The Ardennes Classics got an ea🔯rly start this year, with t🤡he Amstel Gold Race taking up the usual spot of Paris-Roubaix after a calendar swap.

🌠The race is the biggest🐭 race day of the season in the Netherlands, and the opening of a trio of WorldTour hilly races in the low countries that also includes La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

While reigning champions Wout van Aert and Marianne Vos aren't present at this year's edition, the women's and men's 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Amstel Gold Race peloto𓆏ns are still packed full of star names, including Mathieu van der Poel, Annemiek van Vleuten, and Tom Pidcock.

Find out what they had 𒁏to say in Maastricht ahead of the day's racing here.

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix)

"It's going to be special. The year I won was crazy, I had the national champion's jersey so that was maybe even more of a trigger for the fans, but it's really psycho-minded here. I🔯t's the first time in two or three years people are allowed alongside the course so it's going to be a good atmosphere.

"For sure I know the race well because I trained a lot here when I was younger. So, I know the roads and all the climbs. Like I said, xxperience is important but the legsღ are more important.

"People will look at me a little bit but I think I'm less a favourite than I was at Flanders, which suits me better. Here at Amstel, it's a bit different, with no cobbles... For sure it's going to be a hard race, 𓆉and I think we'll see some different names in the fronꦍt in the end."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar)

"I feel well rested af🅰ter the altitude week. I had a qu🔯ick stop over there and I'm excited to race."

"It's nice to know the parcours because its left, right, left, right and some small roads and it's a bit like Flanders also. The position is quite important. For me the personal challenge is to make the difference on the sharp, short climbs. So, for me the climbs here are two minute efforts, I need at least four minutes usually to make a difference with other riders. My favouriℱte is a hard race so at least I'm going to suffer, it's the same as Flanders."

"SD Worx are the big favourites here. My team showed last week that don't forg🌟et about Movistar, three riders after the Koppenberg that gives us confidence for today."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers)

"I've been ill this week, which has been very frustrating in the least. I tried everything to stay healthy, but it just seems a bit like pot luck at the momenওt. But I'm on the start line and I'll do my best today.

"This is a really nice race. I love riding around here. I love the race here. It's kind of new for me because we didn't do this course last year. So, I can use the experience of t𒐪he other guys and try and enjoy it."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Demi Vollering (SD Worx)

"It's a really cool race for us and there are so many crowds on the side and also family and friends, so I'm re🐭ally motivated to race a good race here with my team.

"For sure Amstel suits me really good🅺 but I think the others also, so I'm always really motivated for this week…I'm really looking forward.

"Of course [Annemiek] is a big favourite and she is always a danger for us and the ꦑrest so for sure we need to watch out for her."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco)

"Hopefully today it's better than last weekend. I was still feeling a bit of the sickness las𓆉t week, but I've had a good wꦕeek of rest so now hopefully I can put my full potential out there today.

"It's a little bit diff race to last year obviously and the year 𒅌before also. It's a bit of a different r෴un in to the climbs. Towards the last time up the Cauberg I think that's where the action will happen.

"It's hard to say because Mathieu also likes to go from far. It'll be interesting 🐻to see what other team tactics are. We'll try to play an attritional race today and then hopefully I can be in the final with the best and do๊ my thing."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo)

"This one is a beautiful race, but I think it's too hard for me. Of course, I'll try my best but it's going to be a hard race today. We'll 🌟see how it is on the road. I think there will be a lo♕t of attacks and we'll want to be part of them. We'll see."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious)

"Hopefully we'll be in 🐲the final and we can play our cards then. The parcours is quite different. I think it's harder also than the years before when we had the same final.

"We were good in F🔯landers but we missed the first group and we were on the backfoot having to chase. We'll try not to make that mistake again. We'll try to force a move that anticipates the final before. We have riders to do that so we'll try our best."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo)

"I'm very excited. It's always great to race in your home country and with so many spectator🎐s it's always sp💟ecial.

"It's difficult because a lot can happen. A breakaway can go, it could be a sprint from a sm✅all group… It's kind of an unpredictable race, I have to say, but that's why it's such a cool race. You can have so many different scenarios.

"Personally, it would be best for me to be in the breakaway and we have Balsamo for a sprint. We have different options as a team𝔍. The shape is quite good but to be honest it's not the race that suits me the mos♒t, but I'll make the most of it."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates)

"I started in Italy, first victory there. It's hard to say how my sh♓ape is in these long races with t✨his competition, but I'm  happy I'm back and I feel good for today.

"For sure it will be super hard and I think at 60km to go we'll enter some steep, short climbs after each other. Fo🀅r sure that will be the key part. You have to be in front there and there the main groups will go."

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma)

"I'm really looking forward to it. This is the best race of the year. I'm back on the road and I felt pretty good last week [Volta Limburg Classic]. I hope I ga𒆙ined  something and that I can ride a good final."