Revenge For Remco Evenepoel: Conquers Amstel Gold Race 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Remco Evenepoel has ticked off another major box on his career bingo card. The Belgian superstar desperately wanted to add the Amstel Gold Race 2026 to his already glittering palmarès, and he finally succeeded.
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2026 Amstel Gold Race
In a thrilling finale, Evenepoel went head-to-head with Mattias Skjelmose, the very rider who served as his boogeyman in this race last year. This time, however, Evenepoel flipped the script, overpowering the Danish rider in a sprint to claim his first-ever victory at the Dutch classic.
"It means a lot. I've had a pretty good last month with Catalonia and Flanders, but to take a win is always different," Evenepoel said.
"I was really confident. I felt much better than I did last year in the final."
"I think it was also shown in the sprint that I had something left," the 26-year-old added.
Skjelmose admitted defeat, saying: "Remco was for sure the strongest. Last year I was lucky and this year he just beat me with legs."
The Decisive Move And Matteo Jorgenson Crash
For a long time, the peloton kept things relatively controlled, with the true fireworks waiting for the business end of the race. The tactical deadlock was finally broken just over 40 kilometers from the finish line.
Romain Grégoire threw down the gauntlet with a sharp attack. Evenepoel, Skjelmose, Kevin Vauquelin, and Matteo Jorgenson were all incredibly alert, answering the move and quickly locking onto the Frenchman's wheel. It looked like the perfect elite breakaway had formed.
But disaster struck almost immediately.
As the newly formed lead group navigated a treacherous corner, Vauquelin suddenly slid out and hit the asphalt. Jorgenson and Huub Artz, who had just been caught by the group, were directly behind the Frenchman and had nowhere to go. They both went down hard in the pileup.
The crash completely derailed their ambitions. Jorgenson, a top favorite riding for Visma-Lease a Bike, was forced to abandon the race shortly after.
Fortunately for Evenepoel, his positioning saved his race. Because he was riding right at the front of the group, he safely avoided the carnage unfolding just inches behind him.
Unhindered by the crash, Evenepoel pressed on with Grégoire and Skjelmose, leaving the chaos in their rearview mirror. The trio worked to build their advantage, setting up the final showdown. When it came down to the wire, Evenepoel made no mistakes, deploying a perfect sprint to best Skjelmose and take the crown.