Surprise victory at the Amstel Gold Race 2025! Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl - Trek) outsprints the top favourites and wins the Dutch classic ahead of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). Tadej Pogačar had already broken away as a soloist 43 kilometres before the finish and rode to victory in the Amstel Gold Race 2025. However, the duo of Remco Evenepoel and Mattias Skjelmose caught up with the Slovenian 8 kilometres before the finish line. As no rider was able to break away decisively on the final climb, the Cauberg, there was a sprint to the finish. Skjelmose proved to have the best timing there and overtook Pogačar, who had been in the lead until then, at the last moment. Evenepoel finished third.

Evenepoel catches up with Pogačar - Skjelmose dusts off

When Tadej Pogačar began his solo ride 43 kilometres from the finish, it was similar to the Tour of Flanders or Strade Bianche, where the Slovenian had won with a dominant solo show. Pogačar also quickly extended his lead to half a minute at the Amstel Gold Race 2025. First it was Mattias Skjelmose who chased down the Slovenian from a large chasing group, then Remco Evenepoel caught up with him 25 kilometres before the finish. Bit by bit, the Skjelmose-Evenepoel duo closed in on the leader - and there was one main reason for this: Remco Evenepoel's outstanding chase work. The Belgian rode almost constantly in the wind, while Skjelmose even had problems keeping Evenepoel's rear wheel. However, he showed willpower and the duo caught up with Pogačar eight kilometres before the finish.

Evenepoel continued to ride in the wind for long stretches, while Pogačar and Skjelmose had problems. However, Evenepoel did not attack on the final Cauberg, the trio rather eyed each other and so it came to the final sprint, because no one showed nerves and attacked early. Evenepoel rode from the front, but was unable to keep up the pace. Skjelmose, on the other hand, accelerated at the right moment and won the Amstel Gold Race 2025.

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Amstel Gold Race 2025 - Result

How the Amstel Gold Race 2025 went

The 256-kilometre route between Maastricht and Berg en Terblijt started in sunny conditions. It took a while for a breakaway group to form. It comprised a total of eight riders. Among them were Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ), Robert Stannard (Bahrain-Victorious) and Michel Heßmann (Movistar Team).

Heßmann without a chance in the breakaway group

However, the peloton got serious early on and the escape group's lead dwindled. Not only UAE Team Emirates - XRG was responsible for the chase, but also Lidl - Trek and Soudal Quick-Step kept riding in the wind. Although a quartet around Dylan van Baarle (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Quinn Simmons (Lidl - Trek) were able to break away and chase the leaders, all the riders were quickly caught by the serious peloton. Michel Hessmann fought the longest against the overpowering peloton, but 68 kilometres before the finish the Movistar rider had to give up. The peloton was now complete again and the race could start from the beginning.

The finale was heralded shortly afterwards by the EF Education - EasyPost team. On the Loorberg, the team pushed hard with several riders. Numerous riders in the peloton had problems and were dropped. Lidl - Trek then took over and stayed on the accelerator. The race became more and more selective.

Alaphilippe attacks - Pogacar goes solo

With 48 kilometres to go, it was Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) who took advantage of the fast pace and launched an attack. Tadej Pogačar was immediately on the Frenchman's rear wheel. The two riders opened up a gap to the peloton, with no one else following the duo. Pogačar then attacked on the subsequent Gulperberg and easily left Alaphilippe behind, who dropped back into the peloton. From now on, Pogačar was travelling solo.

Pogačar quickly managed to extend his lead to 30 seconds over the peloton. Alarm bells were ringing there. There were repeated attacks by individual riders, but there was no real co-operation in a chasing group of around 20 riders around Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Ben Healy (EF Education - EasyPost), Thibau Nys (Lidl - Trek) and Thomas Pidcock (Tudor Pro Cycling Team).

Skjelmose and Evenepoel take up Pogačar's pursuit

With 30 kilometres to go, Mattias Skjelmose managed to open up a gap to the chasing group with an attack. After a few kilometres, Remco Evenepoel also got serious and caught up with the Dane. As a duo, the two riders then took up the chase to Tadej Pogačar. While Evenepoel rode ahead in the wind, the Slovenian's lead dwindled more and more. The chasing group behind the duo lost more and more ground and were no longer able to intervene in the fight for the podium positions.

8 kilometres before the finish, Pogačar, Evenepoel and Skjelmose joined forces. As no rider was able to break away, there was a sprint to the finish. Skjelmose won this ahead of Pogačar and Evenepoel.