Similar to last year’s race, the 2024 course for Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition will be 157.4km with a total of 21 climbs. The well-known final loop of 18 kilometers, with the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg, will be completed four times in 2024. To force more attacks, organisers changed the final approach, with the route taking the Mathieu van der Poel allee, and then descending via the Daalhemerweg before starting the final climb of the Cauberg.
“We saw the last three years at the women the same scenario as we had for years with men presented: the top riders keep waiting until the last climb of the Cauberg,” race director Leontien van Moorsel stated in the fan guide.
“The fact that an increasingly large group arrives at the foot of the last time Cauberg is proof that women's cycling is becoming stronger across the board. This is appropriate in the development that the sport is currently experiencing. Growing at a super fast pace women's cycling in terms of good competitions, structured teams, salaries and budgets.”
“To prevent the Amstel Gold Race for women from remaining closed until the last climb of the Cauberg we made a small change. In the final loop, the riders turn left from the main road after the Bemelerberg, via narrower roads such as the famous Mathieu van der Poel Allee then set course for the descent of the Daalhemerweg towards the last time up the Cauberg. This way we hope that the final will start earlier and we hope to give attackers more of a chance to stay away.”
The Amstel gold Race Ladies Edition is a race in two parts - first, after leaving Maastricht the winding roads through Limburg, tackling eight climbs. Then the peloton hits the finishing circuits ridden in a counter-clockwise direction, with a total of 13 hills with the succession of the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg, and Cauberg climbs.
There are four ascents of the Geulhemmerberg, 1km at 5% average gradient, and Bemelerberg, 900 metres at 4.5% average gradient, before a fifth time up the signature Cauberg. The stiff 800-metre climb of the Cauberg at 6.5% average gradient tops out at 12.8%
Then, it’s a 1.8km dash to the finish line to crown the winner.
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