Amstel Gold Race
10:45 Maastricht – 16:56 Valkenburg
Tom Pidcock has finally scored in the Amstel Gold Race. The Briton from Ineos was the fastest of a small leading group ahead of Marc Hirschi and Tiesj Benoot and thus flushed out the near victories of 2021 and 2023. Top favorite Mathieu van der Poel was never able to leave his mark on the match and did not finish in the top 10.
The 58th Amstel Gold Race in a nutshell:
- Winner of the day: Sneak away at the right time and then finish it. The killer in Tom Pidcock has finally woken up in the Amstel Gold Race after failing twice. The Keutenberg was his springboard towards the head of the race and in the sprint he trumped Hirschi and Benoot.
- Absentees of the day: With the exception of the other podium finishers, all other favorites were surprised at Keutenberg. Mathieu van der Poel, who never gave a top impression, and co. missed the trick and never got back to the front of the race.
- Remarkable: Tom Pidcock is the very first British rider to celebrate in one of the 3 Ardennes classics. 3rd last year and 1st this year, a rather rare consecutive podium finish in this race. Pidcock is only the first since Simon Gerrans in 2013-2014 to succeed.
Van der Poel misses the battle on the Keutenberg
A super solo and a lengthy finale? It was regular fare this spring, but not in the Amstel Gold Race.
It was only on the Keutenberg, with just under 30 kilometers to go, that violence between the favorites broke out.
Although Tom Pidcock, who put his Ineos teammates to work all day, was actually the only one who was there at the meeting, together with Tiesj Benoot and Marc Hirschi.
The rest of the favorites had missed the battle and that lopsided situation would never be corrected. Pidcock, Benoot and Hirschi, together with a bunch of contenders from the second and third rows, entered the final in pole position.
Pidcock finishes in the sprint against Hirschi and Benoot
Together with the surprising Mauri Vansevenant, they proved to be the strongest in the colorful group at the front.
Man-in-form Lapeira seemed to return for a while and make it five, but a well-timed acceleration from Pidcock killed him.
The favorite peloton never really got close enough to put pressure on the four leaders, causing them to dive into the final kilometer playing poker.
Vansevenant countered an acceleration from Benoot and the two Belgians actually eliminated each other for the win.
Although Benoot made a strong sprint against the faster Hirschi and Pidcock. The Briton finished one wheel ahead of the Swiss.
Finally a prize for Pidcock in the Amstel after 2 close places of honor in 2021 and last year. Another nice race in his basket after the Strade Bianche and the Brabantse Pijl, his first professional victory day on day 3 years ago.
Related:
Results Amstel Gold Race 2024
Phase by phase
Half a wheel still seems to be an overall comfortable lead for Pidcock, as the repetition shows us. Vansevenant is a nice 4th, ahead of Lapeira in 5th.
Amstel expert Kwiatkowski comes to celebrate with Pidcock after the finish. Will he also go for the ad fundum Amstel on stage?
Prize for Pidcock!
He also raises his hands very early, but it is a prize for Tom Pidcock! The Briton barely holds off Hirschi, third place goes to Benoot.
Vansevenant makes it a long sprint and starts from the front.
They are almost standing still now! Pidcock and Hirschi push Vansevenant to the front.
Last km.
The first attack comes from Benoot, who is the first to pass the red rag. Vansevenant closes the gap and the Belgians seem to be killing each other.
Lapeira and the five behind them do not want to fold completely yet and the foursome are in sight again. But the false flat gives a distorted picture.
Pidcock accelerates again, just as Lapeira approaches, Benoot, Hirschi and eventually Vansevenant join in
Another 2 kilometers and Vansevenant is in control. Will he be the first to play the surprise?
Van den Berg falls into the favorites group
The group with the other favorites, again at 40 seconds, is now completely out of contention and Van den Berg also falls awkwardly there. No place of honor for the fast man.
No, character head Vansevenant is joining us again. Poker play can start with 4, although it is best not to do that too much with Lapeira at about 10 seconds.
Raking and raking, but Vansevenant can’t close it. Will it be a trio that can compete for victory?
Benoot closes the gap with Hirschi in the wheel and Vansevenant is the victim for a while. As a result, Lapeira has moved a little further. Pidcock saw that well.
Pidcock solo
Pidcock doesn’t want that to happen. On the spur on top of the Bemelerberg the Brit accelerates and he is away alone!
Healy brings the group of favorites back to within half a minute with 6 km to go. Will the leading foursome become a fivesome? A strong Lapeira comes particularly close.
The takeover is from Benoot. On paper, our two compatriots have no chance in the sprint against the faster Pidcock and Hirschi.
Bemelerberg
Vansevenant takes the quartet in tow in the first meters. Lapeira fades away among the pursuers.
So 2 Belgians still have a chance to win this Amstel Gold Race with Tiesj Benoot and Mauri Vansevenant. We are preparing for the Bemelerberg.
