The Wolfpack has more than one card to play this Sunday.
The Ardennes Classics kick off this weekend at Amstel Gold Race, the World Tour event where our team has tasted victory on two occasions. The 60th edition of the race heads out from Maastricht and takes the peloton through the Limburg region, over a demanding 257.2km course featuring a whooping 33 hills that come thick and fast and more than 3400 vertical meters.
The route - unchanged from last year - is an up and down one the entire day, favouring the punchy riders and the attackers, especially as many will try to make a potentially decisive move before the last climb. The mythical Cauberg (900 meters, 7%), where the 2012 World Championships were decided, will serve as the final ascent of the day for the second year in a row, and positioning will be key there the last time the peloton tackles it, inside the closing kilometers of the race. From its top, only 1700 flattish meters separate the riders from the line.
Third here five years ago, Max Schachmann returns at the start of the Dutch World Tour race after a strong showing at Brabantse Pijl, which he concluded not far from the top ten. The German will be joined by Pascal Eenkhoorn, Andrea Raccagni, Pepijn Reinderink, Dylan van Baarle, Ilan Van Wilder, and Mauri Vansevenant, who was fourth here in 2024.
Amstel is a test of endurance.
Geert Van Bondt - Sports Director
“The parcours is the one that we know well, which means there aren’t any surprises these years. Of course, the final five climbs will be the most important of the day, as that’s where the main moves will come. We have quite a strong team: our three Dutchmen know these roads and start with a lot of motivation, Max and Andrea are coming after a solid outing in Brabantse, while Ilan and Mauri showed some good things in the Basque Country. The entire team is motivated to fight for a nice result”, explained Soudal Quick-Step sports director Geert Van Bondt.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
