After his exhibitions at Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaixthe Dutch Mathieu Van der Poel, world champion, appears as a clear favorite in the 58th edition of the Amstel Gold RaceArdennes classic taking place on Sunday between Maastricht and Berg en Terblijt with a route of 253.6 kilometers.
The The Ardennes are open for an exciting week ending on Sunday 21st with the “dean” Liège-Bastogne. Formerly, in the lands of the Dutch, The local Van der Poel will have the opportunity to sign a double at Amstel which will allow him to succeed the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar in the list of winners, absent this year.
With Alpecin Deceuninck Van der Poel and with the decrease of Jasper Philipsenthe last winner of the Milan San Remo, a duo that will have enormous potential, but there are many rivals to compete for the honor of winning the “beer classic.”
The Spanish Juan Ayusorecently winner of Itzulia, He will be the reference in the UAE, which will also have the assets of Joao Almeida and Brandon McNulty.
Visma Lease a Bike, with Van Aert is recovering from a broken collarbonewill bring out the heavy artillery with the trio of Tiesj Benoot, Van Baarle and Matteo Jorgenson.
But there will be more candidates who have shown good form in previous races, such as the French Cosnefroy (Decathlon), winner of the Brabanzona Arrow, the Slovenian Matej Mohoric (Bahrain), which will be developed together with Pello Bilbaothe British Tom Pidcock (Ineos) or the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, Olympic champion.
Spanish champion Oier Lazkano will not be with Movistar on this occasion and Iván García Cortina and Álex Aranburu will be the leaders of the line, along with Gonzálo Serrano, Jon Barrenetxea, Carlos Canal, Davide Formolo and Jorge Arcas.
A total of 33 levels on the route
The Amstel Gold Race suggests boredom and spectacle in a far from pleasant route that includes 33 levels. The most important and interesting part is concentrated in the last 80 kilometersright from the first pass to the Berg en Terblijt finish line, once past the Cauberg.
After passing a chained to Geulhemmerberg, Keerderberg and Bemelerberg, six hills will be faced in just twenty kilometers that will choose the candidates or decide the race. Is about Loorberg, Gulperberg, Kruisberg, Eyserbosweg, Fromberg and, above all, the Keutenbergwith a maximum slope of 20 percent.
From Keutenberg, you descend to Valkenburg to conquer the Cauberg for the second and final time. After passing the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg the race enters a flat area to immediately cross the finish line.
The The Amstel Gold Race has not finished at the top of the Valkenburg Cauberg since 2013. The finish line is 1,750 meters away, where the 2012 World Championships.
Amstel Gold Race
Latest winners – Male category
2023. Tadej Pogacar (SLV)
2022. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL)
2021. Wout Van Aert (BEL)
2020. It was not held due to COVID-19
2019. Mathieu Van der Poel (PSB)
Kopecky-Longo Borghini, stellar duel among women
The Belgian Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), World and Paris-Roubaix champion, and the Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl), the queen of flanderswill star in the stellar duel on 10th edition of the Amstel Gold Race which will have a route of 157.6 kilometers starting from Maastricht and ending in Berg en Terblijt.
Undoubtedly, the potential of SD Worx, with Kopecky, Demi Vollering, defending the title achieved in 2023, and Lorena Wiebes, commands respect from other rivals, but the race will be open to many possibility
The Lidl with Longo Borghini and Lucinda Brand, have something to say, like Visma by Marianne Vos and Van Empel or DSM by Silvia Persico.
There will be Spanish cycling Movistar with a team ready to fight for positions of honor composed of Olivia Baril, Arlenis Sierra, Jelena Eric, Floortje Mackaij, Mareille Meijering and Paula Patiño.
He The route is demanding from the start, it includes 21 elevations or ‘bergs’ in just 157 km. From 2023, The race was decided with four laps of the Valkenburg circuitwith Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg, 1.7 kilometers from the finish at Berg en Terblijt.
before 8 levels have been passedwhere Kruisberg, Eyserbosweg, Fromberg, and Keutenberg stand out, with their 20 percent slopes.
Amstel Gold Race
Latest winners – Female category
2023. Demi Vollering (PSB)
2022. Marta Cavalli (ITA)
2021. Marianne Vos (PSB)
2020. It was not held due to COVID-19
2019. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL).
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
