Amstel Gold Race 2026, April 19

[Unchained]

What a victory! Absolutely awesome!

 

[Sciatic]

We should stop televising races except by drone and have no support vehicles.

Wonder what people will find to complain about then? Drone noise?

crappy images

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

That was a strong sprint, way to go Remco.
Remco was good overall, much better on than climb than last year.
Skjelmose also really strong, but I think he was getting cooked by the end, he barely put up a resistance during the sprint.

 

[E_F_]

Profoundly stupid pulling, when you're as cooked as Skjelmose was here. He's dead at the sprint! Don't kill yourself!!!

 

[Brullnux]

He was following much easier on the penultimate Cauberg than on the final one.

Like the math isn't hard. He sabotaged any chance he had to win by digging his own grave.

Evenepoel could have led him out for 50km more and he'd have won the sprint. Did you see how much faster he was going.

Skjelmose backed his sprint on the back of last year but in hindsight probably should've tried to get rid of Evenepoel on the climbs. I'm not going to be too harsh on him for that, though, Evenepoel is clearly a lot faster this year than last.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

And it‘s mostly the weaker rider who works too much and leads out the sprint

And when said rider is all smiles after getting curbstomped in the sprint, it's not hard to understand why things went the way they did. Really poor race tactically by both Lidl and Groupama.

 

[canina82]

Visma not even in this peloton in their home race? Oof...

Let's forget their main rider had an awful crash...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Result:

1	Evenepoel Remco	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	500	225	5:59:40
2	Skjelmose Mattias	Lidl - Trek	400	150	0:01
3	Cosnefroy Benoît	UAE Team Emirates - XRG	325	110	1:59
4	Grégoire Romain	Groupama - FDJ United	275	90	,,
5	Verstrynge Emiel	Alpecin-Premier Tech	225	80	,,
6	Schmid Mauro	Team Jayco AlUla	175	70	,,
7	Vansevenant Mauri	Soudal Quick-Step	150	60	,,
8	Withen Philipsen Albert	Lidl - Trek	125	50	,,
9	Costiou Ewen	Groupama - FDJ United	100	46	,,
10	Frigo Marco	NSN Cycling Team	85	42	,,

 

[tobydawq]

And it‘s mostly the weaker rider who works too much and leads out the sprint

The weaker/slower rider indeed often loses the sprint, yes.

 

[Unchained]

Skjelmose has decided to race like a champion...

And it‘s mostly the weaker rider who works too much and leads out the sprint

Guy raced with dignity and grace, no games.. Excellent result with second place

 

[RedheadDane]

And it‘s mostly the weaker rider who works too much and leads out the sprint

I suppose unlike last year, Evenepoel probably wasn't going to fall for the "But, I'm the weaker rider, Remco!" argument from Skjelmose.

 

[SorelyBoy]

I think Remco knew that Skjelmose has on the limit the last few kilometres. It looked obvious on the final climb and Remco kept looking at him to ensure he wasn’t kidding about. Clever riding in the end. Well done Remco, a nice win.

 

[Red Rick]

Evenepoel could have led him out for 50km more and he'd have won the sprint. Did you see how much faster he was going.

Skjelmose backed his sprint on the back of last year but in hindsight probably should've tried to get rid of Evenepoel on the climbs. I'm not going to be too harsh on him for that, though, Evenepoel is clearly a lot faster this year than last.

How does one drop Evenepoel and then stay away on the flats unless Leo van Vliet really hates Evenepoel?

 

[Brullnux]

Result:

1	Evenepoel Remco	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	500	225	5:59:40
2	Skjelmose Mattias	Lidl - Trek	400	150	0:01
3	Cosnefroy Benoît	UAE Team Emirates - XRG	325	110	1:59
4	Grégoire Romain	Groupama - FDJ United	275	90	,,
5	Verstrynge Emiel	Alpecin-Premier Tech	225	80	,,
6	Schmid Mauro	Team Jayco AlUla	175	70	,,
7	Vansevenant Mauri	Soudal Quick-Step	150	60	,,
8	Withen Philipsen Albert	Lidl - Trek	125	50	,,
9	Costiou Ewen	Groupama - FDJ United	100	46	,,
10	Frigo Marco	NSN Cycling Team	85	42	,,

A tragedy that Frigo only came 10th

 

[Jagartrott]

Using computer simulations and wind tunnel measurements with scale models of a time trialist and a motorcyclist, the researchers calculated that a motorcycle riding at a short distance (0.25 meters) behind a cyclist reduces their air resistance by nearly 9 percent. With three motorcycles, this reduction even reaches approximately 14 percent.

1m behind would reduce the air resistance 1.8% (with 1 motor). This would imply winning several seconds on 10km.

(Of course, a motor in front has a much bigger impact.)

Sure, Wooster. Now, do you think that motorcycles are 1 m behind the riders?

 

[Sciatic]

Well that settles it . . . Remco said "this race is just under the monuments"

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Guy raced with dignity and grace, no games.. Excellent result with second place

Today it's dignity; in other races, the rider who takis turns is insulted. Curious.

 

[RedheadDane]

A tragedy that Frigo only came 10th

Understandable if he was a little cold in the end.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Well that settles it . . . Remco said "this race is just under the monuments"

Wasn't it San Sebastian until today?

FW and Ghent historically >>>>>>>>>>>>> Amstel.

 

[Brullnux]

How does one drop Evenepoel and then stay away on the flats unless Leo van Vliet really hates Evenepoel?

Oh, only on the final Cauberg.

I think Skjelmose made a judgment that he was feeling less on the limit than last year where he won the sprint despite getting gapped or near gapped on most climbs. On the back of that, he worked more than he should have and waited for the sprint, which I don't think was crazy.

In reality though, he'd have lost the sprint regardless – the only way he was winning that race was sandbagging and trying to drop Evenepoel on the final Cauberg. I think people are being too harsh on him, though. He looked absolutely cooked for most of last year's finale and still beat the other two so had that to give him confidence.

 

[Sciatic]

I understand why Skjelmose bet on a sprint again given last year, but he got absolutely demolished there. Will regret not having attacked before

I don't think he had enough to drop Remco on the climbs, he didn't have much left at the end.

 

[red_flanders]

Today it's dignity; in other races, the rider who takis turns is insulted. Curious.

Incorrect, sir. Anyone taking any turns ever is always an idiot.

 

[saunaking]

I think Remco knew that Skjelmose has on the limit the last few kilometres. It looked obvious on the final climb and Remco kept looking at him to ensure he wasn’t kidding about. Clever riding in the end. Well done Remco, a nice win.

yep he said exactly that in the interview

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

Evenepoel could have led him out for 50km more and he'd have won the sprint. Did you see how much faster he was going.

Skjelmose backed his sprint on the back of last year but in hindsight probably should've tried to get rid of Evenepoel on the climbs. I'm not going to be too harsh on him for that, though, Evenepoel is clearly a lot faster this year than last.

If you are that cooked by the end I don't think you that much margin to attack on the climbs. The other tactical possibility for Skjelmose/Gregoire was to not pull, and maybe be brought back by the group behind, were they both had a teammates, but also many opponents.

 

[dgodave]

Someone will always lose a sprint-a-deux.

Or any sprint, really.