Amstel Gold Race 2026, April 19

[Berniece]

If Pogacar won the UAE Tour 4 times his fans would call it one of the “8” big stage races…

 

[canina82]

Big races can be won by lesser riders. Those are actually some of the coolest stories, that doesn't devalue a race that much.

Skjelmose winning Amstel was legit one of the highlights of the season

Yes, it was. But I can't find one person here saying SB is the 6th monument let alone a Pogacar fan.
AGR has clearly this status of 6th monument because of history and not due to the quality of winners.

 

[Heston]

Not sure if we should read anything into it, but Visma have the number 41 to Laporte, not Jorgenson.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

If Pogacar won the UAE Tour 4 times his fans would call it one of the “8” big stage races…

You've finally understood what they were debating in the Big6 thread and why Tony Martin and his time trials weren't considered enough . Now you considered because Remco wins them; if Tarling won them, he wouldn't be considered a Big 6 conntender, and obviously Remco is considered because of his other races, not just time trials.

You've understood that a cyclist winning it doesn't make it more important, and the time trial has never been decisive in those discussions.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

amstel is the only non monument that is on the weekend with monument distance and has been in the highest category of one day races since the 70s

fleche , gw and obviously also strade were never part of the world cup . no other non monument world cup race has remained in the top echelon

thats the argument -- historic status over the past 50 years

For some decades FW was considered more important than Liège.
I'm surprised that in a forum with so many Belgians there's so much ignorance regarding the historical importance of Fleche. For a time it was the most important classic in the Ardennes.

Obviously, if that was the case, it is clear that its historical importance was above that of Asmtel.

 

[YavorD]

Colbrelli 2021 was GOAT level. Dropped Pogacar on a small climb outside Trento. Streets won't forget that season

The whole Bahrain team was on a different level to be honest.
Pogi got lucky that Padun was not riding the Tour.

 

[Netserk]

For some decades FW was considered more important than Liège.
I'm surprised that in a forum with so many Belgians there's so much ignorance regarding the historical importance of Fleche. For a time it was the most important classic in the Ardennes.

Obviously, if that was the case, it is clear that its historical importance was above that of Asmtel.

because it hasnt had that status at any time in the past 40 years

paris tours has also lost status over the past 20 years

the argument if you understood it was not that it had a high status 50 years ago , but that amstel _continuously_ has had a high status for a very long time

 

[ice&fire]

The prestige is directly related to how much of the giant vase of beer you chug on the podium

No sip: Del Toro level 1.1 race

Regular amount: WT level race

Chug half of it: Monument

Chug all of it: Greater than TdF

Does it count if it is a different kind of alcoholic drink?

 

[Red Rick]

Does it count if it is a different kind of alcoholic drink?

That's when he earned that Vuelta the honorable way

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

It´s also surprising that there is a lack of awareness that Ghent was a much more important classic than Amstel. Ghent could be the sixth monument in terms of historical significance.

The debate about the sixth Monumentshould be between Fleche Wallone and Ghent.
And if you want to be very rigorous, then Paris-Tour would enter the debate before Amstel. Never Amstel Gold Race which has never been even the most important classic of the Ardennes, a status that FW did have.

If you broaden the debate to personal preferences, then the other forum member can mention Strade Bianche.

 

[YavorD]

That's when he earned that Vuelta the honorable way

Can we say that Pogacar is more of a honourable winner in Amstel-Gold than Pidcock?

I fully understand organizers giving it to Van Aert back in 2021 now..

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Is 5 monuments not enough? Why do we need a sixth? If we had a consensus across the sport that there are six, would we be arguing over which should be the seventh?