Premature celebrations and long-awaited victories at Amstel Gold Race - GCN Racing News Show

Amstel Gold is a race that rarely fails to entertain, whether it be immense recoveries in the shape of Mathieu van der Poel in 2019 or the most controversial of race finishes, as with Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock in 2021. This year's races were no different.

Pidcock was the man with the last laugh this time around but there was anything but laughter at the end of the women's race on Sunday, from within the pack at least. With the race heading to a small group sprint, it looked as though SD Worx-Protime's Lorena Wiebes had taken an expected victory, but the Dutchwoman was the master of her own downfall.

Believing herself to have outsprinted her rivals, Wiebes sat up and threw her arms out wide in celebration, anticipating the acclaim that was to fall her way for having climbed with the best in the world on the Cauberg. But it was too much, too soon for the sprinter, whose victory parade was spoiled by Visma-Lease a Bike's Marianne Vos.

The wily veteran raced all the way to the line and with an impressive bike throw, pipped Wiebes in a photo finish, taking her second Amstel Gold title some three years after her first. It was heartbreak for Wiebes, who quickly realised her mistake, leaving many on social media feeling a sense of anguish for the crestfallen Dutchwoman.

"Oh, Lorena" was about as much as there was to say at the time, but a day on from the race, Dan Lloyd is in the Racing News Show studio to take a closer look at both the women's and men's Amstel Gold Races, the latter of which was won by Tom Pidcock.

The Ineos Grenadiers leader gained revenge for his close call in 2021 and was well aware of the significance of his victory after the line, making reference to the controversial photo finish with Van Aert in his winner's press conference. With his sausage dog in close proximity, though, the 24-year-old was in fine spirits and will head into Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday as one of the top favourites.

Read more: GCN's official preview for the men's Flèche Wallonne

Whilst Flèche Wallonne will move the peloton onto the grand finale of the Spring Classics, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, it was Brabantse Pijl which ushered in the Ardennes Classics less than a week ago in Belgium. There, two riders staked their claim for La Doyenne and picked up their third victories of the season.

Dan takes a look back at the race-winning rides of Benoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), before casting an eye to an exciting week of racing to see out the Spring Classics.

For all that and more, check out this week's GCN Racing News Show above, and for the latest news from the world of professional cycling, make sure to keep an eye on the Racing News tab.