Amstel Gold Race Women: Bredewold Triumphs in Solo Victory

The decisive move emerged from an intense 23-rider breakaway formed early in the antepenultimate lap after the second ascent of the Cauberg. Pieterse’s aggressive riding on the Geulhemmerberg on the final lap split the group further, leaving only five riders at the front, including Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) and Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ).

Van Dijk launched a fierce attack with under 6km remaining, prompting Bredewold to bridge across. The chase trio hesitated, unable or unwilling to close the emerging gap. Bredewold then seized her chance on the Cauberg, dropping Van Dijk and soloing away through the climb and the remaining flat kilometres into Valkenburg for the most significant victory of her young career.

“I had a rough week mentally, the team really pulled me through,” an emotional Bredewold admitted after crossing the finish line. “Topsport is not easy. You put so much time and effort and emotion into it, and sometimes it doesn’t fall in the right place. It almost doesn’t feel fair, and it doesn’t work like that. It’s hard to win a race. You need a team, and that’s what helped me win today.”

Reflecting on the dynamics of the race, Bredewold praised the tactical freedom and aggressive style of her team: “This is how we race as a team. We can always attack, seize the opportunity, and this was perfect. In this breakaway, I was struggling so much. And then we did this little descent, I love that descent, we had a gap, and Puck and Juliette went. For some reason, I could not follow them, but I could stay really close, and Ellen [van Dijk] was the perfect companion. I said to her ‘come on, we need to do it together, for sure they cannot pace harder than we can if we do it together.’ I’m also happy she committed fully.”

Van Dijk’s late attack was pivotal not only strategically but also psychologically for Bredewold. “I’m glad she did [attack],” Bredewold explained. “I was maybe too scared to attack. I thought I would gamble on my sprint, maybe I can follow them this time. Ellen went and I thought they would jump, [but] they didn’t. And then I thought ‘it’s up to me.’ Danny [Stam], behind me in the car, was saying ‘now it’s all or nothing, just full gas together.’ I hated this Cauberg, but I thought I just keep going and don’t look at the powermeter, just go.”

The victory carried special significance for Bredewold, elevating her to new heights on home roads. “This victory means so much. This is Amstel, it’s such a big race, and it’s in Holland. It’s just a fucking dream, honestly.”