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2025 Amstel Gold Race with defending champion Tom Pidcock

This Sunday the peloton moves to the south of the Netherlands for the biggest one-day race of the year: the Amstel Gold Race. The only race named after a beer. Cheers. We have the defending champion Tom Pidcock at the start alongside Nick Zukowsky, Fabio Christen, Xabier Mikel Azparren, Milan Vader, Mark Donovan and Emīls Liepiņš.

19 April 2025

For Milan Vader it’s a home race. He knows all the climbs, small roads and tight corners in the Dutch province of Limburg. He comes from Middelburg, in Zeeland at the other side of the country, but lived at the Watersley campus in Sittard many years.

“I had wanted to do this race for many years and last year was finally the first time,” Milan says. “I know these roads very well and know exactly how the race goes. That knowledge is very valuable on this parcours because it’s left, right, left, right and then again. I do love it though because it suits me very well.”

Just like Tom Pidcock, Milan has a background in mountain biking. He knows that makes him very well equipped for a race that is technical.

"I know these roads very well and know exactly how the race goes."

Milan Vader

“You have to really make sure you find the right position in the bunch over and over again. That takes a lot of energy so when you have the skills to manoevre through the peloton it saves a lot. It’s a long race so every bit of energy counts. It also helps you are one with the bike as Tom so clearly is, so you are not caught off-guard, panic or lose balance in those tight corners and hectic racing. It’s short efforts up the short climbs so that is something that we both do well from that off-road background.”

Milan just returned from altitude camp in Andorra and already took part in Brabantse Pijl on Friday.

“We had a great camp together with the riders for the Ardennes and with the Giro d’Italia longlist. The weather was exceptional which was lucky, and we had many great hours on the bike. I think we are all ready for these important races. I am going into the Amstel Gold Race with an open mind. I hope to stay with Tom throughout, make sure he is in the right place at the right time. Then it’s up to him and the legs of the day.”