Amstel Gold Race 2024: With the successful concept from last year - this is the route

Last year, the Amstel Gold Race was the first stop for two budding Ardennes triplets. Demi Vollering (SD Worx - Protime) in the women's race actually completed it with victories at Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was only prevented from doing so by a crash with a broken hand on the last stage.

Amstel Gold Race 2024: the most important facts in brief

• Date: 14 April 2024, estimated finish time ~ 16:50 (men), ~ 14:10 (women)
• Distance254 kilometres (men), 158 kilometres (women)
• StartMaastricht, Goal: Berg en Terblijt
• Profilehilly
• UCI category: (Women's) World Tour
• OrganiserAmstel Gold Race Foundation
• Premiere: 1966, 78th edition (men); 2001, 11th edition (women)
• Last year's winnerTadej Pogacar (men), Demi Vollering (women)
• To the race report of the men's race
• To the race report of the women's race

In any case, the Amstel Race, which was originally created to promote the eponymous beer brand - which has been part of Heineken for years now - is a real indicator for the subsequent races in the Ardennes. Whoever wins here can also be successful at the other two stages, as the difficulty lies not only in the large number of hills, but also in the length of the route.

This is the route of the Amstel Gold Race 2024

This year, 33 climbs and 253.6 kilometres await the men. The route is therefore identical to last year's. For the women, everything remains the same. At least almost. Although all 21 climbs remain the same, the 157.6 kilometre course is around 2000 metres longer than last year.

The women's race can essentially be reduced to the final lap via Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg. It is ridden four times - the Cauberg five times - and therefore makes up around half of the route. The approximately 80-kilometre-long approach there also corresponds largely to the first third of the men's race.

>> Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2024: route, TV coverage & live stream

The starting shot is fired in Maastricht. From there, the route heads straight north to Sittard, with the Maasberg being the first climb after 12 kilometres. From Sittard, the route then heads south again with a tendency towards the east via smaller towns such as Hulsberg and Kunrade. The first 50 kilometres are completed shortly afterwards, and the two routes separate after the fourth climb on the Korenweg.

>> Men's cycling race calendar 2024

>> Women's cycling race calendar 2024

The women set course for Eys, where the Eyserbosweg is one of the most famous climbs in the region and the Amstel Race. After a short detour over the Fromberg, the riders head onto the finish lap. The finish arch is on the Rijksweg in Berg en Terblijt just outside Valkenburg.

These are the climbs of the women's race:

1. KM 12.3 - Maasberg
2. KM 32.1 - Adsteeg
3. KM 49.1 - Bergseweg
4. KM 51.6 - Korenweg
5. KM 61.8 - Kruisberg
6. KM 64.0 - Eyserbosweg
7. KM 68.4 - Fromberg
8. KM 73.2 - Keutenberg
9. KM 82.4 - Cauberg (1)
10. KM 84.1 - Geulhemmerberg (1)
11. KM 97.0 - Bemelerberg (1)
12. KM 100.4 - Cauberg (2)
13. KM 104.8 - Geulhemmerberg (2)
14. KM 114.6 - Bemelerberg (2)
15. KM 118.2 - Cauberg (3)
16. KM 122.8 - Geulhemmerberg (3)
17. KM 132.2 - Bemelerberg (3)
18. KM 135.8 - Cauberg (4)
19. KM 140.6 - Geulhemmerberg (4)
20. KM 150.4 - Bemelerberg (4)
21. KM 155.4 - Cauberg (5)

These are the climbs of the men's race:

1. KM 12.3 - Maasberg
2. KM 32.1 - Adsteeg
3. KM 49.1 - Bergseweg
4. KM 51.6 - Korenweg
5. KM 57.0 - Nijswillerweg
6. KM 67.0 - Rijksweg
7. KM 86.3 - Wolfsberg
8. KM 89.5 - Loorberg (1)
9. KM 102.0 - Schweibergerweg
10. KM 109.6 - Camerig
11. KM 120.1 - Drielandenpunt
12. KM 123.1 - Gemmenich
13. KM 128.5 - Epenerbaan / Vijlenerbos
14. KM 135.7 - Eperheide
15. KM 143.7 - Gulperberg (1)
16. KM 147.5 - Plettenberg
17. KM 151.1 - Eyserweg
18. KM 154.5 - St. Remigiusstraat / Huls
19. KM 160.0 - Vrakelberg
20. KM 168.0 - Sibbergrubbe
21. KM 171.5 - Cauberg (1)
22. KM 176.0 - Geulhemmerberg (1)
23. KM 184.0 - Keerderberg
24. KM 188.5 - Bemelerberg (1)
25. KM 202.1 - Loorberg (2)
26. KM 208.7 - Gulperberg (2)
27. KM 213.4 - Kruisberg
28. KM 215.6 - Eyserbosweg
29. KM 220.0 - Fromberg
30. KM 225.3 - Keutenberg
31. KM 234.1 - Cauberg (2)
32. KM 238.5 - Geulhemmerberg (2)
33. KM 248.4 - Bemelerberg (2)

But there are still several kilometres and climbs to go before the men are ready. The route leads right through Limburg. One junction is near Gulpen, where the Gulperberg is crossed twice and bypassed twice more. In between, however, there are 65 kilometres, on which Belgian territory is crossed for a few hundred metres between the Drielandenpunt and Gemmenich climbs about halfway through the race.

The men only take the Eyserbosweg after 215 kilometres as the 28th climb. The peloton had already ridden over the Cauberg and through the finish line. Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg are also passed shortly afterwards, but then there is another big loop through the countryside. Only then do the riders head back towards the finish, which is passed for the second time after 237 kilometres. This is followed by a final lap, which, unlike the women's race, does not include the Cauberg. However, Geulhemmerberg and finally Bemelerberg are ridden for the second time before the final cheers can be heard.

Amstel Gold Race 2024: TV broadcast and live stream

The Amstel Gold Race will be broadcast both on TV and via live stream. The Discovery Plus streaming service (for a fee) will show the women's race from 13:00. After they cross the finish line and the podium ceremony, the men's race will follow at around 2.30 pm.

The women's Amstel Gold Race will be shown on free-to-air TV on Eurosport 1 from 13:00, followed by the men's race from 14:35.

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