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Amstel Gold Race report: Tom Pidcock triumphs in thrilling finale

Pidcock is finally able to add Amstel Gold to his palmarès three years after 2021 photo-finish drama.

Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) wins Amstel Gold Race 2024 ahead of Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) and Tiesj Benoot (Visma-Lease a Bike). Photo: © Cor Vos

A sense of foreboding has been cast over the men’s peloton in recent weeks, a looming shadow in the shape of Mathieu van der Poel, who turned up to the Amstel Gold Race dressed head to toe in white. Naturally, Alpecin-Deceuninck threw their weight around in the peloton, but their rivals refused to race for second.

A dramatic final hour saw a 12-man group force a wedge between them and the reduced peloton. Four of them then broke clear just outside 13 km to go, and the quartet were just about able to keep the chasing group and looming peloton at bay. Mauri Vansevenant led them out, and Tom Pidcock was able to out-sprint his companions in the frantic dash to the line.

Brief results:

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Quote of the day

“I was going to say it’s great to win for the second time, but that might create quite some controversy!”

Tom Pidcock in his post-race winner’s interview, referring to the 2021 photo-finish controversy that saw him land runner-up to Wout van Aert.
World champion Mathieu van der Poel in the bunch during Amstel Gold Race 2024.
The streak is over. Van der Poel turned up oozing confidence in his all-white-and-rainbows skinsuit a week after adding Paris-Roubaix to his 2024 Tour of Flanders title, but Amstel Gold – the race he won in spectacular fashion in 2019, on debut no less – saw the world champion fall outside the top 10 (he was 22nd) for the first time in 2024.

Brief analysis

Social highlight

Pidcock and Amstel Bier is a … winning combination.

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