The Netherlands’ biggest and most famous spring classic is just around the corner. This Sunday Liv Racing Xstra will be at the start of the Amstel Gold Race. Sports director Giorgia Bronzini has selected the following riders: Valerie Demey, Silke Smulders, Ayesha McGowan, Eva Buurman and Quinty Ton.
The Amstel Gold Race takes place on a course of 128.5 kilometres. It is peppered with no less than nineteen climbs. The most prominent climb is the Cauberg, which is on the menu four times. The Cauberg is also the last climb of the day. From the top, there is about one and a half kilometres to the finish.
Quinty Ton was in the spotlights last year during the Amstel Gold Race. She was the initiator of the first attack of the day. For that, she was rewarded as the most combative rider. It remains to be seen how far she will get this time. It was only last Wednesday that Quinty Ton returned to the peloton, after being sidelined for a while due to physical problems. When she came back to racing in the Scheldeprijs, she finished in the pack.
“The Scheldeprijs wasn’t too bad. For three weeks, I was only allowed to ride an hour a day at a very low heart rate. You couldn’t really call that training. So I was very curious how I would perform. In the peloton it went fine, my heart rate was a little higher than usual. I had to get used to it again. But I’m glad I raced and got some rhythm, especially with Sunday in mind”, said Quinty Ton.
“The Amstel Gold Race is a beautiful race. Last year it gave me the insight that I have it in me to make a big step forward. Besides that, it is a special race for a Dutch rider. I have never ridden the Amstel with spectators along the route, so I am very curious how the atmosphere will be on Sunday. Hopefully it will be a fantastic happening. I want to do everything to make it an offensive race again. As a team we want to show our face.”