Amstel Gold Race 2019 [LAST 25 KM]

April 21, 2019

Amstel Gold Race 2019 – Maastricht – Berg en Terblijt : 265,7 km

The 54th Amstel Gold Race will roll out of Maastricht on Sunday morning, marking the first race of the Ardennes Classics that also feature La Flèche Wallonne on April 24 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 28. The Dutch race also marks a break from the cobbles, as steep, short bergs now rise to the challenge of deciding the winners. Rather than a battle of attrition over kilometres of punishing cobbles, Amstel Gold winnows out the field of true contenders by crisscrossing the Limburg region on a labyrinth of rolling, narrow country roads, where positioning and teamwork are key. Starting in Maastricht, the peloton will traverse three ‘loops’ through the Limburg hills, centring on three climbs of the Cauberg, which is then avoided in the final kilometres. Only the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg climbs are included in the last 16km lap, with narrow descents following both climbs and then seven kilometres to the line.

Mathieu Van der Poel shook his head in disbelief as he crossed the finish line, and so did everyone watching. The simple fact is that Dutchman won the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday. Quite how he did so is another matter entirely.

Van der Poel, wearing the Dutch national champion’s jersey on his Amstel debut, was dead and buried with seven kilometers to go. He’d attacked from the main chase group with a handful of others but, a minute down on leaders Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), it looked like any chance of victory had sailed.

However, in a remarkable finale – surely the most thrilling in the race’s 54-year history – the Dutchman dragged that small group back up to those chasing in between and then, somehow, to the front of the race with just 300 metres to go. He hadn’t quite made the junction when Alaphilippe started sprinting but, after swooping left onto Fuglsang’s wheel, he ripped out to the right and moved clear to take a sensational victory.

It is his third in what has been an extraordinary debut spring Classics campaign for the cycle-cross world champion. Victories at Dwars door Vlaanderen and Brabantse Pijl – not to mention fourth at the Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem – were one thing. This was another. It was a bigger race, a longer race, with a deeper field, and then there was just the mind-bending manner of it.

“I can’t believe it,” Van der Poel said. “I didn’t believe I could win. I didn’t expect that at all. I still can’t understand what has happened.”

Simon Clarke (EF Education First) finished second, having been one of the riders caught by Van der Poel’s advancing group in the closing kilometers, while Fuglsang hung on for third place.

Alaphilippe, winner of Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo already this spring, finished a dejected fourth and will be kicking himself, having been well and truly in the driving seat. Indeed, while it was Van der Poel who launched the first big attack of this Amstel Gold Race on the Guiperberg with 44km to go, it was Alaphilippe who triggered the decisive selection soon after, forcing a small split with Fuglsang, Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) and teammate Dried Devenyns on the following climb of the Kruisberg, before attacking himself on the Eyserbosweg with 37km to go. Fuglsang set off in pursuit and the duo would spend the next 35 kilometers together at the front of the race.

In what bore shades of last month’s Strade Bianche, they collaborated well to hold off Trentin and Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) – who’d attacked to bridge to the Italian – but their alliance waned in the closing kilometers. Fuglsang, who’d failed to drop Alaphilippe on the final climb of the Bemeleberg with just under 7km to go, sensed he’d be picked off in a sprint and so decided to sit in and stop contributing. Alaphilippe dropped the pace and the gap began to fall.

It was not so surprising, then, to see Kwiatkowski, who had dropped Trentin on the Bemeleberg, come back into the picture inside the final kilometre. No one, however, saw Van der Poel coming.

The Dutchman attacked from the main chase group ahead of the Bemelemberg, when they were half a minute behind Kwiatkowski and just under a minute behind the leading duo. He attacked with Bjorg Lambrecht (Lotto Soudal), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and Michael Schar (CCC) and they linked up with Romain Bardet (AG2R LA Mondiale), who’d gone shortly before. With just over two kilometres to go they reached Clarke and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), and shortly after Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), all of whom had attacked over the Cauberg with 16km to go. The dropped Trentin was with Schachmann at that point and that newly-formed group of nine somehow managed to come back into the picture in the final kilometre.

As they came into the home straight, Alaphilippe, Fuglsang, and Kwiatkowski looked nervously over their shoulders. They saw Van der Poel on the front of the group, the gap getting closer and closer. It was high drama. The junction not quite made, Alaphilippe decided to jump, but it wasn’t enough. Van der Poel’s sprint was emphatic in and of itself. When you consider he’d just done the lion’s share of the work to plug that seemingly insurmountable gap – not to mention his attack from 44km out – it was nothing short of breathtaking.

How it unfolded

The riders set off from the centre of Maastricht under blue skies and sunshine, with temperatures of 20 degrees. For all the drama in the finale, it was a calm, quiet affair for the first few hours. The day’s breakaway formed after the Lange Raarberg, the third of the 35 punchy climbs on the 265.7km route in the Limburg region of south-western Holland.

In there were Michael Schär (CCC Team), Nick van der Lijke, (Roompot-Charles), Paolo Simion (Bardiani-CSF), Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), Thomas Sprengers (Sport Vlaanderen Baloise), Aaron Verwilst (Sport Vlaanderen Baloise), Grega Bole (Bahrain-Merida), Jimmy Janssens (Corendon-Circus). They were soon joined by Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel Cycling Academy), and later by the Wanty-Gobert duo of Marco Minnaard and Jerome Baugnies to make it 11.

They built a lead of eight minutes before Fuglsang’s Astana team – who would later lose Alexey Lutsenko to a crash – set about upping the pace in the peloton. Things really started to intensify as they reached the Cauberg and the finish line for the second time with 85km to go. The iconic climb – formerly the last key test – would appear once more, but the new finale that has been in place since 2017 would take the riders over the Guelhemmerberg and Bemeleberg on one extra loop.

The break had been brought back to just one minute when Van der Poel launched his first roll of the dice, bursting clear on the Guiperberg, the 28th climb and the first in a crucial condensed stretch with just over 40km to go. Gorka Izaguirre (Astana) managed to go with him as the peloton fragmented behind, but refused to collaborate, and it wasn’t long before they were back in the main bunch. On the next climb, there was a successful attack. More by stealth, Devenyns hit the front with Alaphilippe on the wheel and a gap opened. Trentin and Fuglsang were alive to it but the rest of the field were caught behind. Those four soon caught the breakaway before Alaphilippe, almost led out by Devenyns, attacked alone on the Eyserbosweg. Fuglsang responded and joined up with him on the other side.

Kwiatkowski then attacked with Michael Woods (EF) and joined Trentin in a three-man chase, though Woods was dropped on the viciously steep Keutenberg – the fourth-to-last climb – with 28km to go. The main group was already well thinned out by this point, the notable absentees being Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), who were caught in another group a minute behind.

Alaphilippe and Fuglsang reached the foot of the Cauberg with 19 seconds on Kwiatkowski and Trentin. The main chase group were led by EF but had slipped to 55 seconds. Despite attacks from that group on the Cauberg, the main moves came beyond the summit, through the finishing straight as the bell rang. Schachmann, who had attacked on the Keutenberg, went again and set about hunting down Trentin, taking all manner of risks on the winding roads. Mollema and Clarke formed another a little further back.

Alaphilippe and Fuglsang began to look at each other on the Guelhemmerberg and their lead dropped to 12 seconds as Kwiatkowski rode away from Trentin, who made it back on beyond the summit. The leading duo then began to work well again, and they seemed certain to go to the finish together, opening 30 seconds on the two chasers and just under a minute on the rest of the field.

Fuglsang launched an attack on the final climb of the Bemeleberg with just under 6km to go but couldn’t shake Alaphilippe. From then on, he gambled and refused to collaborate, and that’s when the gap started to come down. Kwiatkowski dropped Trentin on the Bemeleberg and dragged himself back into contention under the flamme rouge. That would have been dramatic enough, but what happened next took it to another level. Van der Poel’s group, ignored by the TV cameras, came roaring back into view in the home straight.

The Dutchman, undoubtedly now one of the biggest stars in world cycling, finished off a race that will live long in the memory.

Results :
1 Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) Corendon – Circus 6:28:18
2 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First 0
3 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0
4 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck – Quick – Step 0
5 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora – Hansgrohe 0
6 Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0
7 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) CCC Team 0
8 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama – FDJ 0
9 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0
10 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton – Scott
11 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:02
12 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
13 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:46
14 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
15 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton – Scott 0:00:54
16 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
17 Jay Mc Carthy (Aus) Bora – Hansgrohe
18 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Team Dimension Data
19 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton – Scott
20 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Israel Cycling Academy
21 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team Jumbo – Visma
22 Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
23 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek – Segafredo
24 Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Cycling Academy
25 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team Katusha Alpecin
26 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora – Hansgrohe
27 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
28 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
29 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) UAE Team Emirates
30 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick – Step
31 Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky
32 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
33 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick – Step 0:04:02
34 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Cycling Academy 0:04:19
35 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Corendon – Circus
36 Nathan Haas (Aus) Team Katusha Alpecin
37 Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain – Merida
38 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
39 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
40 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
41 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Team Dimension Data
42 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot – Charles
43 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
44 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot – Charles
45 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain – Merida
46 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) AG2R La Mondiale
47 Paul Martens (Ger) Team Jumbo – Visma
48 Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot – Charles
49 Patrick Müller (Swi) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
50 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
51 Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon – Circus
52 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Team Dimension Data
53 Marc Hirschi (Swi) Team Sunweb
54 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team
55 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
56 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora – Hansgrohe
57 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo – Visma
58 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto Soudal
59 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton – Scott
60 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal
61 G Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First
62 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team
63 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain – Merida
64 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team
65 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
66 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky
67 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
68 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain – Merida
69 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First 0:07:53
70 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain – Merida
71 Logan Owen (USA) EF Education First
72 Alex Howes (USA) EF Education First
73 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling Academy
74 Quentin Pacher (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
75 Floris De Tier (Bel) Team Jumbo – Visma
76 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Roompot – Charles
77 Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
78 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team
79 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek – Segafredo
80 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
81 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team
82 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
83 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Team Dimension Data
84 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Corendon – Circus
85 Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team Jumbo – Visma
86 Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot – Charles
87 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton – Scott 0:07:56
88 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team 0:09:12
89 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek – Segafredo
90 Mikkel Frølich Honoré (Den) Deceuninck – Quick – Step 0:10:59
91 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama – FDJ 0:11:17
92 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
93 Clément Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
94 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
95 Julien Vermote (Bel) Team Dimension Data
96 August Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling Academy
97 Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot – Charles
98 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Corendon – Circus
99 Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
100 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Sky
101 Jerome Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
102 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team Jumbo – Visma
103 Rick Zabel (Ger) Team Katusha Alpecin 0:13:09
104 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek – Segafredo 0:13:39
105 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Mitchelton – Scott 0:15:41
106 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky
107 Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Movistar Team
108 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team Sunweb
109 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Dimension Data
DNF Lars Bak Ytting (Den) Team Dimension Data
DNF Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton – Scott
DNF Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Bahrain – Merida
DNF Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain – Merida
DNF Omar Fraile Matarranz (Spa) Astana Pro Team
DNF Davide Villella (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
DNF Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Patrick Bevin (NZl) CCC Team
DNF Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team
DNF Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) CCC Team
DNF Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck – Quick – Step
DNF Pieter Serry (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick – Step
DNF Petr Vakoč (Cze) Deceuninck – Quick – Step
DNF Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First
DNF Sean Bennett (USA) EF Education First
DNF Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Jaime Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team Jumbo – Visma
DNF Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Team Katusha Alpecin
DNF Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Team Katusha Alpecin
DNF Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Team Katusha Alpecin
DNF Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Team Katusha Alpecin
DNF David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Team Sky
DNF Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb
DNF Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
DNF Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sunweb
DNF Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Corendon – Circus
DNF Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Corendon – Circus
DNF Lars Boom (Ned) Roompot – Charles
DNF Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Alessandro Pessot (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani Csf
DNF Clément Carisey (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Roy Goldstein (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Emiel Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
DNF Kevin Reza (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
DNF Corentin Ermenault (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
DNF Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept – B&B Hotels
DNF Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
DNF Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team
DNF Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Wanty – Gobert Cycling Team