Tadej Pogacar vs Tom Pidcock as Classics season continues at Amstel Gold Race - how to watch, timings, route

ByRob Hemingway

Updated 14/04/2023 at 11:48 GMT

After disappointment at the Tour of Flanders, Tom Pidcock has another chance to test himself against the very best on Sunday at the Amstel Gold Race, as Tadej Pogacar looks to add another victory to his ever-growing palmarès. The women's race - taking place on the same day - will likely see defending champion Marta Cavalli and Annemiek van Vleuten on the start line.

There will be another mouthwatering Classics match-up at the 2023 Amstel Gold Race on Sunday as Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Britain's Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) go head-to-head.

The pair were both in the field at the recent Tour of Flanders but experienced contrasting fortunes, Pogacar taking the win after a late solo breakaway, while Pidcock made a "stupid" fuelling mistake that meant he was not in contention at the front of the race.

However for the Brit, who triumphed at Strade Bianche in March, this Sunday represents a chance to make amends, and he is part of a strong Ineos team containing last year's winner Michal Kwiatkowski.

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In the women's race, defending champion Marta Cavalli (FDJ - Suez) is on the preliminary start list, and she will expect to battle the likes of Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) for victory in the Netherlands.

Which riders will be drinking the enormous glasses of beer given to the men's and women's race winners come Sunday afternoon?

CAN ANYONE STOP POGACAR?

Tadej Pogacar even told people what he was going to do before the Tour of Flanders even began, yet still no one could stop him.

Can Tom Pidcock, with a classic under his belt already this season, be the man to outdo the Slovenian?

The parcours looks set for the puncheurs and climbers to thrive, with 3,266m of ascending in total and two ascents of the Cauberg in the latter part of the race threatening to break things apart.

Pidcock - who was controversially edged out on the line by Wout van Aert in the 2021 edition - will arguably have the stronger team around him for support, with Kwiatkowski, Magnus Sheffield and fellow Brit Connor Swift in the Ineos ranks.

But Pogacar is Pogacar, and often seems at ease going it alone.

However, will he have one eye on his packed schedule in the coming weeks, given he is due to feature at both Fleche Wallonne (April 19) and Liege-Bastogne-Liege (April 23)?

Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland and Team INEOS Grenadiers drinks beer to celebrates winning the race on the podium ceremony after the 56th Amstel Gold Race 2022.

Image credit: Getty Images

GLITTERING FIELD SET TO LIGHT UP WOMEN'S RACE

Vollering, Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx), Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), Cavalli, Van Vleuten...the organisers of this year's women's Amstel Gold Race edition aren't short on star quality, with a highly competitive race expected.

Women's race highlights: Kopecky dominates in solo victory

If it looks a tough ask for Cavalli to go back-to-back, that's chiefly due to the good form of her competitors, and Vollering will hope to go one better than her second-place finishes in both the previous editions of this event.

Vos, the winner in 2021, also looks likely to be there or thereabouts at the finish.

It will be the final time Van Vleuten takes to the start line for this race, and therefore also the final chance for her to add it to her considerable list of achievements.

WHEN AND WHERE DOES AMSTEL GOLD RACE 2023 TAKE PLACE?

Both the men's and women's races take place on Sunday 16 April.

The men's race sees the riders tackle a 253.6km route from Maastricht to Valkenburg.

The women start and finish in the same locations, but will take in a different 155.8km route.

'What a show!' - Relive Pogacar's attacks in Flanders

HOW TO WATCH AMSTEL GOLD RACE 2023

You can stream the Amstel Gold Race live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.

Coverage of the women's event begins at 12:00 BST on Eurosport 1 and discovery+, while coverage of the men's race starts at 13:30 on discovery+, and 13:45 on Eurosport 1.

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Stream the 2023 cycling season live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk.

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