2023-04-15 19:34:17
By @jmhers
The cycling season progresses and it’s time to say goodbye to the cobblestones to enter the broken terrain of the Ardennes, starting with the 57th edition of the Amstel Gold Race. The beer round brings with it many heights and an arch favorite for this April 16.
the tour
The Amstel Gold Race is the first race of the famous Ardennes Triptych, which includes the Walloon Arrow and the 4th Monument of the year: the Liège Bastogne Liège (O Liege-Bastogne-Liege in the original language). The three races are characterized by being classic of heights: short, explosive ascents, many and in rapid succession, although each of the three has its distinctive profiles.
In the case of the Amstel, the route presents 33 heights along the 253.6 km of the route, which start in Maastrich and end in Valkenburg, the Netherlands. These heights are not very different from the walls of Belgium, except that none is cobbled, but their length in the vast majority of cases is less than 1 km, and several of them have double-digit slopes.
Although the first ascent, Maasberg, occurs only 12 km after the start of the race, the decisive part will come much later. We can wait for the decisive movements in the Kruisberg, 40 km from the finish line, although before reaching this point there are several places where the race can be tough, such as the passage through the Cauberg, which has slopes of up to 13.5% and is He travels for the first time at 72 km from the finish line (the second time will be only 9 km from the finish line and the race will already be very selected) which is where the peloton is going to get smaller.
The irregularity of the terrain does not stop until you practically reach the finish line, so the pursuits that can be generated in those last 40 km will be very unpredictable.
strategies and favorites
The strategies of the vast majority of teams and favorites will be conditioned by the presence of Tadej Pogacar. The confirmation of the Slovenian’s presence changes the landscape of any race in which he participates and he does so in this Amstel Gold Race.
The course is full of hills, but it is not too hard, in principle it does not benefit Pogacar so much, who would need more difficulty (such as the one provided by the cobbled walls of Flanders) to be able to release the wheel of the strongest classics and wheelers. However, the Slovenian has shown several times his versatility and the power that he can move, making him the top favorite despite everything.
So how can you beat Pogacar in an Amstel Gold Race? The anticipation and lack of control of the race can be one of the keys. Waiting for the UAE man to launch his long attack (which he most likely will) and trying to follow him is a risky tactic; trying to break the group and force him to dry attacks can be the key to undermining him, especially if there are several rivals that move.
And there are several interesting adversaries, starting with Benoit Cosnefroy, who lost the previous edition by millimeters against Michal Kwiatkowski and who will surely seek revenge. Ineos also brings the reigning champion Kwiatkowski but also Tom Pidcock who is looking for his best form again and other interesting names such as the American Magnus Sheffield who can do well. It will also be necessary to pay a lot of attention to what the Groupama can do with David Gaudu, who may need somewhat tougher levels to be able to be more favourite, but above all with Valentin Madouas for whom the route is better suited and can walk together to his partner. The Colombian Sergio Higuita has just won a stage of Itzulia with authority and is going through a good moment, being another rival to watch out for on these undulating roads. Bauke Mollema or Mattias Skjelmose, from Trek, Matej Mohoric from Bahrain, Andrea Bagioli or Remi Cavagna from Soudal are some of the other riders who will have to bet on everyone against Pogacar to seek victory.
Forecast
*****Tadej Pogacar
****Sergio Higuita, Benoit Consefroy, David Gaudu
***Michal Kwiatkowski, Tom Pidcock, Valentin Madouas, Neilson Powless, Matej Mohoric
**Andrea Bagioli, Bauke Mollema, Tiesj Benoot, Mauro Schmid
Marcelo Hernandez
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