We will race Amstel Gold on Sunday 18 April in Netherlands, with 2019 winner Kasia Niewiadoma returning with Alena Amialiusik, Elise Chabbey, Tiffany Cromwell, Mikayla Harvey and Alexis Ryan.

The Women’s World Tour race has a new course with 7 laps of a 16.9 kilometre circuit that includes the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg climbs each time. Alexis predicts a tough race with positioning key already on the first lap.

“The key is to be smart about when you spend your energy, and be patient,” said Alexis.

“The new course is a closed circuit with multiple climbs. The climbs will wear you out quickly if you’re poorly positioned. The peloton will be whittled down by the final few laps. It’ll be important for our team to be at the front when attacks are going so we can play our cards for the finish,” said Alexis.

Teammate Tiffany, who showed a strong performance at Ronde van Vlaanderen, said the team also can look to create a breakaway in order to put pressure on other teams.

“The new course for Amstel Gold will definitely be a race of attrition, but also can be a successful breakaway course given it’s a tricky lap to be able to create an organised chase on. If a breakaway isn’t successful, then it will be a select group in the final that will only suit those with strong legs and a strong head to be able to put in the big attacks on the same three climbs that we repeat over and over. It’s an open race and a course that will create some interesting and exciting racing,” said Tiffany.

Defending champion Kasia spoke about what was key in order to win a race like Amstel Gold.

“To win you have to have a good team, strong legs, a lot of luck, and committed teammates who are not afraid to race. You have to be alert and attentive for the entire course. Anything can happen on those circuits and there are quite a lot of important moments to be ready for, and to create!”

HOW TO FOLLOW

Amstel Gold Ladies Race starts at 08:30CEST on Sunday 18 April. The race can be followed on Twitter with #UCIWWT. A live broadcast is on Eurosport and GCN+ from 11:05 to 12:00CEST.

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