The beginnings of the Amstel Gold Race
The initiative for the Amstel Gold Race came from two businessmen and operators of a sports agency who wanted to organise a cycling race and had a good relationship with the Amstel Brewery. The brewery gave the race its name and still sponsors it today. This makes it a typical product of the late 1960s and the only one of the renowned spring classics in the World Tour to bear the name of its sponsor in its name. The first edition took place on 30 April 1966 - so the race is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
The scene
Initially, the race was to run across the Netherlands from Amsterdam to Maastricht, but this proved to be too complicated to organise. The first edition linked the cities of Breda and Meerssen and in subsequent years focussed on the province of Limburg in the south-east of the Netherlands - in the border region with Belgium and Germany also the only hilly region in the country worth mentioning, with the start and finish (at least for many years) in Maastricht.
The route
The advantage of the course, which consists of many skilfully laid loops in the region around Maastricht: With short distances, spectators have the opportunity to see the racers several times during the race. In the early decades, the course was predominantly flat and also offered sprinters the chance to win one of the prestigious spring classics. From the early 1990s, the organisers led the riders over more and more climbs in the final hour of the race.
The hills
What the "Hellinge" are to the Belgians, the "Heuvel" are to the Dutch: somewhat euphemistically called "hills", rarely long but often very steep, sometimes up to 20 per cent. Depending on the route chosen, the up to 30 or more climbs add up to 50 kilometres uphill and around 2,500 metres in altitude. "The Amstel is therefore no longer easy prey for sprinters. The most famous "Heuvel" are Eyserbosweg, Fromberg, Keutenberg - and of course the Cauberg near Valkenburg, around 15 kilometres east of Maastricht. During the course of the Amstel Gold Race, it has changed its position and role in the race many times, was the finishing point, the last climb before the finish and also an important or race-deciding route point at the 1998 World Championships in Valkenburg and in 2012 in the Limburg region. In some years, it was not even part of the route, for example between 2017 and 2024.
Scandal
A few kilometres before the end of the race in 1978, the eventual winner Jan Raas attacked out of a leading group on the Cauberg in Valkenburg and caught the slipstream of some of the accompanying bikes, which were unable to pull away immediately. The sporting director of his rival Francesco Moser wanted to give him the same advantage and took the Italian co-favourite behind the team car in the slipstream. This in turn infuriated Raas' team boss Peter Post, who then blocked the race track with his Raleigh team car. The ensuing scuffle between the two team cars slowed down the pursuers Joop Zoetemelk (Netherlands), Moser and the Belgian top sprinter Freddy Maertens to such an extent that Jan Raas was able to pull away unassailably. Subsequent protests against his victory were rejected.
Record winner
The strong and versatile Dutchman Jan Raas (Team Ti-Raleigh) won the Amstel Gold Race five times in the six years between 1977 and 1982, followed by the Belgian classics specialist Philippe Gilbert with four victories between 2010 and 2017. The Belgian Eddy Merckx, the Dutchman Gerrie Knetemann, the Swiss Rolf Järmann, the Italian Enrico Gasparotto and the Pole Michał Kwiatkoski each won the Amstel Gold Race twice.
German winners
The first victory of a German professional in the Netherlands was achieved by Olaf Ludwig in 1992, then still in the jersey of Team Panasonic-Sportlife, before he switched to Team Telekom in 1993. Erik Zabel won for Team Telekom in 2000, followed by Stefan Schumacher (Team Gerolsteiner) in 2007.
The tour test
In 1996, Bjarne Riis won the Tour de France for Team Telekom and, together with runner-up Jan Ullrich and the entire team, sparked the first wave of cycling enthusiasm in Germany. In 1997, the high-flying Dane was once again considered the captain for the Tour de France - and had chosen the Amstel Gold Race as an important test of form on the way to the Tour, whereas otherwise he hardly ever appeared in the classic one-day races. In the finale, Riis was in a leading group of eight on the Muizenberg when he suddenly dropped to the back of the field and searched for his team car. He had a flat front wheel and made an obscene gesture to his team manager for taking so long to change the tyre. Riis had to catch up with the leaders again, overtook them and attacked at the same moment, 35 kilometres before the finish. In the end, he won the race as a soloist with a 46-second lead. It was the first victory for a Dane in the Amstel Gold Race and also the only Classics victory for the Tour specialist. The test of form for the Tour de France had thus gone well for the Dane - but the Tour of France was won a few months later by his crown prince Jan Ullrich.
The women's race
The history of the Amstel Gold Race as a race for women is still very short. Until 2016, it only took place three times, namely between 2002 and 2003. Since 2017, it has been held annually and is part of the Women's World Tour. Six of the eight editions since 2017 have been won by Dutch professional riders, with Marianne Vos winning twice.
Everyman race
In contrast to the meagre history of the women's race, there are two amateur events in the Netherlands that relate to the Amstel Gold Race. The "Amstel Gold Race Toerversie" usually takes place one day before the men's race on the professional course, but shorter distances of 65, 100, 125, 150, 200 and 240 kilometres are also offered. In addition, there is also a touring version of the men's race called "Limburgs Mooiste" (Limburg's Most Beautiful), which will take place at a later date, on 29/30 May 2025.
>> All information about the 2026 Amstel Gold Race for women
>> Route, TV times and all information about the 2026 Amstel Gold Race for men
>> Interview with the first German Paris-Roubaix winner Franziska Koch
Thomas Musch
Publisher
