
With Paris-Roubaix, the cobblestone races have ended to make way for the hilly classics. The Brabant Arrow, won on Friday by an incredible Remco Evenepoel, is actually still a bridge between the two types of races, but from today, with the Amstel Gold Race, a new phase of the year begins that will end next Sunday with Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
to follow the live coverage of the entire race starting at 10:25 AM CLICK HERE
All eyes will once again be on two great champions: Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. The Beer Classic is the quintessential race of the Netherlands and has often brought great champions to the forefront. Last year, the victory went to Tom Pidcock, before that to Tadej Pogačar, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Wout van Aert. In 2019, Mathieu van der Poel, at his first participation, captivated the public by finishing ahead of Clarke and Fulgsang.
Last year, after an initial breakaway on the Keutenberg, Tiesj Benoot, Tom Pidcock, Bauke Mollema, Mauri Vansevenant, Valentin Madouas, and Marc Hirschi broke away from the group, and in the finale, the British rider won the sprint.
The Cauberg is the symbol of the Amstel Gold Race and last February, the race organization announced that this would once again be the final climb of the Limburg Classic. The iconic climb has been the scene of many duels over the years. The Cauberg is located twenty kilometers from the finish, but since 2017, it was decided to add an extra lap with the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg, because the leading group was often blocked until the foot of the Cauberg.
This climb, about 800 meters long with an average gradient of 6.6%, has always played a crucial role in the Amstel Gold Race and the riders will have to tackle it three times: when 85 kilometers remain to the finish, then when 22 kilometers remain, and finally 2.5 kilometers from the finish line. In 2003, the finish was positioned at the top of Valkenburg. The choice of the route as we see it today was made after the World Championship held in Limburg, with Gilbert's victory in 2012.
This year, the race will start from the Market Square in Maastricht. After the start, the riders will head north towards Elsloo and Urmond and will then encounter the Maasberg, a short cobblestone climb that will represent the first obstacle of the day.
Further ahead, they will follow Adsteeg, Bergseweg, and Korenweg. So no Cauberg in the initial part, as was the case before 2023, but as previously indicated, the climb will still be sufficiently tackled in the final part. The first focal point is between kilometers 95 and 130. Then there will be some longer climbs, such as the Camerig (one of the longest climbs in southern Limburg and the Netherlands), then the Drielandenpunt in Vaals.
After passing this part, they will arrive at the Gulperberg in Partij, the climb where Mathieu van der Poel attacked in 2019, making the selection that allowed him to win. After the first passage through the finish line in Berg en Terblijt, there will be the first climb of the Cauberg.
After passing the Gulperberg, they will descend the other side towards Partij, here the group will continue along the Geuzeweg and Cappucijnenweg on narrow streets to the foot of the Kruisberg. Immediately after will be the turn of the dreaded Eyserbosweg, followed by the Fromberg and the extremely steep Keutenberg.
After the second passage on the Cauberg, the final lap that will lead to the finish will begin. The legs will hurt, and the riders will have to deal with the Bemelerberg, 10.8 kilometers from the finish, which in the last passage will turn into an executioner.
Further ahead, instead of turning towards the Bemelerberg to reach the finish, the group will descend Daalhemmerweg to Grendelplein in Valkenburg and then the riders will climb back up the Cauberg. From the end of the climb, there will be another 2.5 kilometers to the finish. The finish line will once again be on the Rijksweg between Vilt and Berg en Terblijt.
The 34 climbs
1. Maasberg (0,3 km al 5,1%) – a 244,3 km dal traguardo
2. Adsteeg (0,7 km al 4,7%) – a 225,8 km dal traguardo
3. Bergseweg (2,5 km al 3,3%) – a 210,3 km dal traguardo
4. Korenweg (0,9 km al 5,7%) – a 206,8 km dal traguardo
5. Nijswillerweg (1,3 km al 2,7%) – a 201,3 km dal traguardo
6. Strada nazionale N278 (3 km al 2,9%) – a 191,8 km dal traguardo
7. Wolfsberg (0,9 km al 3,4%) – a 171,7 km dal traguardo
8. Loorberg (1,4 km al 5,3%) – a 168 km dal traguardo
9. Schweibergerweg (2,3 km al 4,6%) – a 156,7 km dal traguardo
10. Camerig (3,7 km al 4,2%) – a 150,3 km dal traguardo
11. Vaalserberg/Drielandenpunt (3 km al 3,8%) – a 137,8 km dal traguardo
12. Gemmenich (0,9 km al 6%) – a 133,5 km dal traguardo
13. Vijlenerbos (1,4 km al 5,5%) – a 127 km dal traguardo
14. Eperheide (2,4 km al 4,7%) – a 122,5 km dal traguardo
15. Gulperberg da Partij (0,5 km al 9,8%) – a 112,9 km dal traguardo
16. Plettenberg (1 km al 3,5%) – a 108,6 km dal traguardo
17. Eyserweg (2 km al 4,6%) – a 105,4 km dal traguardo
18. St. Remigiusstraat (1,4 km al 5,2%) – a 102,5 km dal traguardo
19. Vrakelberg (0,5 km al 7,6%) – a 97,3 km dal traguardo
20. Sibbergrubbe (1,8 km al 4%) – a 89,5 km dal traguardo
21. Cauberg (0,8 km al 6,6%) – a 85,1 km dal traguardo
22. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km al 6,6%) – a 80,5 km dal traguardo
23. Keerderberg (1,8 km al 3,6%) – a 73,1 km dal traguardo
24. Bemelerberg (1 km al 4,4%) – a 69,8 km dal traguardo
25. Loorberg (1,4 km al 5,3%) – a 54,6 km dal traguardo
26. Gulperberg da Gulpen (0,9 km al 5,5%) – a 47,6 km dal traguardo
27. Kruisberg (0,7 km al 7,3%) – a 42,5 km dal traguardo
28. Eyserbosweg (1,1 km al 7,6%) – a 40,6 km dal traguardo
29. Fromberg (1,7 km al 3,8%) – a 36,9 km dal traguardo
30. Keutenberg (1,6 km al 5,2%) – a 33 km dal traguardo
31. Cauberg (0,8 km al 6,6%) – a 22,3 km dal traguardo
32. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km al 6,6%) – a 17,5 km dal traguardo
33. Bemelerberg (1 km al 4,4%) – a 10,8 km dal traguardo
34. Cauberg (0,8 km al 6,6%) – a 2,5 km dal traguardo
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