Amstel Gold Race: Tadej Pogacar & Demi Vollering win maiden titles in Dutch event

Cyclists Ben Healy (left), Tadej Pogacar (centre) and Tom Pidcock (right) on the podium of Amstel Gold Race

Tadej Pogacar added to his glittering record by claiming his first Amstel Gold Race title with a superb solo win.

The Slovenian powerfully kicked away from his rivals with 30km of the race remaining, staying clear to the finish in Valkenburg in the Netherlands.

Ireland’s Ben Healy finished second, 38 seconds down, with Britain’s Tom Pidcock holding off the chasers to claim third.

Dutch rider Demi Vollering won the women’s race for the first time.

Two-time Tour de France champion Pogacar, 24, had earlier helped to establish a decisive 16-man breakaway, with 90km to go of the 253.6km course.

At about 70km to go, Pogacar tried and failed to get assistance for a deflating tyre, with his UAE Team Emirates support car unable to reach him.

But he was eventually able to change bikes at the foot of the Kruisberg climb at 39km to go, catching back up to the pack with ease before unleashing a blistering attack to cross the summit alone.

Only Pidcock and Healy were able to respond, before Pogacar soon shed both rivals, with EF Education-EasyPost rider Healy the first to crack and Ineos Grenadiers’ Pidcock lasting only marginally longer.

From there it was a procession to the line for Pogacar to claim his 11th win of the season, while Healy was able to drop Pidcock to take an impressive second.

Pogacar claimed his maiden win in the prestigious Tour of Flanders earlier this month and is now just the fourth rider in history to win both that race and Amstel Gold in the same season.

He will also be heavy favourite to claim victories in the Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege one-day classics next week, before he turns his attentions to trying to win a third Tour de France title.

His ability to dominate stage races and one-day classics, with an already stunning list of victories in both, has already put Pogacar on track for a career to rival all-time greats such as Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Pogacar. “I did not expect that we’d go in the breakaway so early.

“I was on a sort of flat tyre for many kilometres in the front and I was doubting I could come to the finish solo. In the end I squeezed as much as possible to come to the finish line and I made it.”

Vollering wins after missing out twice

Cyclist Demi Vollering smiles as she holds up the trophy for winning Amstel Gold Race

In the women’s race, SD Worx rider Demi Vollering took a fine win after finishing second in the two previous editions.

With a large group of riders still in contention nearing the finish of the 155.8km course, Italy’s Soraya Paladin managed to get clear with about 8km remaining.

Australia’s Grace Brown joined her at 5km to go before fading, with Paladin then swept up by a group of favourites on the steep final climb of the Cauberg at under 2km remaining.

Vollering launched a decisive attack on the right to power clear of her rivals and take victory eight seconds ahead of team-mate Lotte Kopecky, with Dutch rider Shirin van Anrooij third.

“I can’t quite believe it yet, this was the plan and we executed again,” said Vollering.

“I didn’t dare to look behind and was just thinking I had to go as fast as I can.”

Amstel Gold Race men’s result