Independent Cycling Media

Volta Limburg Classic – A Taste of Amstel Gold!

On Saturday, the Australian, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the 48th edition of the Volta Limburg Classic. Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny) was second and his teammate Pascal Eenkhoorn (Lotto-Dstny) was third. Out of 158 starters, there were only 45 finishers in the 193 kilometer race.

The women’s race was won by Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx) with her teammate Lonneke Uneken (SD Worx) in second and Noëlle Ruetschi (AG Insurance-NXTG U23) in third. The 118 kilometer women’s race featured a very large field of 140 that was reduced to 63 finishers by the end.

While the Volta Limburg Classic may not be as well known as the more famous Flanders Classics, it is considered a key warm-up for upcoming Classics, and, more importantly, offers riders and fans a taste of what is to come at the Amstel Gold Race later in the month. First held in 1973, the Volta Limburg Classic has been a regular fixture on the cycling calendar in late March or early April. Prior to 2012, the race was known as Hel van het Mergelland.

For the men, the race has always covered a distance of about 200 kilometers around a large loop running east of Eijsden, while the women’s race of 120 kilometers consists of 6 circuits of a 20 kilometer loop near Eijsden. Both men’s and women’s routes always feature a mix of flat and hilly terrain with several challenging climbs and descents.

Past winners of the men’s race have been Joop Zoetemelk, Erik Dekker, and Philippe Gilbert, as well as upcoming stars like 2022 winner Arnaud de Lie. The women’s race has also been a very high caliber race, featuring stars such as Demi Vollering and Amber Kraak.

As we mentioned above, of special interest is the the fact that the Volta Limburg Classic shares many of the same kinds of roads and climbs as the Amstel Gold Race, offering riders and fans a preview of what will be tackled at the Amstel Gold Race. The similarities between the two routes can be seen on the Amstel Gold Race map and the Volta Limburg Classic map.

This year’s edition of the Volta Limburg Classic was a wet one for everyone, but the women’s race was monumental for its sheer size: 140 starters. It’s for this reason we’ve decided to feature the women’s race in our photo gallery.