Preview: Amstel Gold Race 2026 | Some big names skip, but plenty to get excited about

Monday, 13 April 2026 at 17:08

It is time for the biggest Dutch race on the calendar: the Amstel Gold Race. In South Limburg, preparations are underway for another fine battle over the famous hills. IDL Pro Cycling looks ahead.

Amstel has seen plenty of drama over the past decade. In 2019, Mathieu van der Poel wrote cycling history with a phenomenal comeback ride. In both 2021 and 2022, the race was decided by a photo finish that the naked eye could not separate.

Wout van Aert and Michał Kwiatkowski were the lucky ones; Tom Pidcock and Benoît Cosnefroy the unlucky losers. Pidcock took revenge in 2024, while Tadej Pogačar left everyone behind in South Limburg in 2023. He in turn — along with Remco Evenepoel — came up short against the surprising Mattias Skjelmose in 2025.

Latest winners Amstel Gold Race

2025 Mattias Skjelmose
2024 Tom Pidcock
2023 Tadej Pogacar
2022 Michal Kwiatkowski
2021 Wout van Aert
~~2020 Cancelled~~
2019 Mathieu van der Poel
2018 Michael Valgren
2017 Philippe Gilbert
2016 Enrico Gasparotto

Amstel Gold Race 2026: Course, weather and times

The Amstel Gold Race has not finished on top of the Cauberg since 2013, but the climb will still play a key role. The finish line is drawn two kilometres after the top of the hill, where the 2012 World Championships ended. Last year's three up bunch sprint in Berg en Terblijt proved it was a good decision to make the switch.

In the opening phase, the peloton leaves the Markt in Maastricht and loops towards Sittard and Geleen. The route then passes through Ubachsberg, Simpelveld and Nijswiller before heading back towards the Heuvelland. Several iconic climbs are tackled here, including the Loorberg and Camerig, before reaching the literal high point at the Drielandenpunt (Three Countries Point) in Vaals.

From there, the real finale begins. The climbs come thick and fast: the Eyserbosweg, the Keutenberg, and finally the mythical Cauberg. Alongside the Geulhemmerberg and the Bemelerberg — which are tackled for the last time at around 25 kilometres from the finish — the Cauberg is included once more via some narrower roads in the final circuit, before the race finishes at the same location as in recent years.

The Cauberg is tackled three times in total by the men. After the final ascent, there are still two kilometres of racing to Berg en Terblijt. All the ingredients for a Dutch cycling festival.

Weather
What can we expect on Sunday in South Limburg? There will be light winds and a chance of rain in the afternoon. The temperature will be just under 20 degrees celsius..

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m.
Finish: 4:55 p.m.

Favorites Amstel Gold Race 2026 - men

Please note: the start list is not yet official, so this section is subject to change.

The Amstel Gold Race must do without world champion Tadej Pogačar this year. He is skipping the week between Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His replacement Isaac del Toro is also likely absent after suffering a muscle tear at the Tour of the Basque Country, while it remains unclear whether Jan Christen, Tim Wellens and Jhonatan Narváez will be fit in time.

Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) have also decided not to race Amstel after Paris-Roubaix. Other crowd-pullers such as Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM, who is set to only take on Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège) and Tom Pidcock (knee injury after a crash in Catalonia, fitness unclear) are also expected to be absent.

The first and third-placed finishers from last year are here, though. Starting with Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), who will begin the hilly race with confidence after his third place at the Tour of Flanders. The time trial specialist finished third last year at the first time of asking.

Lidl-Trek have defending champion Mattias Skjelmose, backed by a strong squad. Juan Ayuso is not expected to be available, but with Quinn Simmons, Andrea Bagioli, Albert Withen Philipsen and Bauke Mollema, there is a fine mix of power, youth and experience.

Another team with strength in depth is INEOS Grenadiers. The British outfit fields three strong Frenchmen who have shown their faces at the front this year. Kévin Vauquelin is the more climbing type, while Dorian Godon and Axel Laurance can rely on their punch at the finish.

Visma | Lease a Bike identified Matteo Jorgenson, Louis Barré (last year's surprise package) and Ben Tulett as their key riders for these races before the season. While Jorgenson has had a good build-up on Tenerife, the other two have been hampered by illness and crashes. There is a question mark over their current form.

No such question mark hangs over Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla). The Swiss champion — who unfortunately has to do without Michael Matthews but has Andrea Vendrame alongside him — has been making a strong impression this year. Last week he finished second at the NXT Classic in South Limburg, behind Tibor Del Grosso. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider will also start on Sunday.

Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) is among the most talented riders in the world, which he underlined with a seventh place last year. Compatriot Paul Lapeira (Decathlon CMA CGM) falls into the same outsider category — and in a race like the Amstel Gold Race, there are always a few who float to the surface.

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has not yet sparkled this year, but with Harry Sweeny and Alex Baudin he brings a strong unit. Finally, look to Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), Brandon McNulty (UAE), Pello Bilbao, Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious), Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermarché), Simone Velasco, Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana), Andreas Kron (Uno-X), Rick Pluimers, Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi (Tudor) as potential podium threats.

IDL Cycling picks for the Amstel Gold Race 2026 — men

Top favorite: Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Outsiders: Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Kévin Vauquelin (INEOS Grenadiers)

Longshots: Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla), Dorian Godon, Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana), Brandon McNulty (UAE Emirates-XRG), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon CMA CGM), Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5)

TV Amstel Gold Race 2026

Below you can find where to watch Paris Roubaix Femmes in English by country:

United Kingdom - HBO Max now carries all of the UK cycling coverage.

USA - You will need a subscription to Peacock to watch the racing in the USA.

Canada - FloBikes carries the stream for Canadian fans. Again you will need a subscription, and times vary depending on location

Australia -Australian fans can watch both the men's and women's races for free on SBS on Demand.

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