Amstel Gold Race Report: Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) stunningly won the 2025 Amstel Gold Race. After a thrilling final in which top favourite Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG) was caught after a long solo, by the Dane and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). Skjelmose got the better of the two top men in the sprint.
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The 2025 Amstel finale
The 2025 Amstel Route
The organisers of the Amstel Gold Race announced in February that the Cauberg will once again be the last climb in the big Dutch Classic. The iconic climb where so many duels have been fought, was about 20 kilometres from the finish line since 2017, then they decided to add an extra lap with the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg. This was because the race was often a stale-mate to the foot of the Cauberg. The Cauberg has always played a crucial role in the Amstel Gold Race. In 2003, the finish was at the top of the climb in Valkenburg. After the successful World championships, race director Leo van Vliet decided in 2013 to move the finish line to between the villages of Berg en Terblijt and Vilt due to lack of space at the top. Since then, this has been the permanent finish.
2025 Amstel map
Eight years ago, the organisers decided to partly overhaul the final and this turned out to be a success, because the previous editions of the Amstel Gold Race were particularly spectacular and unpredictable. Now they have now opted for the Cauberg as the very last and decisive climb. Apart from the final, Flanders Classics has hardly made any changes to the course. This year, the race will start again on the Markt in Maastricht. After the start, the riders head north, towards Elsloo and Urmond. On the way, they will hit the Maasberg, a short cobblestone climb, the first obstacle of the day. The Adsteeg, Bergseweg and Korenweg follow. No Cauberg in the early part, as was the case before 2023, but as mentioned, it comes in the final. The first focus point is between kilometres 95 and 130. Then there are a few longer climbs, including the Camerig, one of the longest climbs in South Limburg and the Netherlands, and the climb to the Drielandenpunt in Vaals. Next is the tough Gulperberg from Partij, this is the climb where Mathieu van der Poel attacked in 2019, on the way to his victory. After the first passage of the finish in Berg en Terblijt, just after the first climb of the Cauberg, there are 80 kilometres to go.
2025 Amstel profile
The real finale starts at 45 kilometres from the finish with the Gulperberg, now from Gulpen. From the descent on the other side to Partij, the riders then go via the Geuzeweg and Cappucijnenweg on narrow, twisty roads to the foot of the Kruisberg. Immediately after that, there is the feared Eyserbosweg, after which there is the Fromberg and the incredibly steep Keutenberg. After the Cauberg has been climbed for the second and penultimate time, the final lap begins 16 kilometres from the finish line. This final lap is the same. It includes the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg, which were climbed earlier. The top of the Bemelerberg is 10.8 kilometres from the finish. Then instead of turning left past the Bemelerberg to the finish, the riders now go via the descent of the Daalhemmerweg to the Grendelplein in Valkenburg again and then climb the Cauberg for the last time. From the summit there are 2.5 kilometres to the finish line, drawn on the Rijksweg road between Vilt and Berg en Terblijt.
The 2025 Amstel Gold Race Climbs:
1. Maasberg (0,3 km à 5,1%) – 244,3 km
2. Adsteeg (0,7 km à 4,7%) – 225,8 km
3. Bergseweg (2,5 km à 3,3%) – 210,3 km
4. Korenweg (0,9 km à 5,7%) – 206,8 km
5. Nijswillerweg (1,3 km à 2,7%) – 201,3 km
6. Rijksweg N278 (3 km à 2,9%)- 191,8 km
7. Wolfsberg (0,9 km à 3,4%) – 171,7 km
8. Loorberg (1,4 km à 5,3%) – 168 km
9. Schweibergerweg (2,3 km à 4,6%) – 156,7 km
10. Camerig (3,7 km à 4,2%) – 150,3 km
11. Vaalserberg/Drielandenpunt (3 km à 3,8%) – 137,8 km
12. Gemmenich (0,9 km à 6%) – 133,5 km
13. Vijlenerbos (1,4 km à 5,5%) – 127 km
14. Eperheide (2,4 km à 4,7%) – 122,5 km
15. Gulperberg vanuit Partij (0,5 km à 9,8%) – 112,9 km
16. Plettenberg (1 km à 3,5%) – 108,6 km
17. Eyserweg (2 km à 4,6%) – 105,4 km
18. St. Remigiusstraat (1,4 km à 5,2%) – 102,5 km
19. Vrakelberg (0,5 km à 7,6%) – 97,3 km
20. Sibbergrubbe (1,8 km à 4%) – 89,5 km
21. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 85,1 km
22. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km à 6,6%) – 80,5 km
23. Keerderberg (1,8 km à 3,6%) – 73,1 km
24. Bemelerberg (1 km à 4,4%) – 69,8 km
25. Loorberg (1,4 km à 5,3%) – 54,6 km
26. Gulperberg vanuit Gulpen (0,9 km à 5,5%) – 47,6 km
27. Kruisberg (0,7 km à 7,3%) – 42,5 km
28. Eyserbosweg (1,1 km à 7,6%) – 40,6 km
29. Fromberg (1,7 km à 3,8%) – 36,9 km
30. Keutenberg (1,6 km à 5,2%) – 33 km
31. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 22,3 km
32. Geulhemmerberg (0,7 km à 6,6%) – 17,5 km
33. Bemelerberg (1 km à 4,4%) – 10,8 km
34. Cauberg (0,8 km à 6,6%) – 2,5 km.
The teams presented at the start in Maastricht
In the first hours of the race, the focus was on the early escape. Unibet Tietema Rockets were the first to start the action. They had Hartthijs de Vries and Jelle Johannink on the attack and they were joined by six other riders: Michel Hessmann (Movistar), Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ), Robert Stannard (Bahrain Victorious), Jarrad Drizners & Cédric Beullens (Lotto) and Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
Will the race be between these two? Pogačar and Evenepoel
Despite the presence of strong riders; De Vries, Johannink, Cavagna and Hessmann, the peloton saw no danger and allowed the lead to grow to almost 5 minutes. UAE Emirates XRG and Soudal Quick-Step, the teams of top favourites Pogačar and Evenepoel, kept a tight grip on the race and held the break in check. As the race passed, the difference got smaller and smaller.
The first climb of the day
Before the start of the last 100 kilometres, there was a crash in the peloton. Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert and Thibau Nys were amongst the fallers. The three Belgians were soon able to continue and rejoin the peloton, although Evenepoel did suffer damage to his elbow. Several riders attacked in the pre-final, but Pogačar’s team managed to control them. Due to these accelerations, the lead of the break disappeared. A regrouping seemed imminent, although Johannink, Cavagna and Hessmann struggled on for a while, but were caught one by one.
There has to be a windmill pic
With the last escapees caught, the big guns prepared themselves for the last 60 kilometres of battle. The pace increased, led by EF Education-EasyPost for Ben Healy. The peloton had already been thinned out on the Loorberg. But it was only on the steep sections of the Gulperberg that the race completely split apart, mostly because of Julian Alaphilippe.
The peloton was stretched out
The Frenchman hasn’t had a great season so far, but the former double World champion attacked on the Gulperberg in his old style. Only Pogačar was able to react, the other favourites had to pass. Alaphilippe and Pogačar then rode to the Kruisberg, where the current World champion felt it was his time to go. Alaphilippe had nothing and so Pogačar started his solo.
The Slovenian increased his lead to over 30 seconds on the road to the Keutenberg. In the chasing group, it was up to Ilan Van Wilder to keep the difference within limits for his leader Remco Evenepoel, but was this the winning move by Pogačar? Evenepoel didn’t give up and pushed hard on the Keutenberg.
Pogačar solo
The Belgian couldn’t shaking off the competition and saw Mattias Skjelmose jump away just after the top. The Dane went in search of Pogačar on his own, but was soon joined by Evenepoel and the two started to hunt down the solo Slovenian. The Belgian and the Dane worked well together and managed to nibble away at the deficit. From over 30 seconds, they pulled back to just 15 seconds at the start of the final lap.
Evenepoel and Skjelmose went after the World champ
Pogačar looked to manage his efforts well and took some time on the Geulhemmerberg. He managed to extend his lead to over 20 seconds, but he couldn’t count his chickens too soon and be certain of victory. In the next flatter kilometres, Evenepoel and Skjelmose came dangerously close again. When turning onto the Bemelerberg, the difference was only 8 seconds.
The two pursuers managed to bridge the last gap after the Bemelerberg. Evenepoel immediately went full gas. Pogačar had to pull out all the stops to catch him, but he managed and so we could prepare for a final fight between Evenepoel, Pogačar and Skjelmose on the Cauberg for the last time.
On the final climb of the day, the three held each other and the expected attacks didn’t come. A sprint would decide the winner. Evenepoel was the first to start, but couldn’t maintain his effort and was passed by Pogačar in the last metres, but the Slovenian didn’t have it either.
It was close
It was Skjelmose who had a little more speed coming off the wheel. The Dane managed to beat the two top riders to take the biggest victory of his career. A disappointed Pogačar was second, the equally unhappy Evenepoel had to settle for third place. The sprint of the chasers was won by Wout van Aert, who came fourth, ahead of Michael Matthews.
Skjelmose couldn’t believe it
Race winner, Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek): “I was completely done. I kept telling Remco that I was empty and that he had to ride on the climbs. I was really at my limit and mainly rode for a podium place, because that is already a good result for me. I wanted to keep the group going and sprint for the best result. I actually expected to get cramp or come to a standstill. I tried to get a gap on the right side of the road, because the wind was coming from the left, but Evenepoel and Pogačar also went right, so I had to go left. I really have no idea what happened. This means a lot. I have had a lot of bad luck this season, it was mentally super tough. Just over a month ago I also lost my grandfather. I wanted to give the win to him.”
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Amstel Gold Race Result:
1. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek in 5:49:58
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
4. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:34
5. Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla
6. Louis Barré (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty
7. Romain Gregoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
8. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
9. Tom Pidcock (GB) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
10. Ben Healy (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost.
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