Amstel Gold Race Men LIVE: The unpredictable opener to the Ardennes Classics

There’s about half an hour until the race start and the rider presentation is well underway. Groupama-FDJ United come into this race with a really good option in Romain Grégoire who comes into today off the back of a fourth place finish in Brabantse Pijl, not to mention several solid results in the cobbled classics.

Unfortunately, one rider who has been in great form before getting ill at Itzulia Basque Country, was Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike). He doesn’t take to the start today as he is still struggling with fitness after illness. Samuele Battistella (EF Education-EasyPost) will also not start due to illness.

Skjelmose returns to defend his crown in Valkenburg but, yet again, he is not the favourite. Evenepoel is where everyone is looking for the big name favourite this year. However, he does have challengers from Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and many more besides.

The opener for the Ardennes Classics is always a tough race to call. It is often the most unpredictable of the three where even a stand out favourite like Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) can come unstuck. Last year’s race, won by Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) in a three up sprint with Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was proof of that.

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews‘ live report of the men’s Amstel Gold Race 2026.