Nijswillerweg (1.3km at 2.7%) – 198km
6. Nationwide highway N278 (3km at 2.9%) – 189km
7. Wolfsberg (0.km at 3.4%) – 168km
8. Loorberg (1.4km at 5.3%) – 165km
9. Schweibergerweg (2.3km at 4.6%) – 154km
10. Camerig (3.7km at 4.2%) – 147km
11. Drielandenpunt (3km at 3.8%) – 135km
12. Gemmenich (0.9km at 6%) – 130km
13. Vijlenerbos (1.4km at 5.5%) – 127km
14. Eperheide (2.4km at 4.7%) – 118km
15. Gulperberg from Social gathering (0.5km at 9.8%) – 109km
16. Plettenberg (1km at 3.5%) – 105km
17. Eyserweg (2km at 4.6%) – 103 km
18. St. Remigiusstraat (1.4km at 5.2%) – 99km
19. Vrakelberg (0.5km at 7.6%) – 94km
20. Sibbergrubbe (1.8km at 4%) – 86km
21. Cauberg (0.8km at 6.6%) – 81km
22. Geulhemmerberg (0.7km at 6.6%) – 76km
23. Keerderberg (1.8km at 3.6%) – 70km
24. Bemelerberg (1km at 4.4%) – 66km
25. Loorberg (1.4km at 5.3%) – 51km
26. Gulperberg from Gulpen (0.9km at 5.5%) – 43km
27. Kruisberg (0.7km at 7.3%) – 38km
28. Eyserbosweg (1.1km at 7.6%) – 37km
29. Fromberg (1.7km at 3.8%) – 33km
30. Keutenberg (1.6km at 5.2%) – 29km
31. Cauberg (0.8km at 6.6%) – 18km
32. Geulhemmerberg (0.7km at 6.6%) – 13km
33. Bemelerberg (1km at 4.4%) – 7km.
Amstel Gold Race for Mathieu? Why not?
The Favourites
The Amstel Gold Race is the primary of the hilly Classics and is a brand new chapter within the biking season, the place totally different riders tackle the one-day races. The Amstel Gold Race just isn’t for the pure climbers, however the robust, punchy riders within the mould of Philippe Gilbert, Van Aert and Van der Poel. Cobble riders can double up, as these three have proven. Amstel just isn’t a course (as of late) for a sprinter, however can go well with a GT rider. The race organisers had been anticipating a combat between Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel, however now the Belgian received’t be lining up for the Amstel on account of his accidents from the Itzulia Basque Nation. The present World highway champion, Mathieu van der Poel, shall be there, however will the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider nonetheless have the exceptional type he has had for the previous couple of weeks? Nicely, he has solely raced 5 instances to date this season, so he ought to nonetheless be sharp. Can his crew dominate on a hilly course? This can be his Achilles heel. However don’t overlook he received the Amstel Gold in 2019 with out a lot crew assist.
Van der Poel couldn’t consider his 2019 Amstel win
Van der Poel has to date received the E3 Saxo Traditional, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and has stated that his season has already been a hit and something extra is a bonus. It’s not typically you hear Amstel (and perhaps Liège) being known as a bonus. However with that assertion it exhibits that MvdP just isn’t beneath any stress. 5 years in the past Van der Poel received the Amstel Gold simply once we thought his race was over for him, however he powered again from behind to swoop previous Simon Clarke, Jakob Fuglsang and Julian Alaphilippe for a win that even he didn’t anticipate. After all Van der Poel isn’t the one Alpecin-Deceuninck rider within the Netherlands on Sunday. Jasper Philipsen is claimed to be beginning, but it surely shouldn’t go well with him, however Søren Kragh Andersen, Quinten Hermans and Axel Laurance will assist their chief and would possibly stick with it the within the excessive spirits of the crew for themselves.
Tom Pidcock must be on the entrance
Tom Pidcock almost received in 2021, it took the photo-finish to separate him and Wout van Aert. He must be in battle with Van der Poel, however after his crash testing the time trial course of the Itzulia Basque Nation, it wasn’t identified what situation the INEOS Grenadiers rider could be in. Pidcock didn’t undergo any fractures, however he did have a painful hip. He did experience Paris-Roubaix on Sunday and held up effectively to complete seventeenth. He must be again on type for the Amstel Gold Race.
Michal Kwiatkowski is aware of his Amstel Gold Race
INEOS Grenadiers will even have double Amstel Gold winner, Michal Kwiatkowski. The Polish rider has to date not proven a lot type, however in 2022 he additionally didn’t have a lot of a spring earlier than popping out on prime, That 12 months Benoît Cosnefroy thought he had received and was even given the win by the race jury, however after a more in-depth take a look at the photo-finish gave it to Kwiatkowski. Cosnefroy has unfinished enterprise with Amstel and has good type in the mean time. He not too long ago received Paris-Camembert and was fourth within the Région Pays de la Loire Tour.
Benoît Cosnefroy has one thing to show – He thought he had received in 2022
Ben Healy shall be firstly of the Amstel Gold Race with the ambition to complete one step larger than final 12 months. The Irish champion of EF Training-EasyPost, like Cosnefroy, has completed second. Final 12 months, Healy was the one rider who may put up any resistance to Tadej Pogačar. This 12 months it might be a two-man battle between the Irishman and a sure Dutch World champion.
Ben Healy to maneuver one step up?
Mattias Skjelmose has proven that he’s a person to be reckoned with. On Sunday it will likely be as much as higher climbers like Skjelmose to make the race as arduous as doable to place Van der Poel in hassle and hopefully distance him on the climbs within the finale.
Mattias Skjelmose to make it arduous for Van der Poel on the climbs
You may’t dismiss the Visma | Lease a Bike crew. Wout van Aert received’t be there, however with Matteo Jorgenson and Tiesj Benoot, the crew nonetheless has an opportunity. We don’t know the way Jorgenson will deal with the Limburg hills, as he has been in poor health, but when he’s at 100% then he can maintain Van der Poel. Amstel additionally fits Benoot, he was third within the Amstel Gold Race two years in the past.
Matteo Jorgenson can deal with MvdP
UAE Staff Emirates wont have final 12 months’s winner, Tadej Pogačar because the Slovenian will solely experience Liège-Bastogne-Liège in build-up to the Giro d’Italia. The Emirates crew may have Brandon McNulty, João Almeida, Marc Hirschi and perhaps Juan Ayuso. These 4 are all prime performers, particularly Ayuso and McNulty, each have been profitable this season. The one drawback could be that they haven’t ridden Amstel earlier than.
Brandon McNulty shall be up there in Amstel
Maxim Van Gils of Lotto Dstny and Dylan Teuns of Israel-Premier Tech may Belgium’s hopes on Sunday. Van Gils has proven nice promise this season, he was third in Strade Bianche, seventh in Milano-Sanremo, second within the GP Miguel Indurain and completed seventh within the Amstel final 12 months. Teuns was robust within the Tour of Flanders and completed eight.
Maxim Van Gils has appeared good
Michael Matthews rode an excellent Tour of Flanders, though he was declassed from third to eleventh on the end. Matthews was understandably disenchanted with the choice, but it surely may additionally push him to present that bit additional in a race that he has had 5 prime ten finishes, with a 3rd place in 2015.
Matthews likes Amstel and has the shape
These are the possible protagonists of the 2024 Amstel Gold Race, however there are others that must be talked about: Matej Mohorič has began the Dutch traditional eight instances, however his finest place was ninth place in 2021, however the race can go well with his race fashion. For Movistar there are Alex Aranburu and Ruben Guerreiro, these two may trigger a shock.
Matej Mohorič is usually a shock winner as now we have seen prior to now
Then there are the ‘outsiders’. They embrace: Maximilian Schachmann, who was fifth in 2019 and third in 2021 & Sergio Higuita of BORA-hansgrohe. Neilson Powless & Richard Carapaz (EF Training-EasyPost), Valentin Madouas, Stefan Küng & Romain Grégoire of Groupama-FDJ, Warren Barguil (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Michael Woods & Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech), Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Lodges), Alexey Lutsenko & Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek), Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty) and Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R). Then there may be the ‘WildCard’ crew of Tour de Tietema-Unibet, they won’t be there simply to make up the numbers. Be careful for Hartthijs de Vries and Jelle Johannink.
Outdoors tip: Romain Grégoire
The Prime Favourites:
No.1: Mathieu van der Poel
Very Possible: Tom Pidcock, Ben Healy
Potential: Maxim Van Gils, Juan Ayuso
Perhaps: Michael Matthews, Brandon McNulty, Dylan Teuns, Benoît Cosnefroy.
* The beginning-list would possibly change earlier than Sunday. *
Nonetheless prime – Mathieu van der Poel
# Maintain it PEZ for one hell of a ‘Race Report’ on Sunday and all of the information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
* Due to ProCyclingStats and WielerFlits for details and figures. *
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