Cycling highlights: Mathieu van der Poel's victory at the 2019 Amstel Gold Race came as no surprise. But HOW the Dutchman achieved this success caused amazement. In the month of May we want to look back on races that have moved us over the past three decades.
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Amstel Gold Race 2019: Van der Poel attacks far too early
Actually, it's common for the top favorites to wait until the end and only then turn their noses to the wind. Before that, they let their teammates work and save energy. This approach has proven its worth, especially in a tough and prestigious race. But Mathieu van der Poel chose the Amstel Gold Race 2019 another strategy. As Dutch champion and top favorite, he wanted to offer his fans a spectacle. With 44 kilometers to go, he attacked up the Gulperberg and tore a gap. But as you can see on the left photo above, the main field was still much too big and the way to the finish line was too long. Consequently, his competitors were able to catch him again just a few kilometers later.
Alaphilippe and Fuglsang gamble away the win
Julian Alaphilippe launched his attack on the Kruisberg. Together with Jakob Fuglsang he formed the new top duo. Mathieu van der Poel seemed to be tired from the previous flight. The Dutch champion could not follow. He didn't find a place in the chasing group either. The race seemed to be over for him. But what then happened at the Amstel Gold Race 2019 went down in cycling history. At times more than two minutes behind, Mathieu van der Poel was not caught by the cameras. While Julian Alaphilippe and Jakob Fuglsang were stalking each other at the front and didn't want to give each other the win, Mathieu van der Poel led the second chasing group closer and closer. On the long home straight, the cameras suddenly caught him again – and the show began. The crosser put aside every tactical concept and closed all the gaps. The rest is history.