Revenge complete as Evenepoel beats Skjelmose in Amstel sprint showdown

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) produced a demonstration of a sprint finish to beat Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) and win the 2026 Amstel Gold Race. 

The duo were well clear of the competition in the finale and would duke it out for a victory in a sprint. Skjelmose led the sprint out, but Evenepoel possessed too much power for the Dane to match, winning the Amstel Gold Race for the first time.

The victory also marks an act of revenge for Evenepoel from twelve months ago, when he and Tadej Pogačar were outsprinted by the Dane. 

Evenepoel and Skjelmose made the initial key selection after Romain Grégoire had attacked on the Kruisberg with 42km remaining. Matteo Jorgenson and Kévin Vauquelin were also part of the selection, but a crash a few kilometres later scuppered the duo's chances. 

Grègoire would be distanced on the penultimate ascent of the Cauberg, leaving Evenepoel and Skjelmose at the head of the Amstel Gold Race once more, albeit without Tadej Pogačar. Benoit Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won the sprint for 3rd in a select group that finished 1:59 behind the race winner.

For Evenepoel, it’s the seventh of his 2026 season. Seven victories is the most that Evenepoel has had at this stage of the year during any of his previous seasons as a professional.

A strong nine-rider breakaway formed, which included Huub Artz (Lotto Intermarché), Xabier Mikel Azparren (Pinarello-Q36.5), Warren Barguil (Picnic PostNL), Siebe Deweirdt (Flanders-Baloise), Marco Frigo (NSN), Joseba López (Caja Rural Seguros RGA), Filip Maciejuk (Movistar), Valentin Retailleau (TotalEnergies), Abram Stockman (Unibet Rose Rockets)

Artz, Azparren and Frigo would be the final riders remaining from the breakaway inside the final 70km as Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step) launched an attack from the peloton. Azparren was dispatched by his companions shortly after, and passed by Reinderink and was caught by the bunch.

The French champion Dorian Godon (Ineos) seemingly suffered multiple mechanicals, requiring an untimely bike change with Bob Jungels at 50km to go on the run-in to the Gulperberg.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe led the charge into a crucial section of the race that kicked off with the Gulperberg, while Artz and Frigo were 1:00 ahead. Frigo left Artz on the Gulperberg, while behind a strong tempo was set for Remco Evenepoel. The Olympic champion didn’t attack on the climb, but the pace set by Red Bull would have certainly stung the legs of many. 

Onto the next climb, the Kruisberg, and it was Romain Grégoire who launched an attack. The Frenchman quickly opened up an advantage, forcing Evenepoel to close the gap, which he did, alongside defending champion Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Matteo Jorgenson, Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers), and Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies). 

However, just as the group started to pull clear, Vauquelin, Jorgenson, and Artz, who was swept up from in front, crashed on a corner. A few moments later, Marc Hirschi (Tudor) also crashed on the same corner. 

The crash left Evenepoel, Grégoire and Skjelmose alone in the pursuit of Frigo, who was looking very strong ahead. The Italian would be caught by the trio with 35km remaining. Frigo would only be able to hold on for a few kilometres before being distanced on the Keutenberg.

Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) led a chasing group that featured Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), Ewen Costiou (Groupama-FDJ United), Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step), and Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek), with Frigo as well. 

The group was 25 seconds behind the front trio with 30km remaining, and would shortly swell in size as Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla), Senna Remijn and Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Premier Tech) bridged across.

Evenepoel pushed the pace on the penultimate ascent of the Cauberg with 22km remaining, which saw Grégoire falter. Through the finish line with one lap to go, Grégoire found himself 0:12 behind the front duo, while the gap to the chasing group had increased to 0:50.

Grégoire would be swept up by the chasers inside the final 10km, but with the gap ever-increasing at 1:20, it was set to be a mano a mano duel between Evenepoel and Skjelmose.

Onto the final ascent of the Cauberg, and Evenepoel started to wind up the pace, in an attempt to put Skjelmose under pressure. But the Dane withstood the force, and it would come down to a sprint finish just like twelve months ago, but with a different outcome.