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?

 

[Berniece]

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.

Two completely different races, different topics too

 

[No Excuses]

Let's be real.
The only people praising SB and calling it '6th Monument' are Pogacar fans.
I'm also his fan but I'm realistic.
SB is a preparation race.

As Pogacar fan it is obvious that Strade is the 6th monument.

 

[houtdffan]

I put Amstel on par with CSS, GW, FW, etc. In the "another world tour race" level

SB is a half step below a monument on par with the WC/Olympic ITT

You may ask where then are the worlds and olympic RR? Those are major championships along with the GTs

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Evenepoel could be full Fatco mode and still not be too heavy for Amstel

You are not up to date. He's Mr Muscles now and is unstoppable on any course.

 

[tobydawq]

see here for first use : https://forum.cyclingnews.com/search/732843/?q=bambi&c[older_than]=2021-05-21&o=date

Yeah, wauw, nice to be so proud of that nickname which nobody else uses that you have it bookmarked.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

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

Wut? He's won it 3 times already and I can't see any comments regarding how important the race is.

 

[KoopaCycling]

Amstel is a big race, if only cause it's easily the biggest race in the netherlands.
More than Strade it has history as well. The reason Strade became so big so quickly was the terrain and the final climb combo were a very nice addition to cycling. They unfortunately decided to make the race even harder. Thus killing some of it's momentum alongside it becoming a Pogacar special where no else could compete. Seixas maybe in the future.

 

[Netserk]

Yeah, wauw, nice to be so proud of that nickname which nobody else uses that you have it bookmarked.

others have previously misrepresented where it stemmed from , so i learned to add the context some are ignorant of

and it takes no bookmark to make an advanced search : https://forum.cyclingnews.com/search/

edit : if people also tended to misrepresent where blobloblo stemmed from , id tend to link to where mas says it

 

[Sciatic]

Yesterday I was asked why I quoted Schmid ( his intervention was decisive), but Jorgenson has only been at Asmtel once, 2 years ago, and finished 37th.

Remco solo.

Prior to this year Jorgenson rode a cobbled-races program, this year the focus is Ardennes. But no idea what his form is like now?

 

[search]

Prior to this year Jorgenson rode a cobbled-races program, this year the focus is Ardennes. But no idea what his form is like now?

he comes straight from altitude, only left Tenerife two days ago. So a bit hit or miss, I guess.

 

[Sciatic]

Cosnefroy should be there with Gregoire in the third row. Also, given what we saw yesterday, this race is too hard for TdG do be near the front. Del Toro maybe deserve some stars, but he is coming from a crash and even before he wasn't looking to hot in Basque.

Either Schmidt or Cosnefroy will be in the final selection (before Remco rides away). Schmidt did hefty yeoman work for Cosnefroy at Brabaconne, it might be reversed at Amstel.

 

[Netserk]

he comes straight from altitude, only left Tenerife two days ago. So a bit hit or miss, I guess.

its usually hit in the opening weekend

 

[Sciatic]

yeah, will be tough to beat him. Healy was looking on track to have a shot, but now it probably needs a rather bad day from Evenepoel, and the race to somehow end up in a small sprint.

Gregoire could have a small chance to hang on, but I don't really see it either.

Gregoire and Cosnefroy looked the best yesterday, but Amstel is so much longer (80 km more?) and hillier.