For some it was a huge scandal, for others, directly, a robbery. Tom Pidcock and Van Aert reached the finish line at the finish line in the 2021 Amstel Gold Race, but after reviewing the photo-finish the judges gave the Belgian the victory. The truth is that it was very difficult to distinguish which tubular had crossed the line first. At only 21 years old, the Briton was millimeters away from glory. But the road had a very sweet revenge in store for him. And this came at the most unexpected moment, after suffering a hard fall fifteen days ago, before the Itzulia, which made him compete in Roubaix in pain. Thus, three years after the biggest disappointment of his career, Pidcock raised his arms, perhaps a little prematurely, but enough to finally celebrate his victory in the Amstel Gold Race. This is the most important achievement of a career that has shone on the road, but much more so in mountain biking and cross country, with Olympic and world triumphs.
The first of the three Ardennes Classics (253 kilometers between Maastrich and Valkenburg) together with the Fleche Wallonne and the Liège-Bastogne-Liège finally crowned the Briton, whose career deserved a victory of this magnitude after those achieved in the Strade Bianche (2023), the Flecha Brabanzona (2021) and a stage of the Tour de France (2022), and to sign multiple second and third places in classics such as Liège (2023), Via Flades (2021) or the race itself Amstel Gold Race from last year. At 24 years old, the Ineos rider is always a candidate for victory in one-day races due to his ability to overcome mountainous terrain and his great sprint speed.
The race of the 34 steep slopes was once again implacable due to its unrepentant cruelty towards fragility. Mathieu Van der Poel was initially the man to beat, but for whatever reason, he was once again left alone very soon, he did not enter to dispute the victory in the last kilometers as he did in 2019, when he attacked from the chasing group to impose your talent. This time he took refuge in the peloton in the hot part of the race, when four men gained a few seconds over a larger group that included Pello Bilbao and a creditable Roger Adrià. The Catalan, formerly of Kern Pharma, has started his career in Bora with an unexpected role that has led him to be close to the top ten.
The Swiss Hirschi and the Belgians Benoot and Vansevenant were the ones who disputed the victory with Pidcock, who had the escape under control at all times. On the finish line, the Swiss challenged the Briton's dominance until the end, who won with some difficulties. He had time this time, although not too much, to raise his fists strongly and celebrate the victory.
