Tom Pidcock sprints to victory in Amstel Gold Race

After two previous podiums, Tom Pidcock won Sunday’s 58th Amstel Gold Race in the Limburg region of the Netherlands. The Brit triumphed from a four-up sprint, his quartet a decanting of a breakaway that formed with 28 km remaining. Pidcock adds his prize to last year’s Strade Bianche. Mathieu van der Poel came in 22nd.

The Course

The riders were challenged by 33 hills over 255.2 km, with the first passage of the famed Cauberg (600 metres of 9.2 percent) positioned at kilometre 178. With 19 km remaining, the peloton would face it again. After that came the Geulhemmerberg (800 metres of 6.4 percent) and the Bemelerberg (600 metres of 5.3 percent), the latter cresting 5 km from the line in Berg en Terblijt.

The Ardennes Classics, one of the best weeks of the season, kick off today with the 58th edition of #AGR24.

The hilly course from Maastricht to Berg en Terblijt will see the riders tackle a total of 33 ascents for more than 4500 meters of climbing. pic.twitter.com/pC62mJWlrI

— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) April 14, 2024

During the race there was a neutralization in the women’s race, which necessitated the men’s peloton skipping the Bergseweg–climb three–and reaching the Korenweg via an alternative route.

The first passage of the Cauberg wasn’t particularly hot, with a breakaway quartet up the road. By the time the race crossed the finish line for the first time with 79 km and 11 climbs to go, the fugitives were within sight and they were soon sopped up. Lidl-Trek led the way up the first passage of Bemelerberg.

On the 13 km gap between Bemelerberg and Loorberg, Soudal-Quick Step’s Louis Vervaeke tried twice to fly the coop. His second bid succeeded when he received two reinforcements. Behind there was a constant struggle to control the front of the peloton.

Michal Kwiatkowski made a move on the Gulperberg, drawing a reaction from van der Poel and Matteo Jorgenson.

Everyone was entertained.

With Fromberg looming and Vervaeke no longer in the breakaway he instigated, Jorgenson tried to bridge with Andreas Kron. Although it was 6.8 percent over 1.1 km, Keutenberg had some very steep grades. Pidcock was part of dozen-strong, 11-team breakaway that hit it 20 seconds ahead of the peloton. With 27 km and three climbs remaining, this dozen had a 30-second gap.

The Cauberg

The Pidcock group hit the Cauberg 48 seconds clear. Mattias Skjelmose whipped up the pace in the peloton even though he had teammate Bauke Mollema up front.

The penultimate hill was Geulhemmerberg. Pello Bilbao attacked on the Cauberg descent and started up Geulhemmerberg with some momentum. Hirschi made another thrust to crack him. Hirschi, Pidcock, Tiesj Benoot and Mauri Vansevenant distanced the others. There were 8 km between the penultimate climb and the last, Bemelerberg.

At Bemelerberg‘s foot, it seemed likely that the day’s winner was in the Pidcock quartet or the chasing septet. With Paul Lapeira on his way over to the foursome, Pidcock attacked. Vansevenant had the toughest time fighting back.

The quartet would sprint it out of the victory. Benoot pushed with 1.2 km to go. The cat and mouse games began. Mauri Vansevenant started out the sprint as Bilbao closed in. Pidcock came around him and held off Hirschi on his left-hand side. Benoot rounded out the peloton.

Ardennes Week continues on Wednesday with La Flèche Wallonne.

2024 Amstel Gold Race
1) Tom Pidcock (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) 5:58:17
2) Marc Hirschi (Switzerland/UAE-Emirates) s.t.
3) Tiesj Benoot (Belgium/Visma-Lease a Bike) s.t.