An intense day in the Netherlands saw Team Bahrain Victorious ride bravely and positively from the start of Amstel Gold 2024 in Maastricht.
Leader Pello Bilbao overcame adversity to take a top ten finish behind winner Tom Pidcock of Ineos Grenadiers.

As it featured no fewer than 32 climbs, we’ll tell the story of the race at each of those key points.

1. Maasberg (@12.3km, 300m, 5.5%)
   The start of Amstel 2024 saw plenty of attacks, but with escapees being closely marshalled, a breakaway didn’t form until the 35th kilometre. Before that, all 175 riders were still together for the …
2. Adsteeg (@32.1km, 600m, 4.6%)
   After cresting this short but punchy hill, five riders hot the deck, including Bahrain’s leader Bilbao.
   “It wasn’t a difficult situation, but someone rode into a traffic island and I couldn’t avoid it. It wasn’t a difficult situation, just one of those stupid crashes that happens sometimes”
3. Bergseweg (@49.1km)
   After a major incident in the women’s race which resulted in a neutralisation, the men’s route was altered to bypass the Bergseweg, and the peloton went straight to climb number …
4. Korenweg (@51.6km, 185m, 5.3%)
   With one fifth of the parcours covered, the four men in front had a gap of 35”, and the teams behind seemed happy to let them go, as they reached the foot of the …
5. Nijswillerweg (@57km, 800m, 3.4%)
   The early, rolling profile allowed the breakaway’s advantage to reach 3’30”, and it was still growing as they crossed …
6. Rijksweg (@67km,1km, 4.4%)
   Amstel is known for the number of its climbs as opposed to their length, and Rijksweg is the first of the day over 1km.
7. Wolfsberg (@86.3km, 300m, 7.7%)
   With one third of the 253km done, the speed had been high, averaging 46.4 km/h in the first hour & a half. The Wolsfberg has maximum gradients of over 10%, but wasn’t long enough to do any dbamage, before …
8. Loorberg (@89.5km, 1.2km, 5.6%)
   Lukasz Wisniowski and Fran Miholjevic had been tasked with protecting Bahrain’s leaders, Bilbao and Fred Wright, and did so admirably in this first phase of the race.
9. Schweibergerweg (@102km, 2.5km, 4.6%)
10. Camerig (109.6km, 3.9km, 4.3%)
    Climbs 9 & 10 were the two longest of the day, and came in quick succession, as AGR2024 was proving to be one of the fastest ever ridden.
11. Drielandenpunt (@120.1km, 2.1km, 5.6%)
    Just before the halfway point we passed the highest point of the day, at 330m, and TBV were playing a tactically perfect game so far.
12. Gemmenich (@123.1, 800m, 6%)
    As the breakaway’s gap maxxed out at around five minutes, the first part of the race was done. Bilbao and Fred Wright began to move further forward in the main bunch.
13. Epenerbaan/Vijlenerbos (@128.5km, 289m)
    Nerves began to show as the climbs kept coming thick and fast, but Pello knew his shape was good, despite the unfortunate early setback:
    “I was feeling really well, most of the teams had a rider towards the front, and the team were looking after me and Fred exactly as we had planned.“
14. Eperheide (@135.7km, 2.1km, 4.7%)
    By this point the chase was on, and the lead of what in this part of the world they call the ‘kopgroep’ started to tumble
15. Gulpenerberg (@143.7km, 600m, 8.7%)
    As the women crossed the finish line with Marianne Vos pipping a prematurely celebrating Lorena Wiebes to take the title, Yuki Arashiro and Matevž Govekar came to the fore for Bahrain.
16. Plettenberg (@147.5km, 600m, 4.5%)
    While Ineos and favourite Matthieu van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceunink took on most of the responsibility for catching the four up ahead, our white jerseys stayed at the forefront of the action.
17. Eyserweg (@151.1km, 1.7km, 5%)
    After climb number 17 just 100km remained, and the peloton began to thin out. Bahrain still had 5 in the bunch, with Bilbao & Wright exactly where they needed to be, and Arashiro showing his dependability & strength yet again.
18. St.Remigiusstraat/Huls (@154.5km, 1km, 6.7%)
    At the front of the race, the escapees started to suffer, and their gap was down to 2’40”. This was when the key tests would begin to take their toll on tired legs.
19. Vrakelberg (@160km, 400m, 9.5%)
    From now on there were at least two climbs every 10km – the distinguishing feature of Amstel Gold, and some of the gradients also started to bite.
20. Sibbergrubbe (@168km, 1.6km, 4.1%)
    With the chasing pack now less than two minutes behind, the iconic ‘bergs’ were about to make their presence felt, and TBV moved to the front of the peloton.
21. Cauberg #1 (@171.5km, 600m, 8.3%)
    Bahrain’s hard work so far had given us the best chance possible of achieving a good result at this famous event. Sports Director and former winner Roman Kreuziger was more than satisfied:
    “The guys were riding well; they were they at the key moments. The support riders did a good job and I was really happy with them all. Nicolò Buratti deserves a special mention – for such a young guy he once again showed extra character, and there is no doubt we will be able to count on him in the future.”
22. Geulhemmerberg #1 (@174.4km, 1km, 5.8%)
    As we went through the finish line for the first time, Fred was keeping up as the pressure started to increase. Kreuziger adds,
    Fred was solid today, keeping up with the climbers when they were trying to make it super hard. Impressive.
23. Keerderberg (@184km, 1.5km, 3.9%)
    The crucial phase of this long day was upon us, and Pello was instrumental in the decisive move when it happened.
    I saw a strong move go; behind everyone seemed to be waiting for Matthieu, but I saw that was the moment to go.
24. Bemelerberg #1 (@188.5km, 700m, 5.7%)
    Bahrain’s leader was one of ten to get a small gap on the rest of the bunch. As MvdP couldn’t react, the Basque bided his time and stayed out of the wind
    We collaborated well as a group. Even though everyone was saving a bullet for the end, we managed to get a little distance between us and the peloton.
25. Loorberg (@202.1km, 1.2km, 5.6%)
    Just 20” separated groups one & two as the last 50km saw the tension mount
26. Gulperbergweg (@208.7km, 1km, 5.2%)
    As the number of possible contenders was whittled down, Kreuziger watched Bilbao show he was in the mix:
    Pello was aware of everything, super good in the move, despite his crash before. We were telling him just to wait before attacking, and he did exactly that.
27. Kruisberg (@213.4km, 600m, 8.5%)
    Another example of a short steep challenge, typical of this race, and which saw riders dropped off the back in greater and greater numbers as Pello’s group turned up the power and pace.
28. Eyserbosweg (@215.6km, 900m, 9.3%)
    We were now in the realm of the climbers, and those who had the legs for these sharp hills showed themselves the strongest. Bilbao was still there after five hours in the saddle.
29. Fromberg (@220km, 700m, 4.5%)
    On the roadside and at the finish the crowds watched in disbelief as it became apparent that the World Champion, winner in both Flanders and Roubaix, was not going to take a second Amstel triumph.
30. Keutenberg (@225.3km, 1.1km, 6.8%)
    Ahead of him there were now 12 potential winners as they approached the second ascent of …
31. Cauberg #2 (@234.1, 600m, 8.3%)
    Four riders managed to create a small gap, but Pello bridged across.
32. Geulhemmerberg #2 (@238.5km, 1km, 5.9%)
    From the chasing group at just under 30 seconds back, Pello attacked on the downhill, quickly opening a small gap and forcing Pidcock to chase him down.
    I tried to move to make a smaller group to contest the finish but this didn’t work. They reacted behind me, went past, and I couldn’t get back on. But we worked really well together until the end.
    The other ten came back to them as the climax of this fascinating battle was nearly upon us, and as our Basque man found a second wind, there was only one ascent left …
33. Bemelerberg #2 (@248.4km, 700m, 5.9%)
    With legs burning on this last test, Bilbao’s arms began to cramp, but having almost made contact with the leaders on the final straight, he went to launch his sprint …
    In the sprint I was completely empty. I had such bad cramps in my arms I couldn’t move the handlebars in the last 300m. It’s a shame because I could have come from behind with more speed, but I couldn’t even pedal. I just had to follow until I crossed the line.

It was an engrossing, engaging edition of the Amstel Gold Race, and one which Kreuziger reflects on with pride at the team’s performance.
“We showed that we are right there as a team and I am really confident for what is to come this week. With Pello riding so well and Santi Buitrago and Edoardo Zambanini arriving for La Fleche Wallone he’ll have even more support. We leave Amstel very positive and with immense pride at what the guys did today.”

With another two races on the Ardennes calendar, we look forward to challenging again on Wednesday and Sunday, and the day’s final words go to Pello Bilbao:
“I raced aggressively and I was in the right place at the right time all day, and with the legs I have I am really positive for this coming week Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which I think will be great races for us.”