The first classic of the Ardennes Classic
The Amstel Gold Race, with its 33 climbs, opens the Ardennes classics on Sunday 14 April. It will also be Kévin Vauquelin’s first appearance in the Dutch classic.
“I’ll be racing the Amstel Gold Race, which will be my comeback race. It’s nice to get back into the race. I know that the pace of the race is going to be tough for me, but in any case I feel that my fitness is improving. I’m really looking forward to getting back to the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team, this dynamic of racing, my team-mates and the staff. I know the roads of the Amstel Gold Race from training there. I’ve always wanted to take part in this race, and discovering it this year will allow me to get my bearings for the next few years”.
“The Amstel Gold Race will be my comeback race after my retirement from Tirreno-Adriatico. I really took a break after that race – due to some minor health problems now. That gave me a chance to build up a good base for the rest of the season. I was able to put in a very good training cycle before putting my race number back on. I feel I’m going in the right direction now. I’m happy to be back competing. The Ardennes classics are really races that I enjoy and that make me dream, including the Amstel, which kicks off this cycle of ‘hilly’ one-day races. The Amstel requires a lot of positioning. Decisions are taken by attrition, with riders increasingly keen to decant this competition from afar. My role will be to ‘pilot’ Kévin Vauquelin, who will be discovering this competition, which has everything to please him. We’ll have to put him in the best possible conditions, avoid the pitfalls that this event can hold, and above all place him ideally within the pack before the bumps. Kévin, who’s in good form at the moment, has a great goal in front of him. As far as I’m concerned, this will be my test to get back into racing form, with the aim of having a good season afterwards”.
“The Amstel is the starting point for the Ardennes classics. The Dutch race takes place in Limburg and includes a number of short, steep bumps. It is divided into two parts: one in a row, with two laps of the final circuit to be contested. A total of 33 difficulties are listed, with a tough finale consisting of two climbs of the Cauberg, followed by the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg, the final climb located around ten kilometres from the finish. This Ardennes classic will also be a first for Kévin Vauquelin. Kévin will be surrounded by riders with experience of this event, such as Anthony Delaplace, Simon Guglielmi and Laurens Huys. Our second ace in the hole will be Vincenzo Albanese, who also has the physical qualities to shine in this type of race.”