Amstel Gold Race
Encyclopedia
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held (mostly) in the southern part of the province of Limburg
, Netherlands
. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup (1989–2004), the UCI ProTour
(2005–2010), UCI World Ranking
(2009–2010) and from 2011 the UCI World Tour. It is the most important road cycling event of the Netherlands.
The name does not directly refer to the river Amstel
, which is far away from the course, but to the sponsor, the Amstel brewery.
Vissers was a house decorator and hockey player from Rotterdam
whose break in cycling came in 1963 when a friend asked him to manage a minor team in the Tour of Holland. Those who were there say he was as hopeless as his riders. Officials banished him after he did a U-turn and drove back towards the oncoming race after hearing that one of his riders had punctured. Three years later, in 1966, he became manager of the Willem II professional team that at one time included the classics winner, Rik van Looy
of Belgium.
Krott's background in cycling was scarcely deeper. He ran a car-parts dealership called HeKro and, because he admired the Dutch rider Peter Post
, worked as his personal assistant. He had also worked as a salesman for Amstel
. Together, Krott and Vissers organised small races across the Netherlands. Krott also used his contacts at Amstel to start an Amstel professional team and then the sponsorship to run an international professional race bigger than the round-the-houses events Inter Sport had been promoting until then.
The first Amstel Gold Race was announced for April 30, 1966, the national day of the Netherlands
. The plan was to start from Amsterdam
and follow a 280 km loop round the east of the country before finishing in the south-east at Maastricht
. There would be prizes of 10,000 guilders - about €5,000 - of which a fifth would go to the winner.
Things started going wrong from the beginning. Krott and Vissers had announced the start, the finish and the distance without taking into account the many rivers and the zigzags needed to cross them. The course would be far longer than 280 km. Further plans were made to start in Utrecht
, then in Rotterdam
. The finish was moved from Maastricht to the unknown village of Meerssen
. Less than three weeks before the start, the organisers realised they had not obtained permission to cross the Moerdijk
bridge, the only way out of Rotterdam to the south. The route had again to be redrawn and the start moved to Breda
in the south.
The problems had not ended. Whatever the police thought of the constant changes they were asked to approve, they now had bigger concerns. The Provos, militant hippies, had declared Holland a state of anarchy. At the other end of the social scale, Dutchmen were also protesting against the marriage of the queen's daughter, Beatrix, to a German, Claus von Amsberg
. The police feared that a race organised on the royal family's big day would bring uprisings and possibly attacks.
On April 26, Vissers and Krott called off their race. But still there was a twist. A press conference to break the news had just started when the Dutch roads ministry in The Hague
called to say the race could be run after all - provided it was never again scheduled for Koninginnedag
.
The race was run, there were no serious protests, and the conditions set by the roads minister lost their significance. The Amstel Gold Race has never started in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht and it never again started in Breda. The finish was moved to Maastricht from 1992 and after 1998 the race also started there.
Inter Sport ceased trading in 1970 and Herman Krott ran the race by himself until 1995. It was then taken over by the former professional Leo van Vliet
.
. Since 2003 the finish is at the top of the Cauberg
hill, in the Valkenburg
municipality. Before 2003 the finish used to be in Maastricht
.
The race is the Netherlands' largest professional race but is frequently criticised for the danger of its course. The Netherlands is a densely populated country and the race runs through many suburbs and villages. With pressure on land being so great, many Dutch houses do not have garages and cars are left parked in the street. There are also many traffic-calming obstacles such as pinches, chicanes and speed humps, and further obstacles such as roundabouts and traffic islands. Crashes are not uncommon in the race.
The course is tough and selective, mainly because of the 31 hills that have to be climbed, some with angles as steep as 20% (Keutenberg). The Amstel can be confusing for first time riders, because the course features a lot of turns, plus some spots are visited more than one time during the race.
Velonews summarized the race in 2009 as follows:
Attempting to explain the difficulty of the course Peter Easton recounts a mathematician's calculations:
The current hills in the Amstel Gold Race are:
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup (1989–2004), the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
(2005–2010), UCI World Ranking
UCI World Ranking
The UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these...
(2009–2010) and from 2011 the UCI World Tour. It is the most important road cycling event of the Netherlands.
The name does not directly refer to the river Amstel
Amstel
The Amstel is a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water"....
, which is far away from the course, but to the sponsor, the Amstel brewery.
History
The first race, on April 30, 1966, was organised by two Dutch sports promoters, Ton Vissers and Herman Krott, who together ran a company called Inter Sport.Vissers was a house decorator and hockey player from Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
whose break in cycling came in 1963 when a friend asked him to manage a minor team in the Tour of Holland. Those who were there say he was as hopeless as his riders. Officials banished him after he did a U-turn and drove back towards the oncoming race after hearing that one of his riders had punctured. Three years later, in 1966, he became manager of the Willem II professional team that at one time included the classics winner, Rik van Looy
Rik Van Looy
Henri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...
of Belgium.
Krott's background in cycling was scarcely deeper. He ran a car-parts dealership called HeKro and, because he admired the Dutch rider Peter Post
Peter Post
Peter Post was a Dutch professional cyclist whose career lasted from 1956 to 1972. Post competed in road and track racing. As a rider he is best remembered for Six-day racing, having competed in 155 races and won 65. Because of this success he was known as “De Keizer van de Zesdaagse” or “The...
, worked as his personal assistant. He had also worked as a salesman for Amstel
Amstel
The Amstel is a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water"....
. Together, Krott and Vissers organised small races across the Netherlands. Krott also used his contacts at Amstel to start an Amstel professional team and then the sponsorship to run an international professional race bigger than the round-the-houses events Inter Sport had been promoting until then.
The first Amstel Gold Race was announced for April 30, 1966, the national day of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The plan was to start from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and follow a 280 km loop round the east of the country before finishing in the south-east at Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. There would be prizes of 10,000 guilders - about €5,000 - of which a fifth would go to the winner.
Things started going wrong from the beginning. Krott and Vissers had announced the start, the finish and the distance without taking into account the many rivers and the zigzags needed to cross them. The course would be far longer than 280 km. Further plans were made to start in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, then in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. The finish was moved from Maastricht to the unknown village of Meerssen
Meerssen
Meerssen is a place and a municipality in southeastern Netherlands.-History:The Treaty of Meerssen was signed in Meerssen in 870. The Treaty of Meerssen was an agreement of the division of the Carolingian Empire by the surviving sons of Louis I, Charles II of the West Franks and Louis the German...
. Less than three weeks before the start, the organisers realised they had not obtained permission to cross the Moerdijk
Moerdijk
Moerdijk is a municipality and a town in the South of the Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant.- History :The municipality of Moerdijk was founded in 1997 following the merger of the municipalities of Fijnaart en Heijningen, Klundert, Standdaarbuiten, Willemstad and Zevenbergen. At that...
bridge, the only way out of Rotterdam to the south. The route had again to be redrawn and the start moved to Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
in the south.
The problems had not ended. Whatever the police thought of the constant changes they were asked to approve, they now had bigger concerns. The Provos, militant hippies, had declared Holland a state of anarchy. At the other end of the social scale, Dutchmen were also protesting against the marriage of the queen's daughter, Beatrix, to a German, Claus von Amsberg
Claus von Amsberg
Prince Claus of the Netherlands was the prince consort of the current Queen regnant of the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix.-Biography:...
. The police feared that a race organised on the royal family's big day would bring uprisings and possibly attacks.
On April 26, Vissers and Krott called off their race. But still there was a twist. A press conference to break the news had just started when the Dutch roads ministry in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
called to say the race could be run after all - provided it was never again scheduled for Koninginnedag
Koninginnedag
Koninginnedag or Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Celebrated on 30 April , Koninginnedag is Queen Beatrix's official birthday. Though Queen Beatrix was born on 31 January, the holiday is observed on 30 April as it was the birthday of her mother and...
.
The race was run, there were no serious protests, and the conditions set by the roads minister lost their significance. The Amstel Gold Race has never started in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht and it never again started in Breda. The finish was moved to Maastricht from 1992 and after 1998 the race also started there.
Inter Sport ceased trading in 1970 and Herman Krott ran the race by himself until 1995. It was then taken over by the former professional Leo van Vliet
Leo van Vliet
Leonardus Quirinus Machutus van Vliet is was a professional racing cyclist from 1978 to 1986. He came 40th in the road race at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada....
.
Course
The course has changed many times over the years. In 2005 the race took place almost entirely within the boundaries of the province of Limburg, but there have also been editions that covered significant parts of BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Since 2003 the finish is at the top of the Cauberg
Cauberg
The Cauberg is a hill in Valkenburg aan de Geul, a city in the Netherlands. The length of the climb is around 1200 m, with a maximum grade of 12%.- Road Cycling :...
hill, in the Valkenburg
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
municipality. Before 2003 the finish used to be in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
.
The race is the Netherlands' largest professional race but is frequently criticised for the danger of its course. The Netherlands is a densely populated country and the race runs through many suburbs and villages. With pressure on land being so great, many Dutch houses do not have garages and cars are left parked in the street. There are also many traffic-calming obstacles such as pinches, chicanes and speed humps, and further obstacles such as roundabouts and traffic islands. Crashes are not uncommon in the race.
The course is tough and selective, mainly because of the 31 hills that have to be climbed, some with angles as steep as 20% (Keutenberg). The Amstel can be confusing for first time riders, because the course features a lot of turns, plus some spots are visited more than one time during the race.
Velonews summarized the race in 2009 as follows:
This is the mack-daddy race on the Dutch calendar. It’s Holland’s most important event and Dutch [teams do their] best to try to dominate the demanding, 258.6km course... Held in the hilly Limburg region in southern Holland, Amstel Gold often gets bundled with next week’s Flèche and Liège races to create what pundits like to call “ArdennesArdennesThe Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
week.” Though geographically distinct than the nearby Belgian Ardennes, the Limburg region serves up a similarly endless menu of steep, narrow climbs. Any race named after a beer should be a big party and tens of thousands of beer-guzzling Dutch fans turn up to line the endless string of bergs and clog outdoor beer gardens to cheer on the pack as they ply treacherously narrow roads. The course starts in the main square at MaastrichtMaastrichtMaastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
and, since 2003, ends atop the CaubergCaubergThe Cauberg is a hill in Valkenburg aan de Geul, a city in the Netherlands. The length of the climb is around 1200 m, with a maximum grade of 12%.- Road Cycling :...
climb just above ValkenburgValkenburg aan de GeulValkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
(site of another huge party). The route map looks like a plate of spaghetti, with four loops tracing back and forth over deceptively steep climbs. An endless string of 31 climbs are wickedly steep, with KeutenbergKeutenbergThe Keutenberg is a steep hill in the south of Limburg, Netherlands. The start of the climb is in Schin op Geul, a small village near Valkenburg aan de Geul...
featuring ramps as steep as 20 percent. Coupled with the narrow roads, strong winds and the danger of crashing, Amstel is one of the season’s most nerve-wracking races. The addition of the Cauberg finish dramatically altered the race dynamics. The finish used to be on the flats alongside the Maas River, giving teams a chance to regroup after the last climb and position their sprinters for a sometimes-large group sprint. [It now favors whippet-thin climbers and hilly course specialists.]
Attempting to explain the difficulty of the course Peter Easton recounts a mathematician's calculations:
...applying logic to overcome a sense of incomprehension is the key to understanding this race. And there is truth in numbers. Six of the climbs come in the first 92 kilometers - one every 15.2 kilometers. The remaining 25 come over the final 165 kilometers. That’s one every 6.6 kilometers. Breaking it down further, the final hour of racing has eight climbs in 42 kilometers. Now we’re down to one every 5.25 km. At 40 km/h, that’s one every 7 ½ minutes. Not overly funny, and definitely all business.
The current hills in the Amstel Gold Race are:
| Number | Name | Kilometer | Location | Length (in m) | Average climb (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maasberg | 11 | Elsloo Elsloo, Limburg Elsloo is a town in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Stein, about 2 km west of the town of Stein itself.Elsloo has a railway station - Beek-Elsloo railway station.... |
500 | 4,4 |
| 2 | Adsteeg | 33 | Beek Beek Beek is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality of Beek has two railway stations - Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west, and Spaubeek railway station in the east of the municipality... |
500 | 5,4 |
| 3 | Lange Raarberg | 40 | Meerssen Meerssen Meerssen is a place and a municipality in southeastern Netherlands.-History:The Treaty of Meerssen was signed in Meerssen in 870. The Treaty of Meerssen was an agreement of the division of the Carolingian Empire by the surviving sons of Louis I, Charles II of the West Franks and Louis the German... |
1300 | 4,5 |
| 4 | Bergseweg | 56 | Voerendaal Voerendaal - Population centres :Barrier, Colmont, Craubeek, Dolberg, Eyserheide, Fromberg, Heek, Hellebeuk, Klimmen, Koulen, Kunrade, Mingersberg, Opscheumer, Overheek, Ransdaal, Retersbeek, Termaar, Termoors, Ubachsberg, Voerendaal, Weustenrade, Winthagen.-History:... |
2700 | 3,3 |
| 5 | Sibbergrubbe | 68 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
2100 | 4,1 |
| 6 | Cauberg Cauberg The Cauberg is a hill in Valkenburg aan de Geul, a city in the Netherlands. The length of the climb is around 1200 m, with a maximum grade of 12%.- Road Cycling :... |
73 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
1200 | 5,8 |
| 7 | Geulhemmerweg | 76 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
1000 | 6,2 |
| 8 | Wolfsberg | 96 | Noorbeek Noorbeek Noorbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Margraten , about 12 km southeast of Maastricht. Noorbeek is one of the southernmost villages of the Netherlands.... |
800 | 4,4 |
| 9 | Loorberg | 101 | Slenaken Slenaken Slenaken is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, and is one of the southernmost villages of the Netherlands.... |
1500 | 5,5 |
| 10 | Schweibergerweg | 111 | Gulpen Gulpen Gulpen is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is approximately midway between the Dutch city of Maastricht and the German city of Aachen.Gulpen was a separate municipality until 1999, when it merged with Wittem... |
2900 | 3,9 |
| 11 | Camerig | 118 | Vijlen Vijlen Vijlen is a village in the South-East part of the Dutch province Limburg. The village is constituted of a number of hamlets, among which Mamelis, Camerig, Harles and Cottessen. Including these hamlets, Vijlen has around 1500 inhabitants and is part of the municipality of Vaals... |
4300 | 3,8 |
| 12 | Drielandenpunt Vaalserberg The Vaalserberg is a hill 322.7 metres in height and the highest point in the European part of the Netherlands. The Vaalserberg is located in the province of Limburg, at the south-easternmost edge of the country in the municipality of Vaals, near the eponymous town, some three kilometres west of... |
131 | Vaals Vaals Vaals is a town in the extreme southeastern part of the Dutch province of Limburg, which in its turn finds itself in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.... |
3700 | 3,7 |
| 13 | Gemmenich | 134 | Blieberg | 900 | 6,4 |
| 14 | Vijlenerbos | 138 | Vaals Vaals Vaals is a town in the extreme southeastern part of the Dutch province of Limburg, which in its turn finds itself in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.... |
1800 | 5,1 |
| 15 | Eperheide | 147 | Epen Epen Epen is a town in the southern part of the Dutch province of Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, and lies about 15 km southwest of Kerkrade. The town is known for its timber framed houses and is part of the sightseeing tour the Mergellandroute.In 2005, Epen had 740... |
2300 | 4,1 |
| 16 | Gulperberg | 155 | Gulpen Gulpen Gulpen is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is approximately midway between the Dutch city of Maastricht and the German city of Aachen.Gulpen was a separate municipality until 1999, when it merged with Wittem... |
700 | 8,1 |
| Number | Name | Kilometer | Location | Length (in m) | Average climb (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Plettenbergweg | 159 | Eys Eys Eys is a village in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg, the Netherlands. The town is located 3 km. from Gulpen and 17 km. from provincial capital Maastricht. Furthermore, it is characterised by its location in the hilly landscape of South Limburg. The village was first mentioned... |
1000 | 4,2 |
| 18 | Eyserweg | 160 | Eys Eys Eys is a village in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg, the Netherlands. The town is located 3 km. from Gulpen and 17 km. from provincial capital Maastricht. Furthermore, it is characterised by its location in the hilly landscape of South Limburg. The village was first mentioned... |
2200 | 4,3 |
| 19 | Hulsberg | 165 | Simpelveld Simpelveld Simpelveld is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.Simpelveld has a heritage railway station and is the homebase of the South Limburg Railway Compagny ZLSM . On one weekend in October there is a Day out with Thomas from the children's television series Thomas and... |
1000 | 7,7 |
| 20 | Vrakelberg | 171 | Voerendaal Voerendaal - Population centres :Barrier, Colmont, Craubeek, Dolberg, Eyserheide, Fromberg, Heek, Hellebeuk, Klimmen, Koulen, Kunrade, Mingersberg, Opscheumer, Overheek, Ransdaal, Retersbeek, Termaar, Termoors, Ubachsberg, Voerendaal, Weustenrade, Winthagen.-History:... |
700 | 7,9 |
| 21 | Sibbergrubbe | 179 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
2100 | 4,1 |
| 22 | Cauberg Cauberg The Cauberg is a hill in Valkenburg aan de Geul, a city in the Netherlands. The length of the climb is around 1200 m, with a maximum grade of 12%.- Road Cycling :... |
184 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
1200 | 5,8 |
| 23 | Geulhemmerweg | 188 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
1000 | 6,2 |
| 24 | Bemelerberg | 201 | Margraten Margraten -History:In Margraten is the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Europe's third largest war cemetery for unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. 8,301 soldiers are buried there under long rows of white crosses and stars of David. All graves are adopted by locals, who attend the... |
900 | 5,0 |
| 25 | Wolfsberg | 218 | Noorbeek Noorbeek Noorbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Margraten , about 12 km southeast of Maastricht. Noorbeek is one of the southernmost villages of the Netherlands.... |
800 | 4,4 |
| 26 | Loorberg | 224 | Slenaken Slenaken Slenaken is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, and is one of the southernmost villages of the Netherlands.... |
1500 | 5,5 |
| 27 | Gulperberg | 232 | Gulpen Gulpen Gulpen is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is approximately midway between the Dutch city of Maastricht and the German city of Aachen.Gulpen was a separate municipality until 1999, when it merged with Wittem... |
700 | 8,1 |
| 28 | Kruisberg | 238 | Eys Eys Eys is a village in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg, the Netherlands. The town is located 3 km. from Gulpen and 17 km. from provincial capital Maastricht. Furthermore, it is characterised by its location in the hilly landscape of South Limburg. The village was first mentioned... |
800 | 7,5 |
| 29 | Eyserbosweg | 240 | Eys Eys Eys is a village in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg, the Netherlands. The town is located 3 km. from Gulpen and 17 km. from provincial capital Maastricht. Furthermore, it is characterised by its location in the hilly landscape of South Limburg. The village was first mentioned... |
1100 | 8,1 |
| 30 | Fromberg | 244 | Voerendaal Voerendaal - Population centres :Barrier, Colmont, Craubeek, Dolberg, Eyserheide, Fromberg, Heek, Hellebeuk, Klimmen, Koulen, Kunrade, Mingersberg, Opscheumer, Overheek, Ransdaal, Retersbeek, Termaar, Termoors, Ubachsberg, Voerendaal, Weustenrade, Winthagen.-History:... |
1600 | 4,0 |
| 31 | Keutenberg Keutenberg The Keutenberg is a steep hill in the south of Limburg, Netherlands. The start of the climb is in Schin op Geul, a small village near Valkenburg aan de Geul... |
248 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
700 | 9,4 |
| 32 | Cauberg Cauberg The Cauberg is a hill in Valkenburg aan de Geul, a city in the Netherlands. The length of the climb is around 1200 m, with a maximum grade of 12%.- Road Cycling :... |
260 | Valkenburg Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... |
1200 | 5,8 |
Winners
By riders
| Cyclist | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1977 1977 Amstel Gold Race The 1977 Amstel Gold Race was the twelfth edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 9, 1977 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 230 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... , 1978 1978 Amstel Gold Race The 1978 Amstel Gold Race was the 13th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday March 25, 1978 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 230 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... , 1979 1979 Amstel Gold Race The 1979 Amstel Gold Race was the 14th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 14, 1979 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 237 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... , 1980 1980 Amstel Gold Race The 1980 Amstel Gold Race was the 15th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 5, 1980 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 238 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen. There were a total number of 146 competitors,... , 1982 1982 Amstel Gold Race The 1982 Amstel Gold Race was the 17th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 24, 1982 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 237 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... |
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| 2 | 1973 1973 Amstel Gold Race The 1973 Amstel Gold Race was the eighth edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 7, 1973 in the Dutch provinces of Limburg. The race stretched 238 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... , 1975 1975 Amstel Gold Race The 1975 Amstel Gold Race was the tenth edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday March 29, 1975 in the Dutch provinces of Limburg. The race stretched 238 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... |
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| 2 | 1974 1974 Amstel Gold Race The 1974 Amstel Gold Race was the ninth edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 13, 1974 in the Dutch provinces of Limburg. The race stretched 238 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... , 1985 1985 Amstel Gold Race The 1985 Amstel Gold Race was the 20th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 27, 1985 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 242 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Meerssen... |
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| 2 | 1993 1993 Amstel Gold Race The 1993 Amstel Gold Race was the 28th edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 28, 1993 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 249 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Maastricht... , 1998 1998 Amstel Gold Race The 1998 Amstel Gold Race was the 33rd edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 25, 1998 in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 257.3 kilometres, with the start and finish in Maastricht. There were a total number of 193 competitors, with 84... |
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| 2 | 2010 2010 Amstel Gold Race The 2010 Amstel Gold Race was the 45th edition of the Amstel Gold Race classic cycle race and took place on April 18, 2010. It was held on a 257.4 kilometres course from Maastricht to Cauberg as the sixth event of the 2010 UCI ProTour and the tenth event in the UCI World Ranking series... , 2011 2011 Amstel Gold Race The 2011 Amstel Gold Race was the 46th running of the Amstel Gold Race, a single-day cycling race. It was held on 17 April 2011 over a distance of and was the tenth race of the 2011 UCI World Tour season.... |
By country
| # | |Country | |Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 17 | |
| 2. | 11 | |
| 3. | 5 | |
| 4. | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| 5. | 2 | |
| 6. | 1 | |
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 |
External links
- Official site
- There is a chapter about this race in the book The Spring Classics: Cycling's Greatest One-Day Races.
- Cyclingfans.com : Guide to live streaming of Amstel Gold Race