Amstel Gold Race: Tadej Pogacar dominates, Bagioli sixth

A first success that came in a carriage to start the Ardennes Triptych in the best possible way.

Tadej Pogacar won the Amstel Gold Race, adding a new triumph to the one he recently collected at the Tour of Flanders. For the Slovenian, it was a genuine domination in a test that cycling’s big names face as one of the first Classics of the season, as well as the one that traditionally opens the Ardennes Triptych.

Pogacar managed to win alone, preceding Ben Healy at the finish line, the only one to try to contend with him, detached at the end by 38 seconds. Over two minutes was the gap to the third place finisher, Thomas Pidcock. The first Italian was Andrea Bagioli, sixth at 3’14”.

After the first breakaway, in which Alessandro Fedeli also took part, the decisive factor was the breakaway with 100 km to go in which the big boys came into action. Here the Slovenian, initially delayed by a puncture that forced him to change bikes, brought the decisive acceleration leaving behind also Pidcock and Healy on the Keutenberg. The next events are set for next week, with the Walloon Arrow and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where Pogacar will also have to contend with Remco Evenepoel.