Highlights: 2026 Amstel Gold Race
The 2026 edition of the Amstel Gold Race 2026 unfolded across the rolling roads of Limburg with its usual blend of tension and unpredictability.
As the curtain-raiser to the Ardennes Classics, the race rewarded patience as much as power, with riders forced to measure every effort across a relentless sequence of short, sharp climbs.
Men’s Race
In a race defined by attrition, Remco Evenepoel delivered a performance of control and composure to secure victory. Breaking clear alongside Mattias Skjelmose in the closing phase, the Belgian champion rode with quiet authority, conserving just enough for the decisive sprint.
Their move proved race-winning, distancing a select group of chasers as the kilometres ticked down. Evenepoel, learning from previous near-misses, timed his acceleration with precision on the run to the line – surging past Skjelmose to claim a long-awaited win in this classic. Behind them, Benoît Cosnefroy secured third place after winning the sprint from the reduced peloton, but the spotlight firmly belonged to the leading duo.
Women’s Race
The women’s race offered a striking contrast – less calculation, more boldness. Paula Blasi emerged as the day’s revelation, launching a decisive solo attack that reshaped the race. Making her move on the iconic Cauberg, Blasi committed fully, quickly opening a gap that the chasing favourites struggled to organize against. Despite the presence of established contenders like Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering, hesitation in the group proved costly.
Blasi’s advantage held all the way to the finish, sealing a landmark victory built on conviction and strength. Niewiadoma edged Vollering for second, but the day belonged to the Spaniard, whose fearless ride underscored the depth of the women’s peloton. //