What about the men’s Amstel Gold Race in recent years? Mathieu van der Poel’s ridiculous victory in 2019. Last year’s photo-finish. And now another photo finish to decide the 2022 edition. It feels like there’s always something going on in the only men’s one-day WorldTour event in the Netherlands.
The 56th edition of the men’s race on Sunday ended with a desperate race towards the line of two riders: Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën) and the 2015 winner Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers). Cosnefroy was announced the winner, but that decision was quickly overturned, with Kwiatkowski taking the spoils. Great drama in Valkenburg.
And of course, it wasn’t just the men racing the roads in the south of the Netherlands on Sunday. The women’s race also delivered its share of emotions, with a final push from Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) proving the winning move – the biggest victory to date for the 24-year-old Italian.
The eighth edition of the women’s Amstel Gold Race kicks off today in our gallery, followed by images of the men’s race. The photos you see below appear courtesy of Kristof Ramon, Getty Images and Cor Vos.
Just a few smiling Dutch Trek-Segafredo riders from Maastricht: Ellen van Dijk (left) and Lucinda Brand.On the menu for the women’s peloton: a bunch of passes, including four climbs of the mythical Cauberg.World champion Elisa Balsamo was one of the pre-race contenders.Departure from Maastricht.If Amanda Spratt and Marlen Reusser were talking to each other here, what would they say?Landing.A dangerous group took the lead in the second half of the race and looked threatening. Among those in front: Annemiek van Vleuten (right), Demi Vollering (second from right) and Kasia Niewiadoma (centre-left).It wouldn’t be an Amstel Gold Race gallery without at least one ‘riders and a windmill’ shot.Despite so many heavy hitters in the break, a lack of cohesion saw this group caught up as the finish approached.There was a lot of movement last time out in the Cauberg, with an elite selection breaking free under Van Vleuten. But it was an opportunistic attack from this group…… by Marta Cavalli who won. The 24-year-old attacked at the top of the climb, then raced home solo to claim her first WorldTour victory, four seconds behind the pursuers.The win is by far the biggest of Cavalli’s career so far.Vollering (right) second and Liane Lippert (third).Team staff prepare the riders’ bikes before the start of the men’s race.Quadruple winner Philippe Gilbert was honored at the start of his last Amstel Gold Race.Jens Keukeleire and his son at the start in Maastricht.It’s always an adjustment to see large crowds at bike races.The morning getaway on the rural roads of the province of Limburg.Eventual winner Michał Kwiatkowski in the peloton is biding his time.Tom Pidcock (centre-right) keeps watch on the Gulperberg. He would continue to attack late in the race, but it was teammate Kwiatkowski who would ultimately make the winning move.Mathieu van der Poel was one of the pre-race favorites but was unable to claim his second victory in as many starts.Nathan Van Hooydonck had an impressive spring and was again aggressive on Sunday.Ben Turner rode a very strong race in the final kilometers, narrowing the field considerably for team leaders Pidcock and Kwiatkowski. He was one of the leading runners of the spring.Tom Dumoulin climbed to 30th place on his local roads.Emils Liepins watches the race disappear before him.A thinned peloton hits the brutally steep Keutenberg.Tiesj Benoot (left) had another strong run en route to third place. Here he is pictured with Kwiatkowski, Pidcock and Cosnefroy on the Keutenberg. The winning move. Kwiatkowski broke away from the peloton with over 20km to go, only Cosnefroy being able to cross.The pair collaborated up front……while Kasper Asgreen, Van der Poel and others tried behind them to regain the lead.Cosnefroy led the two-man sprint, which was decided by a bike toss. (Note that Benoot in the background breaks free from the chase for the third).Cosnefroy was announced the winner……but another look at the finish line photo revealed that Kwiatkowski had in fact won.Seven years after his first victory at Amstel, ‘Kwiato’ was back on the top step of the podium.And he was quite happy about it too.
Nelshael
