Mollema speaks ahead of final Amstel Gold Race about possible World Championships in Groningen: “It looks good”

On the Amstel Gold Race start podium, Mollema spoke to Roxanne Knetemann. “My eleventh already,” he could be heard saying on L1 Nieuws. For Mollema, the race has always been special, but this time even more so. “It does feel a little different. You know you are riding all these races, especially beautiful races like this one, one more time. So you try to enjoy it a little bit more.”

Mollema never managed to win the race, but he did finish seventh in both 2014 and 2023. In total, he has placed in the top ten four times. He also had a front-row seat for Mathieu van der Poel’s famous victory, when Mollema — now 39 — finished twelfth. In his final appearance, he hopes to light it up one more time. “It will not be easy. The level is extremely high, and I am not the youngest anymore, of course. But I am really looking forward to trying to make something special out of it.”

The Lidl-Trek rider explained why the Amstel Gold Race means so much to him. “We simply do not race very often in the Netherlands, and this is the most beautiful and biggest race in the Netherlands. It is very special, with the Dutch fans and with family and children at the start. That makes it extra special. The race is always chaos; you have to stay focused from start to finish. It is not comparable to other races. I am really looking forward to today.”

While some riders need time to figure out what comes next after a long professional career, Mollema already has a major project on the horizon. Groningen and Drenthe jointly hope to host the 2032 UCI Road World Championships, and the local hero has been appointed as an ambassador. An official bid has now been submitted to the UCI. Could the Netherlands finally get another World Championships after Valkenburg in 2012?

“I hope so! I rode the World Championships here about 15 years ago, so in that sense it is about time the Worlds came back to the Netherlands,” Mollema said. “I am from Groningen, of course, so for me it would be fantastic if it happened there one day. It looks good.”

In 2012, Philippe Gilbert became world champion on “his” Cauberg in Valkenburg. Mollema crossed the line in 48th place that day. Now, as his final season as a professional continues, the Dutchman can look ahead not only to one last Amstel Gold Race as a rider, but also to a possible role in bringing one of cycling’s biggest events back to his home region.