Mathieu van der Poel is favourite with the bookmakers to win the 2019 Amstel Gold race at best odds of 4/1 with Skybet. Fresh off his victory in Wednesday's De Brabantse Pijl when he outsprinted Julian Alaphilippe, the Corendon-Circus rider is clearly in top form.

Alaphilippe is the second favourite at 13/2 with Unibet and Michael Matthews is third favourite at a top price of 11/1 with Unibet. These three riders were in the four man breakaway on Wednesday and the quartet is completed by Tim Wellens, who is rated a 20/1 shot with Unibet.

Among the other frontrunners in the betting are Max Schachmann at a top price of 12/1 with Skybet while 2017 winner Phillipe Gilbert is a huge 20/1 shot with Ladbrokes. Whether Gilbert will be totally on top form after his Paris Roubaix victory is perhaps questionable.

Peter Sagan is 12/1 with Skybet while Wout Van Aert and Greg Van Avermaet can both be backed at 33/1 with Bet 365. Last year's winner Michael Valgren is also available at 33/1 with Ladbrokes and Bet 365.

GVA has described the Amstel Gold as his "last chance" to show his form in the one day season, saying: "The Amstel Gold Race is my last chance to get a good result this spring. I was really disappointed after Paris-Roubaix, knowing that I had the legs for a better result so I am motivated to line up at Amstel Gold Race and turn things around.

"I have had good legs throughout the Classics and although I am missing a big result, I think I have consistently showed that my form is good."

Anyone having a bet on the race needs to be aware that it is a race where there are frequent crashes and tales of bad luck as riders make their way through narrow roads in the Dutch province of Limburg. The course is frequently changed to decrease the chances of a dominant team controlling the race and it is famously difficult to predict the winner.

 Dutch brewer Amstel has sponsored the race since it was started in 1966.

0 Comments