Tadej Pogacar creates more history after dominant victory at Amstel Gold Race

UAE Team Emirates captain drops rivals in final 30km to become just the fourth rider to win Dutch race and Tour of Flanders in the same season

Tadej Pogacar celebrates after winning the Amstel Gold Cycling Race 2023, in Valkenburg, on April 16, 2023. AFP

Tadej Pogacar continued his remarkable season with his latest victory on Sunday when the UAE Team Emirates rider dominated his rivals to win the prestigious Amstel Gold Race.

The 24-year-old Slovenian, after powering clear of his rivals with 30km to go, finished first on the Dutch classic in six hours 01min 02sec, ahead of Ireland's disappointed Ben Healy of EF Education-EasyPost. British rider Pidcock clung on to third place.

Pogacar had changed bikes just ahead of the climb where his trademark climb-kick left the others standing.

"We didn't have cars for such a long time but we managed to get the bike just in time before the final climbs," said Pogacar, who later explained fellow rider Mathieu van der Poel had tipped him off to the tactic.

"He told me I should go on the Keutenberg and it is the hardest climb and it suits me the most. He told me that three days ago, he sent me a message. I will thank him for the advice," he said.

The lead trio went clear as part of a large attack with 90km to go on the 253.6km race over relentless hills on an overcast day run between Maastricht and Valkenburg.

"It's unbelievable," said Pogacar. "I did not expect that we'd go in the breakaway so early.

"I was on a sort of flat tyre for many kilometres in the front and I was doubting I could come to the finish solo. In the end I squeezed as much as possible to come to the finish line and I made it."

The ease with which Pogacar later shot away from an in-form Pidcock on the upper reaches of the Keutenberg hill showed why the double Tour de France winner added to his Tour of Flanders triumph earlier this month.

The victory added more history to a stunning season so far for Pogacar, who became just the fourth rider to win both the Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold in the same year. Additionally, Pogacar is only the third rider in history to win both the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders.

Next weekend, Pogacar faces a mouth-watering duel with Remco Evenepoel at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege as the Belgian defending champion attempts to tame the 2021 title winner.

Ahead of that he also tackles La Fleche Wallone in midweek.

"It's a hard race for me. I never did a good result there, but with good shape right now and a good team, we can also do a good result in Fleche," said Pogacar.

Dutch rider Demi Vollering won the women's race after breaking free of the pack on the final descent, producing a third major win for the 26-year-old this season after Strade Bianche and Tour of Flanders.