2025 Amstel Gold Race Preview: The Amstel Gold Race is the primary of the hilly Classics. The cobblestone races are over and the Brabantse Pijl on Friday takes us to Sunday’s Amstel – a brand new set of races with a distinct really feel and start-list. Most followers might be wanting on the World champion, Tadej Pogačar and the returning Remco Evenepoel, however there’s a peloton of hopeful’s on the market. Right here is the PEZ Amstel Gold Race preview.
2024 Amstel Gold Race Recap
Amstel Gold Race 2024 Highlights by FloBikes. Followers in Canada can watch the dwell stream on Flobikes right here.
Tom Pidcock made up for his Amstel Gold Race loss in 2021 to Wout van Aert by the smallest of margins. The INEOS Grenadiers rider crossed to the profitable break after which received the dash from Marc Hirschi (UAE Staff Emirates) and Tiesj Benoot (Visma | Lease a Bike). High favorite, World champion, Mathieu van der Poel was trapped within the bunch to complete twenty second.
The primary climb of the day
The Amstel Gold Race, the Netherland’s greatest bike race, has had some large winners previously: Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. The World champion was the one a type of three current final 12 months and was the highest favorite. But it surely wouldn’t be straightforward as he was up towards Tom Pidcock, Ben Healy, Benoît Cosnefroy, Mattias Skjelmose and Matteo Jorgenson. There have been lots of riders who wished to be within the early break. Finally 4 riders managed to take a lead: Tosh Van der Sande, Enzo Leijnse, Alexander Hajek and Zeb Kyffin. These 4 labored properly collectively, however on the best way to the Bergseweg, the information of a critical accident involving a police officer within the girls’s race got here via and the organisers needed to change the course of the lads’s race.
Healy and Pidcock are again in 2025
The Bergseweg needed to be faraway from the route. The race now went to the Korenweg by way of a detour. Van der Sande, Leijnse, Hajek and Kyffin managed to extend their result in almost 5 minutes, however they have been caught simply after the Geulhemmerberg, 70 kilometres from the end. On the Keerderberg and Bemelerberg, Louis Vervaeke tried to separate the race. Vervaeke tried a number of instances and finally on his third try, he escaped with Mikkel Honoré and Paul Lapeira. These three solely had 30 seconds on the run-up to the Gulperberg. On the quick, robust climb, the World champion, Van der Poel, wished to check his legs, however he didn’t persevere together with his effort.
Not a very good day for Mathieu van der Poel
After Van der Poel’s semi-attack, the tempo slowed and the three leaders took a number of extra seconds. Vervaeke, Honoré and Lapeira had the Kruisberg, Eyserbosweg and Fromberg nonetheless to come back and the peloton weren’t far behind. It was a harmful second for the favourites and so Alpecin-Deceuninck took the lead within the peloton. On the Kruisberg there was no assaults after which on the Eyserbosweg, Richard Carapaz made a transfer. He was closed down, however there have been others to take his place. Marc Hirschi attacked and was joined by Roger Adrià, Valentin Madouas and Bauke Mollema. The variations have been nonetheless small after the Fromberg and within the run-up to the Keutenberg. Honoré and Lapeira, Vervaeke had been dropped, have been nonetheless forward of the pack with 30 kilometres to go.
Pidcock might be up-against Pogačar in 2025
Earlier than the Keutenberg, all the pieces seemed to come back collectively once more, however Benoot and Pidcock jumped to the group of chasers with Mollema, Mauri Vansevenant, Madouas and Hirschi. Van der Poel was within the peloton and didn’t, or couldn’t make a transfer. The World champion was in a difficult state of affairs as the opposite favourites; Pidcock and Benoot had a 30 second lead at first of the Keutenberg. Benoot pushed exhausting on the climb, however all the pieces got here collectively on the windy climb. On the plateau above the Keutenberg, Van der Poel was remoted with none teammates at 30 seconds. The highest favorite would wish assist from different groups, however this was unlikely. The 12 off the entrance have been in a very good state of affairs and so began to work properly collectively. Benoot, Pidcock, Hirschi, Honoré, Vansevenant, Adrià, Mollema, Lapeira, Vauquelin, Madouas, Quentin, Pacher and Pello Bilbao took extra time on the chasers. With 20 kilometres to go, the lead was already nearly 1 minute. Within the peloton; Jayco-AlUla and Alpecin-Deceuninck tried to chase.
Hirschi and Benoot enlivened the race
Skjelmose determined to assault on the Cauberg, however the Danish champion was unable to make the crossing. An anticipated counter from Van der Poel didn’t occur, though the World champion was staying close to the entrance, this induced the chase to gradual. This suited the break, however Honoré had now been dropped. Because of the Dane shedding his tempo within the break, EF Training-EasyPost had nobody on the entrance they usually needed to chase within the Van der Poel group. The co-operation within the break had disappeared. Benoot, Pidcock, Hirschi and Vansevenant had the strongest legs and broke away from the others after the Geulhemmerberg. This seemed just like the profitable 4. The 4 leaders have been using away from the primary chasers, whereas the Van der Poel group, nonetheless led by EF Training-EasyPost, was nonetheless at 30 seconds. On the Bemelerberg, the ultimate climb of the day, Lapeira put in a do-or-die assault. The Frenchman seemed like he would possibly catch the 4 leaders, however Pidcock put the stress on. On the Bemelerberg, the INEOS rider accelerated. Benoot and Hirschi have been in bother, however fought their manner again. Vansevenant additionally managed to return because the 4 approached the final kilometre. Benoot couldn’t maintain again and was the primary to leap, however this got here to nothing. Pidcock was the quickest finisher within the lead group and held Hirschi and Benoot off to the road.
The win for Tom Pidcock and by simply greater than a tyre’s width
Amstel Gold Race Consequence:
1. Thomas Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers in 5:58:17
2. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Staff Emirates
3. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
4. Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Soudal Fast-Step
5. Paul Lapeira (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
6. Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Lidl-Trek
8. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious
10. Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 0:11.
Beer for everybody!
The 2025 Amstel Route
The organisers of the Amstel Gold Race introduced in February that the Cauberg will as soon as once more be the final climb within the large Dutch Traditional. The long-lasting climb the place so many duels have been fought, was about 20 kilometres from the end line since 2017, then they determined so as to add an additional lap with the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg. This was as a result of the race was typically a stale-mate to the foot of the Cauberg. The Cauberg has at all times performed a vital position within the Amstel Gold Race. In 2003, the end was on the prime of the climb in Valkenburg. After the profitable World championships, race director Leo van Vliet determined in 2013 to maneuver the end line to between the villages of Berg en Terblijt and Vilt resulting from lack of house on the prime. Since then, this has been the everlasting end.
2025 Amstel map
Eight years in the past, the organisers determined to partially overhaul the ultimate and this turned out to be successful, as a result of the earlier editions of the Amstel Gold Race have been significantly spectacular and unpredictable. Now they’ve now opted for the Cauberg because the final and decisive climb. Aside from the ultimate, Flanders Classics has hardly made any modifications to the course. This 12 months, the race will begin once more on the Markt in Maastricht. After the beginning, the riders head north, in the direction of Elsloo and Urmond. On the best way, they’ll hit the Maasberg, a brief cobblestone climb, the primary impediment of the day. The Adsteeg, Bergseweg and Korenweg observe. No Cauberg within the early half, as was the case earlier than 2023, however as talked about, it comes within the last. The primary focus level is between kilometres 95 and 130. Then there are a number of longer climbs, together with the Camerig, one of many longest climbs in South Limburg and the Netherlands, and the climb to the Drielandenpunt in Vaals. Subsequent is the robust Gulperberg from Partij, that is the climb the place Mathieu van der Poel attacked in 2019, on the best way to his victory. After the primary passage of the end in Berg en Terblijt, simply after the primary climb of the Cauberg, there are 80 kilometres to go.
2025 Amstel profile
The actual finale begins at 45 kilometres from the end with the Gulperberg, now from Gulpen. From the descent on the opposite aspect to Partij, the riders then go by way of the Geuzeweg and Cappucijnenweg on slender, twisty roads to the foot of the Kruisberg. Instantly after that, there may be the scary Eyserbosweg, after which there’s the Fromberg and the extremely steep Keutenberg. After the Cauberg has been climbed for the second and penultimate time, the ultimate lap begins 16 kilometres from the end line. This last lap is identical. It consists of the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg, which have been climbed earlier. The highest of the Bemelerberg is 10.8 kilometres from the end. Then as an alternative of turning left previous the Bemelerberg to the end, the riders now go by way of the descent of the Daalhemmerweg to the Grendelplein in Valkenburg once more after which climb the Cauberg for the final time. From the summit there are 2.5 kilometres to the end line, drawn on the Rijksweg highway between Vilt and Berg en Terblijt.
The 2025 Amstel Gold Race Climbs:
1. Maasberg (0,3 km à 5,1%) – 244,3 km
2. Adsteeg (0,7 km à 4,7%) – 225,8 km
3. Bergseweg (2,5 km à 3,3%) – 210,3 km
4. Korenweg (0,9 km à 5,7%) – 206,8 km
5. Nijswillerweg (1,3 km à 2,7%) – 201,3 km
6. Rijksweg N278 (3 km à 2,9%)- 191,8 km
7. Wolfsberg (0,9 km à 3,4%) – 171,7 km
8. Loorberg (1,4 km à 5,3%) – 168 km
9. Schweibergerweg (2,3 km à 4,6%) – 156,7 km
10. Camerig (3,7 km à 4,2%) – 150,3 km
11. Vaalserberg/Drielandenpunt (3 km à 3,8%) – 137,8 km
12. Gemmenich (0,9 km à 6%) – 133,5 km
13. Vijlenerbos (1,4 km à 5,5%) – 127 km
14. Eperheide (2,4 km à 4,7%) – 122,5 km
15. Gulperberg vanuit Partij (0,5 km à 9,8%) – 112,9 km
16. Plettenberg (1 km à 3,5%) – 108,6 km
17. Eyserweg (2 km à 4,6%) – 105,4 km
18. St. Remigiusstraat (1,4 km à 5,2%) – 102,5 km
19. Vrakelberg (0,5 km à 7,6%) – 97,3 km
20. Sibbergrubbe (1,8 km à 4%) – 89,5 km
21. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 85,1 km
22. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km à 6,6%) – 80,5 km
23. Keerderberg (1,8 km à 3,6%) – 73,1 km
24. Bemelerberg (1 km à 4,4%) – 69,8 km
25. Loorberg (1,4 km à 5,3%) – 54,6 km
26. Gulperberg vanuit Gulpen (0,9 km à 5,5%) – 47,6 km
27. Kruisberg (0,7 km à 7,3%) – 42,5 km
28. Eyserbosweg (1,1 km à 7,6%) – 40,6 km
29. Fromberg (1,7 km à 3,8%) – 36,9 km
30. Keutenberg (1,6 km à 5,2%) – 33 km
31. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 22,3 km
32. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km à 6,6%) – 17,5 km
33. Bemelerberg (1 km à 4,4%) – 10,8 km
34. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 2,5 km.
A day of assaults
The Favourites
After the cobbles, it’s time for the hilly Classics. The Amstel Gold Race is the primary climber’s Classics and we are going to see a distinct set of riders on the beginning line. Though the massive favorite for the win is identical man who received Flanders and was second in Paris-Roubaix – Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian all-rounder solely thinks about one factor at first of a race and that’s profitable and that would be the case on Sunday. The Amstel Gold Race is just not the race for everybody with its many climbs, twists and turns, slender passages and avenue furnishings, however none of that may be a downside for Pogačar. He has been at first in Maastricht twice and in his second participation, in 2023, he was the winner. That 12 months, Pogačar was by far the strongest in Limburg, he rode away on the steep Keutenberg after which soloed to victory. Final 12 months, Pogacar didn’t race so many Classics in his run-up to the Giro d’Italia, together with Amstel. He’s again this 12 months and all eyes might be on him, this may very well be to the profit for the opposite UAE Emirates XRG riders. Ecuadorian champion Jhonatan Narváez, American Brandon McNulty, Belgian Tim Wellens and the very Swiss rider Jan Christen.
Onerous to guess towards Tadej
Pogačar was pushed to his restrict within the cobbled Classics and Milan-Sanremo by Mathieu van der Poel, however he received’t be there on Sunday, Within the Amstel Gold Race he must cope with Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian hasn’t been capable of race within the first months of the season, however the Soudal Fast-Step chief has now recovered from the accidents he sustained in December. Evenepoel will make his comeback within the Brabantse Pijl on Friday and might be up-against Pogačar for the primary time this season on Sunday. We don’t know if Evenepoel will be capable to put the Slovenian beneath stress or beat him. The double Olympic champion might be match, or he wouldn’t be on the beginning line. We are able to hope to see a very good Evenepoel, he might be Pogacar’s greatest challenger and possibly the one rider who can dwell with the Slovenian when he assaults. With Maximilian Schachmann, who was very sturdy within the Itzulia Basque Nation and Mauri Vansevenant, who was fourth within the Amstel Gold Race final 12 months, Evenepoel has two sturdy teammates.
Evenepoel – Pogačar’s greatest rival?
We are able to’t overlook final 12 months’s winner, Tim Pidcock. The British rider has been reborn together with his new Q36.5 Professional Biking group and has had success this spring. In Strade Bianche, solely Pidcock was capable of struggle Pogačar, he was the primary to assault. Pidcock did finally blow up, but it surely exhibits his confidence and that he’s ready to take the race on.
Pidcock might be up there within the finale
Pidcock has already received Amstel Gold Race, though he considers himself a two-time winner. However after wanting on the photograph end, the race jury gave the 2021 Amstel win to Wout van Aert. The Belgian might be at first on Sunday. The Belgian has had a tough begin to his spring, however is now wanting sharper. He didn’t take a victory on the cobbles, however the Visma | Lease a Bike rider has his likelihood within the hills. Van Aert hopes to take one thing from the spring within the Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race. Visma | Lease a Bike does have a number of selections, in addition they have Tiesj Benoot, third final 12 months, behind Tom Pidcock and Marc Hirschi, Attila Valter, Axel Zingle and Ben Tulett. The opposite Visma males will in all probability attempt to get away early, within the hope of avoiding a duel with Pogačar.
Van Aert or one other Visma rider?
Of the Belgian contenders, there may be younger Thibau Nys. The 22-year-old rider was a promising cyclo-cross rider, however now he’s a budding road-man. He took two victories in his first skilled 12 months, after which in 2024 he added 9 extra victories. Nys often triumphs due to his explosiveness and dash. There are few riders who can fireplace up a mountain as shortly because the Lidl-Trek rider. This high quality that can are available in very helpful within the Amstel Gold Race. The query is whether or not Nys has the engine to outlive a race of over 250 kilometres, and whether or not he’ll nonetheless have the facility uphill or in a dash. His lack of expertise may also be an issue within the last, however he has acquired class and that would make the distinction. If Nys remains to be there, the final time on the Cauberg, he may shock.
Thibau Nys received the GP Indurain earlier this month
Van Aert and Nys will not be the one Belgians we have to watch, there may be additionally Maxim Van Gils. The 25-year-old is being put ahead as a frontrunner of Crimson Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and a winner. Van Gils is a puncheur and has already had good ends in the hilly Classics in recent times. He has a seventh place within the Amstel Gold Race, a 3rd in Flèche Wallonne and fourth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Maxim Van Gils
There are many sturdy riders at first who can go for the victory. Lidl-Trek has Thibau Nys, and likewise Mattias Skjelmose, Andrea Bagioli and Bauke Mollema.
By no means rule out Bauke Mollema
The Itzulia Basque Nation noticed Ben Healy come into kind. The Irish rider was second in Amstel to Tadej Pogačar in 2023. He can group up with Neilson Powless to crack the opposition. Alex Aranburu was additionally very sturdy within the Basque Nation. The Cofidis Spanish champion can play a major position within the last together with his attacking model. Belgian teammate, Dylan Teuns, can also be a person to look at because the hilly Classics are his season goal.
Ben Healy was good within the Basque Nation
Romain Grégoire is a little bit of an outsider for Sunday. Amstel is the best race for the 22-year-old Frenchman, he was twelfth final 12 months and appears to have improved this 12 months. If not Grégoire, then Groupama-FDJ additionally has Valentin Madouas.
Pello Bilbao leads a powerful Bahrain Victorious group
Bahrain Victorious will line-up with Pello Bilbao, Santiago Buitrago and Matej Mohorič and Tudor Professional Biking may have Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi. The Swiss rider hasn’t had his greatest spring to this point, however he can goal to peak for particular races and got here very near victory final 12 months. Hirschi was crushed by Pidcock in 2024, possibly this 12 months?
Hirschi did win in Valencia this spring
Different riders to say are: Roger Adrià (Crimson Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Accommodations), Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL), Michael Matthews & Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla), Alexey Lutsenko (Israel-Premier Tech), Benoît Cosnefroy & Victor Lafay (Decathlon AG2R), Magnus Sheffield & Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Clément Champoussin & Simone Velasco (XDS Astana) and Lander Loockx (Unibet Tietema Rockets).
High favorite – Tadej Pogačar
Who Will Win?:
High Favorite: Tadej Pogačar
Very Shut: Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock
Possible: Wout van Aert, Thibau Nys and Maxim Van Gils
Possibly: Ben Healy, Romain Grégoire, Marc Hirschi and Axel Laurance.
* The beginning checklist would possibly change earlier than Sunday
# Keep PEZ for the Amstel Race Report on Sunday and all of the information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
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