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So for now it was either MVDP or Pog in the big classics. MVDP is sitting this one out, but Pogacar is racing. He will battle Remco after his return from injury, and also Wout, who is coming into some good form. Lot's of climbing and hopefully and exciting race.

Notable riders: Pogacar, Evenepoel, Hirschi, Van Aert, Pidcock, O'Connor, Aranburu, Bilbao, Van Gils, Powless, Buitrago, Sheffield, Skjelmose, Sivakov, Nys


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Live video stream available on Eurosport/GCN alternatives (TNT/Max/Discovery).

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Full startlist (not yet final):

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"After 2016 – the Enrico Gasparotto edition – it is that time again: the Cauberg is once again the last climb in the Amstel Gold Race. The iconic cycling hill – where so many titanic duels have been fought – was located some twenty kilometres from the finish line since 2017, after the organisation decided to add an extra round with the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg. This was because the race was often locked up up to the foot of the Cauberg.

The Cauberg has always played a crucial role in the Amstel Gold Race. In 2003, the finish was placed at the top of this slope in Valkenburg. After the successful 2012 World Cycling Championships, race director Leo van Vliet decided – due to lack of space at the top – to move the finish line a few kilometers exactly between the villages of Berg en Terblijt and Vilt. Since then, this has been the permanent finish location of the Dutch classic."

 
Nearest worthwhile climb other than Cauberg to finish in men's race: 33km
Nearest worthwhile climb other than Cauberg to finish in women's race: 87km

Number of climbs of Bemelerberg in men's race: 2
Number of climbs of Bemelerberg in women's race: 4

The change of parcours for the men isn't great (I have nothing against returning to a Cauberg finale, but only if they get rid of that awful circuit, which sucks in all its versions but especially lengthening the flat bit between Bemelerberg and Cauberg for no apparent reason, and I feel after seeing some sprinting it out going on, the organisers want to regain the race's identity as a hilly classic), but it's a damn sight better than the travesty they've been serving the women for years. The course was actually better before the race died the first time, they still had the stupid 2012 circuit variants, but they detoured from it to include some other Amstel Gold classic climbs later on before returning to the Cauberg at the end.
 
I think the route change is fine with the current generation. Then again, the current generation is mainly Pogacar, Evenepoel and MvdP. Without them, this routechange would lead to another boring Fleche Wallonne Light edition, like in the past. So the organisation took a risk. At the same time I don't mind them trying this out. If the race is already on, it's nice to have a deciding hill at the end, much less so when they all wait for it.
 
Nearest worthwhile climb other than Cauberg to finish in men's race: 33km
Nearest worthwhile climb other than Cauberg to finish in women's race: 87km

Number of climbs of Bemelerberg in men's race: 2
Number of climbs of Bemelerberg in women's race: 4

The change of parcours for the men isn't great (I have nothing against returning to a Cauberg finale, but only if they get rid of that awful circuit, which sucks in all its versions but especially lengthening the flat bit between Bemelerberg and Cauberg for no apparent reason, and I feel after seeing some sprinting it out going on, the organisers want to regain the race's identity as a hilly classic), but it's a damn sight better than the travesty they've been serving the women for years. The course was actually better before the race died the first time, they still had the stupid 2012 circuit variants, but they detoured from it to include some other Amstel Gold classic climbs later on before returning to the Cauberg at the end.
I have double checked with the nukemap, but if we hit Bemelerberg with a nuke with the yield of Little Boy then Maastricht should even be relatively unaffected.

You have my permission to nuke Bemelerberg if you want to
 
(I have nothing against returning to a Cauberg finale, but only if they get rid of that awful circuit, which sucks in all its versions but especially lengthening the flat bit between Bemelerberg and Cauberg for no apparent reason,
2017-2019 was much, much better than 2010-2012. Bemelerberg as the last climb is the best thing to ever happen to the race. I will not tolerate this crazy slander of a perfectly fine climb for its purpose. I hereby declare myself a Bemelerberg supremacist.
and I feel after seeing some sprinting it out going on, the organisers want to regain the race's identity as a hilly classic)
We've had no more than 4 riders sprint for the win without Cauberg as the last climb. Unlike the Cauberg years.
 
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