Whether they consider the glass half full or half empty, the goal of every rider at the 2026 Amstel Gold Race will be to be standing on the podium in Berg en Terblijt holding a pint of the race sponsor’s frosty and bubbly brew. It’s tradition, after all.
The Amstel Gold Race is far more than a social event, however. It also is the first race of what are known as the Ardennes Classics and the official transition from the cobblestone classics to the part of the spring where the best climbers get a chance to shine.
The trio of races will take place over eight days, giving the athletes the opportunity to hit all three in a single trip to Belgium and the Netherlands and possibly become the third rider in history to claim the elusive Ardennes Triple – winning all three races in the same year.
This year, for both men and women, the Amstel Gold Race will take place April 19, La Flèche Wallonne will be April 22 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège will happen April 26 as the final event on the Springs Classics calendar.
Fans in the United States, U.S. territories and Canada can watch all the action live on FloBikes and the FloSports app.
- More Info About How To Catch All The Best Cycling, News And Highlights
- Paris-Roubaix 2026 Complete Results
- Remco Evenepoel To Skip Paris-Roubaix 2026 For Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- How To Watch 2026 De Brabantse Pijl
The women will race first at the Amstel Gold event, getting underway at 4:10 a.m. Eastern. The men will be close behind, starting approximately one hour later. FloBikes coverage will begin at 6:30 a.m. EDT.
Both races will start in Maastricht and see the riders face three iconic climbs times – Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerbergb and Cauberg.
The women will traverse 158 kilometers through Dutch Limburg, and the journey will feature 22 climbs. The final 80 kilometers will be a local circuit they’ll complete four times, and the circuit will include the trio of climbs mentioned above. A fifth climb of Cauberg will lead them to the finish line.
The men’s course will span 257 kilometers and include 33 climbs. The starting point will be in Maastricht, and they’ll cross the finish line in Berg en Terblijt almost six hours later.
Along the way, they’ll have to face the same three challenging climbs multiple times, with the final portion of the day being a third battle with Cauberg.
The one-day Amstel Gold Race has the shortest history of all the Spring Classics, but it’s also the only one that takes place in the Netherlands. It was held for the first time in 1966, and Amstel has been the title sponsor since the inaugural edition.
The women had their first opportunity to compete in 2001, but the initial run only lasted three years. The race returned in 2017 alongside the men’s race, and it has been held each year since.
The Netherlands tops the list of all-time winners for the men with 18 victories, and Belgium is second with 14. Jan Raas of the Netherlands owns a record five Amstel Gold titles and is followed by Belgium’s Phillipe Gilbert, who has four. Five other riders have won twice.
For the women, riders from the Netherland have claimed eight of the 11 editions, with Marianne Vos leading the way as the only two-time winner (2021, 2024).
In 2025, Mattias Skjelmose of Denmark picked up the biggest win of his career by outsprinting two superstars, 2023 Amstel Gold winner Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel.
Mischa Bredewold broke free and claimed the women’s hardware in 2025, finishing seven seconds ahead of the group that was chasing her.
Many stars will be on the start line once again in 2026, including Skjelmose and Bredewold.
The preliminary men’s roster also features Evenepoel, Isaac Del Toro, Tim Wellens, Matteo Jorgenson, Matej Mohric, Kevin Vauquelin, Jack Haig, Tom Pidcock and Julian Alaphilippe.
The provisional women’s list includes Vos, Lorena Wiebes, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Chloe Dygert, Demi Vollering, Franziska Koch and Liane Lippert.
See the complete entry lists: Men | Women
Heading Into Amstel Gold 2026
While the Amstel Gold Race is the official start of the climbing classics, the bridge been the cobblestone events and the climbing races is De Brabantse Pijl, which was a midweek event leading up to Amstel Gold until 2025, when it was moved from Wednesday to Friday.
The hope was to improve the roster by holding the first race when more riders would be in town.
The women’s race Friday, a 125.7-kilometer journey over nearly 20 hills, will start in Lennik, located in Flemish Brabant. The men will begin their 162.5-kilometer trek in Beersel and will have to tackle 21 climbs.
Both races will conclude in Overijse with three local laps of 20 kilometers, each featuring climbs of Hertstraat, Moskesstraat, Holstheide and S-Bocht Overijse.
Neither route is flat, but the climbs also aren’t considered super challenging. However, they’re short, steep and plentiful, which is the essence of De Brabantse Pijl. It’s a great test of versatility, managing energy and preparation for what’s ahead in the coming weeks.
The 2025 edition of the De Brabantse Pijl men’s race was won by Evenepoel, ending with a head-to-head sprint between him and Wout van Aert.
Elisa Longo Borghini won the women’s race in 2025, becoming the first woman to win twice and win in back-to-back years.
De Brabantse Pijl was held for the first time in 1961, and the women’s race debuted in 2016, though it took until 2022 for the two races to be aligned in both timing and terrain.
The Ardennes Classics And The Ardennes Triple
Only two riders in history have won the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the same year.
Italy’s Davide Rebellin accomplished the feat in 2004, and Belgian Phillipe Gilbert did it in 2011.
Four times since, two riders have won two of the three races. Alejandro Valverde of Spain did it in 2015 and 2017, and Pogacar did it in 2023 and 2025.
Schedule For The 2026 Amstel Gold Race
The 2026 Amstel Gold Race will begin at approximately 4:10 a.m. (women) and 5:10 a.m. (men) Eastern. The men should finish the day’s racing around 11 a.m. EDT.
FloBikes coverage will begin at 6:30 a.m. EDT.
How To Watch The 2026 Amstel Gold Race
The 2026 Amstel Gold Race is streaming on FloBikes and the FloSports app for viewers in the United States, U.S. territories and Canada.
Highlights, replays and breaking news will be available on both platforms.
What Are The Races On The Flanders Classics Schedule?
- Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Men & Women; Saturday, Feb. 28)
- In Flanders Fields (formerly Gent-Wevelgem) (Men & Women; Sunday, March 29)
- Dwars door Vlaanderen (Men & Women; Wednesday, April 1)
- Tour of Flanders (Men & Women; Sunday, April 5)
- Scheldeprijs (Men & Women; Wednesday, April 8)
- Ronde van Limburg (Wednesday, April 15)
- De Brabantse Pijl (Men & Women; Friday, April 17)
- Amstel Gold Race (Sunday, April 19)
- Brussels Cycling Classic (Sunday, June 7)
- Vlaamse Druivenkoers Overijse (Wednesday, Aug. 26)
What Are The Cycling Monuments?
These are the most prestigious one-day races on the annual cycling calendar. Each race features a journey between 240 and 300 kilometers.
These races are challenging and steeped in history and tradition.
- Milan - San Remo
- Tour of Flanders
- Paris-Roubaix
- Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- Giro di Lombardia
FloBikes YouTube Throwback: The Most Decisive Climb At Amstel Gold
The infamous Cauberg is the most decisive climb at the Amstel Gold Race and comes only a few kilometers before the finish of the race, adding to its difficulty.
We break down the importance of this climb at the Ardennes classic in Limburg and explain how it may play a role at the 2021 Amstel Gold Race.
Catch All The Best Races, Highlights, Insight, News And More On FloBikes
FloBikes is the streaming home to some of the best cycling from across the globe. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more of your favorites in action.
FloBikes Archived Footage
Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloBikes subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.