Amstel Gold Race 2022

Amstel Gold Race 2022 overview

Kwiatkowski awarded Amstel Gold Race victory in photo-finish sprint against Cosnefroy

Amstel Gold Race men - how it unfolded

Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) took another win at Amstel Gold Race, adding to his 2015 victory with a sprint finish where the margin between first and second was so tight that there was initially confusion over who would be declared the 2022 victor.

Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroen) was first declared the winner, but the photo finish then revealed Kwiatkowski’s late lunge toward the line had done the trick and it was in fact the Pole who should be celebrating victory in the Dutch race, which took the riders over 33 steep and short bergs on the 254.1km course from Valkenburg to Maastricht.

The Keutenberg, 34km from the finish, was where the key group formed, with Kwiatkowski joined by teammate Tom Pidcock, Cosnefroy, Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Kasper Asgreen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain-Victorious), Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates), Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) and Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo). 

Kwiatkowski then launched after the Cauberg, and the Frenchman Cosnefroy put on a powerful turn of speed to bridge later. By the foot of the final climb of the day, the Bemelerberg, the gap to the chase was 30 seconds and the rest of the attempts to join the leaders failed so it came down to a tight sprint to the line for the duo.

It was ten seconds after Kwiatkowski had lunged toward victory when Benoot finished solo, having broken away from the chase group in the final kilometres to take the third step on the podium in the first of the Ardennes Classics for 2022.

Amstel Gold Race 2022 news and features

• Benoot: It's good to be back in the finals of the biggest races
• Kwiatkowski: Amstel Gold Race finish a rollercoaster of emotion
• Cosnefroy: If I'm going to cry about a podium at Amstel, I should stop cycling
• Van der Poel: I didn't have the legs to react to every attack at Amstel Gold
• Amstel Gold Race start line quotes: Van der Poel, Van Vleuten, Pidcock, Balsamo
• Pidcock's Amstel Gold Race hopes take a blow after another bout of illness
• How to watch Amstel Gold Race – Spring Classics live streaming
• Amstel Gold Race Men: 5 favourites, 5 outsiders
• Philippe Gilbert admits fifth Amstel Gold Race win unlikely in final appearance
• Van der Poel favourite for home glory at Amstel Gold Race – Preview
• Asgreen adds Amstel Gold Race to Classics mix in 2022
• Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold Race swap 2022 dates due to French Presidential elections

Amstel Gold Race history

The Amstel Gold Race is the youngest of the Classics and is the only one located in the Netherlands. It began in 1966 as a 302km contest with Frenchman Jean Stablinski (Ford-Hutchinson) winning the inaugural title. The following year Arie den Hartog (Bic-Hutchinson) became the first Dutchman to win on home soil. 

In 1977, Dutchman Jan Raas (Frisol-Gazelle-Thirion) won his first of five titles, his first four in consecutive years until Bernard Hinault (Renault-Elf-Gitane)disrupted his streak in 1981. Belgian Philippe Gilbert (QuickStep) came on the scene later to score four wins (2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017). He announced his retirement for the end of 2022.

Amstel Gold Race 2022 teams

• Amstel Gold Race 2022 teams
• AG2R Citroën Team
• Astana Qazaqstan
• Bahrain Victorious
• Bora-Hansgrohe
• Cofidis
• EF Education-EasyPost
• Groupama-FDJ
• Ineos Grenadiers
• Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
• Israel-Premier Tech
• Jumbo-Visma
• Lotto Soudal
• Movistar Team
• QuickStep-AlphaVinyl
• Team BikeExchange – Jayco
• Team DSM
• Trek-Segafredo
• UAE Team Emirates
• Alpecin-Fenix
• B&B Hotels p/b KTM
• Bardiani CSF Faizane
• Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
• Sport Flanders-Baloise
• Team Arkéa-Samsic
• Team TotalEnergies