Amstel Gold Race 2022 [LAST 10 KM] (ladies)

April 10, 2022

Amstel Gold Race 2022 WE – Maastricht – Valkenburg : 128,5 km

This one-day race held in the hilly province of Limburg is the biggest and most prestigious bicycle race in the Netherlands. It features no less than 19 leg-breaking climbs on a twisting and turning route that snakes its way from Maastricht to Valkenburg. The gaps between these climbs are small, giving riders zero respite and making for one incredibly attritional race. While endurance is a key quality needed for this race, it’s a rider’s tactical nous and racing judgement that will decide whether they cross the finish line in Valkenburg with their arms aloft, or at the back of the bunch. Amstel Gold is all about timing your race-winning attack to perfection, too soon and you’ll be caught by the chasers, too late and you’ll be swamped in the final sprint. The first Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition was held in 2001, alongside the men’s race which started just 30 minutes before. After three editions the race was discontinued as the organisers struggled to hold two simultaneous races on the same snaking circuit around Limburg. It was then rebooted in 2017 after a 14-year hiatus with even more climbs and a longer total race distance.

Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) won the Amstel Gold Race Women on Sunday, crossing the finish line alone.

The former Italian champion attacked from a group of seven riders that had formed on the Cauberg and held off the chasers on the last two kilometres, reaching the line with a three-second advantage.

Demi Vollering (SD Worx) was fastest from the rest of the group for second place, while third went to Liane Lippert (Team DSM) in what was a tight sprint for the minor podium places.

“It is an incredible feeling, my biggest victory so far,” said Marta Cavalli after the race.

“In the last 50km, I felt a bit tired. I have to thank my sports director [Nicolas Maire], when we were at the top of the Cauberg the last time, he pushed me on the radio, ‘Marta, this is your moment, we have nothing to lose’. We started the season with the motto ‘all or nothing’, I attacked, and when I looked back after 500 metres, I saw a big gap. Then it was just pushing until the finish line.”

The pre-race reconnaissance ride was crucial to Cavalli’s victory.

“We spoke about this moment on the recon, when you are in the back of a group after the Cauberg, and in the front they slow down, that is the key moment to attack,” she said.

How it unfolded
Starting in Maastricht in sunny, but cold weather, the 128.5-kilometre course with 19 named ascents meandered through South Limburg. Reaching the Cauberg after 70km and crossing the finish line for the first time two kilometres later, the race ended with three laps of a circuit including the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg, and Cauberg.

After an early break had been caught, Anna Henderson (Team Jumbo-Visma) and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Canyon-SRAM) initiated a move with 85km to go that led to a front group of ten riders, also including Niewiadoma, Van Vleuten, Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo), Yara Kastelijn (Plantur-Pura), and the Team SD Worx quartet of Marlen Reusser, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Niamh Fisher-Black, and Vollering.

Van Vleuten, Niewiadoma, and Vollering attacked from this group on the steep Keutenberg with 68km to go while the others were reeled in, and soon after, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Team SD Worx), Lippert, Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo), and Henderson joined the front group.

Their advantage fluctuated between 10 and 45 seconds, and Ane Santesteban (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) bridged after the first ascent of the Geulhemmerberg. Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ) also joined the front on the descent before the second Cauberg ascent where the group was caught.

The next to get away was Rooijakkers who attacked with 33km to go. After a few kilometres, she was joined by Amanda Spratt (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) and Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team). At 40 seconds ahead of the peloton on the Bemelerberg with 27km to go, they started the final lap with only eight seconds on Margarita Victoria García (UAE Team ADQ) who had attacked just after the Cauberg and 13 seconds on a group of about 15 riders.

Although the gap grew a bit again, Rooijakkers, Spratt, and Sierra were eventually caught 10km from the line. After a flurry of unsuccessful attacks, Stine Borgli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) went solo with 6km to go, but she was reeled in again just before the turn into the Cauberg.

Mikayla Harvey (Canyon-SRAM) set the pace on the lower slopes of the final climb, then Floortje Mackaij (Team DSM) took over until Van Vleuten launched her trademark attack. Only Lippert could stay in her wheel, but as the climb flattened out towards the top, Niewiadoma, Vollering, Moolman-Pasio, García, and Cavalli all came back to the front.

At 1,800 metres from the line, Cavalli attacked on the left side of the road, surprising Moolman-Pasio who looked to the right to watch Van Vleuten. The 24-year-old Italian quickly got a sizeable gap and rode on to the finish, leaving only the second place for Vollering.

World Champion Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) won the sprint of the next group to place eighth and continues to lead the UCI Women’s WorldTour ranking.

Results :
1 Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 3:17:41
2 Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx 0:00:04
3 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM Women
4 Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Movistar Team Women
5 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-Sram Racing
6 Mavi Garcia (Spa) UAE Team ADQ
7 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) SD Worx 0:00:07
8 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:00:09
9 Coryn Rivera (USA) Jumbo-Visma Women
10 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
11 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM Women
12 Alexandra Manly (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco Women
13 Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Plantur-Pura 0:00:11
14 Riejanne Markus (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women
15 Erica Magnaldi (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
16 Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:00:19
17 Emma Norsgaard Bjerg (Den) Movistar Team Women 0:00:29
18 Elizabeth Holden (GBr) Le Col Wahoo
19 Marlen Reusser (Swi) SD Worx
20 Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv Racing Xstra
21 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
22 Olivia Baril (Can) Valcar-Travel & Service
23 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team DSM Women
24 Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) SD Worx
25 Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Team Coop-Hitec Products
26 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
27 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
28 Veronica Ewers (USA) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
29 Julia Borgström (Swe) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
30 Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
31 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women
32 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women
33 Paula Patiño Bedoya (Col) Movistar Team Women
34 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Canyon-Sram Racing
35 Julie Van De Velde (Bel) Plantur-Pura
36 Eider Merino Cortazar (Spa) Le Col Wahoo
37 Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Plantur-Pura
38 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
39 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) BikeExchange-Jayco Women
40 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Movistar Team Women 0:00:33
41 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM Women 0:00:48
42 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women
43 Marie Le Net (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
44 Laura Asencio (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
45 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-Sram Racing
46 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women
47 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Uno-X Pro Cycling Women
48 Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Canyon-Sram Racing
49 Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Human Powered Health Women
50 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:22
51 Mikayla Harvey (NZl) Canyon-Sram Racing
52 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women
53 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) SD Worx
54 Leah Thomas (USA) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:01:56
55 Amanda Spratt (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco Women
56 Niamh Fisher-Black (NZl) SD Worx 0:02:07
57 Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv Racing Xstra 0:04:18
58 Marta Lach (Pol) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
59 Federica Piergiovanni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
60 Kathrin Hammes (Ger) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
61 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing Xstra
62 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
63 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM Women
64 Caroline Andersson (Swe) Team Coop-Hitec Products
65 Elizabeth Stannard (Aus) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:04:20
66 Léa Curinier (Fra) Team DSM Women 0:05:06
67 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
68 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco Women 0:06:42
69 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Human Powered Health Women
70 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop-Hitec Products
71 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-Sram Racing
72 Sara Poidevin (Can) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
73 Georgia Williams (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco Women
74 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Uno-X Pro Cycling Women
75 Gladys Verhulst (Fra) Le Col Wahoo 0:07:00
76 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:10:45
77 Aline Seitz (Swi) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
78 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
79 Anneke Dijkstra (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
80 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
81 Gaia Masetti (Ita) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
82 Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
83 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women
84 Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Human Powered Health Women
85 Millie Couzens (GBr) Plantur-Pura
86 Justine Ghekiere (Bel) Plantur-Pura
87 Lara Vieceli (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
88 Georgia Danford (NZl) Andy Schleck-CP Nvst-Immo Losch
89 Maike Van der Duin (Ned) Le Col Wahoo
90 Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
91 Anne Dorthe Ysland (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Women
92 Anne Van Rooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
93 Kiona Crabbé (Bel) Plantur-Pura
94 Henrietta Colborne (GBr) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
95 Sophie Wright (GBr) UAE Team ADQ
96 April Tacey (GBr) Le Col Wahoo
97 Alice Towers (GBr) Le Col Wahoo
98 Maureen Arens (Ned) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
99 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
100 Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Team Coop-Hitec Products
101 Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzb) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
102 Stine Borgli (Nor) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
103 Tamara Dronova (Rus) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
104 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Uno-X Pro Cycling Women
105 Lotte Claes (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport
106 Lauren Stephens (USA) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
107 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Human Powered Health Women
108 Olha Kulynych (Ukr) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport 0:11:09
109 Henrietta Christie (NZl) Human Powered Health Women
110 Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:11:11
111 Sylvie Swinkels (Ned) Team Coop-Hitec Products 0:11:49
112 Anastasia Carbonari (Ltu) Valcar-Travel & Service
113 Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:12:07
114 Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
115 Lone Meertens (Bel) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
DNS Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Movistar Team Women
DNS Anna Trevisi (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
DNS Eva Buurman (Ned) Liv Racing Xstra
DNS Ayesha McGowan (USA) Liv Racing Xstra
DNS Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
DNS Anniina Ahtosalo (Fin) Uno-X Pro Cycling Women
DNS Katie Clouse (USA) Human Powered Health Women
DNS Ines Cantera Carrasco (Spa) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
DNS Rotem Gafinovitz (Isr) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
DNS Petra Stiasny (Swi) Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
DNS Chelsie Tan (Sin) BikeExchange-Jayco Women
DNS Femke De Vries (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
DNS Carola Van De Wetering (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
DNS Petra Welmers (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
DNS Naomi De Roeck (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport
DNS Lotte Popelier (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport
DNS Claudia Jongerius (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport
DNS Lizbeth Yarely Salazar Vazquez (Mex) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
DNS Amber Aernouts (Bel) AG Insurance-NXTG Team
DNS Michelle Andres (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP Nvst-Immo Losch
DNS Lisa Müllenberg (Ned) Andy Schleck-CP Nvst-Immo Losch
DNS Lena Mettraux (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP Nvst-Immo Losch
DNS Carolin Schiff (Ger) Andy Schleck-CP Nvst-Immo Losch
DNS Ane Iversen (Nor) Team Coop-Hitec Products