This Sunday is the only UCI World Tour one-day race on Dutch ground of this season, the Amstel Gold Race.
 

Team Giant-Alpecin will line up with a team that is ready for the hilly race that celebrates its 50th anniversary as it aims for a good result with Tom Dumoulin who is in excellent shape, having won last week’s final stage in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. 

The race will start in Dumoulin’s hometown Maastricht before riding through his training area. To support Dumoulin in the final, the team will look to its climbers Warren Barguil and Georg Preidler, who recently performed well in the Vuelta Ciclista Catalunya stage race in Spain.

The line up is completed by: Roy Curvers, Thierry Hupond, Koen de Kort, Albert Timmer, and Zico Waeytens.

“In the past months I have worked hard in training and I have used the Vuelta al Pais Vasco as a finishing touch. The time trial win on the last day in Spain gave me a lot of confidence. Now I hope it worked out well for the upcoming period," Dumoulin said.

"After finishing Pais Vasco my main aim is to be as fit and ready as possible for Amstel Gold Race. I am really looking forward to this special race for me with the start in my back yard and riding in my training area. 

“In the beginning of this week I did my last long training, mainly along this Sunday's route. The rest of the week consisted of short trainings to give my body rest and be ready for the race, so I hope the hard work will pay off."

"I am ready for the race and I am really excited to start my campaign in the Ardennes Classics. It is an important moment for me because it is a period in my season which I have worked towards," Barguil said.

"Normally this race isn’t decided until shortly before the finale, and I expect the race scenario for Sunday to be the same. I hope I am able to support Tom [Dumoulin].  

“It will be my first participation in Amstel Gold Race so I will learn a lot from it. The Ardennes Classics are difficult races where experience and knowledge of the route are crucial.”

"The focus of the past week has been on recovering from Paris-Roubaix and Pais Vasco. The training to prepare for Sunday has been done. We have used this week to slowly build up the focus and talk to the riders about tactics," coach Aike Visbeek said.

"These last days we will go over the last details and discuss different race scenarios. Tom Dumoulin (NED) will be our man for the final as he will be joined by a talented team with the experienced Roy Curvers (NED) as team captain. 

“The weather forecast is looking good so I expect a traditional Amstel Gold Race that will be decided on the Cauberg.

"I will be satisfied if we finish in the top ten on Sunday.”