It starts an Arden week where Pogacar will attack three victories in eight days

Only A week after a remarkable second place On his debut on the famous « Northern Hell », the Paris -Roubaix race, Tadej Pogacar is already turning toward the next great goal of the season. This Sunday, with the start at the AMSTEL GOLD Race race, he will start his campaign at Arden’s classics, a series of three challenging one -day trials at the distance of eight days. The current World Champion thus returns to the Dutch hills racewon in 2023 in a spectacular way with a solo attack.

Pogacar will again be captain of the strong band UAE Team Emirates-Xrg. As he said in a press release of his team summarized by the portal Cyclingnews And other cycling media, the team leaves races on paved classics with a raised head. « I think we can be satisfied with what we have achieved there, we have seen some extraordinary battles on the road, » said Pogacar’s appearance in the north.

Now the view is pointing south, to the corrugated roads of the Dutch Limburg and the Belgian Ardenen. “Arden’s races will be a new challenge. These are three difficult one -day trials in a week, but I feel that we have a team that can run to win each of them, « says Pogacar.

Despite the ambitions, he remains cautious: « We will go the race after the race, starting with Amstel Gold, and then we will see how to go. » The memory of the victory two years ago is still alive: « I have great memories of this race two years ago when I managed to win. We will see what will be this year. « 

Changed route by returning a key slope

This year’s 59th performance of the AMSTEL GOLD RACE race brings an important novelty that could affect tactics. After nine years, the most famous ascent on the route, the famous Cauberg, returns to the race end. Instead of being the summit of Cauberg, as in recent years, almost 20 kilometers away from the finish line, this time it will only be two kilometers ahead of the finish line. This means that his influence on the final unfolding is likely to be much greater and will require a different strategy than in 2023, when Pogacar won the attack from afar.

Notwithstanding the change of the Pogacar route in the role of the World Champion and with the exceptional form it shows, it comes to the start of Sunday’s race as a major favorite. Of course, the victory is not taken for granted. As the analysts point out at CyclingnewsPogacar could still feel the consequences of a busy performance at Paris -Roubaix last Sunday. In addition, Amstel Gold Race, with more than 260 kilometers and numerous shorts, steep climbs and narrow, winding roads, is a very challenging race where it is difficult to control all the escapes, even for such a strong team as UAE.

Among the main rivals should be highlighted last year’s winner and former cyclocross world champion Tom Pidcock (now on the Q36.5 team), which in 2024 chased away in a tense sprint March Hirschi. There’s too Wout van aert (Visma-Lease A Bike), 2021 winner, who also returns after a campaign on pavers and will finish his spring block at AMStel before preparing for Giro d’Italia. A lot of interest also raises the return Remca Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep); After a shoulder injury, the Belgian star will perform for the first time at AMSTEL GOLD RACE, where it will be interesting to see his readiness compared to competitors who have been racing since the beginning of the season. Candidates for high places also include Ben Healy (EF Education-Easypost), which was third in 2023 behind Pogačar and Pidcock, and experienced Michael Matthews (Jayco-Aiuia).

Strong support of the UAE team

Pogacar will have an extremely strong team of helpers. In the seven UAE team for AMSTEL GOLD RACE, among others Tim Wellens, Jhonatan narváez, Domen Novak, Paul gray, Felix Großschartner and Brandon mcnulty – A team of experienced cyclists for classics and good hills, which will support Pogacar on a challenging route.

Notwithstanding the change of the Pogacar route in the role of the World Champion and with the exceptional form it shows, it comes to the start of Sunday’s race as a major favorite. Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

The Sunday race will thus be the first highlight of the Arden Week to continue with the middle of the Walloon arrow (La Flèche Wallenne) and end next Sunday with the Liège -Bastogne -Liège monument. Many wonder if Pogacar can repeat success Philippa Gilbert from 2011 and wins all three Arden’s classics. The answer to this question will start to be revealed on the roads of Limburg.