The women's Amstel Gold Race was stopped for over an hour, and significantly shortened, after a crash on the course involving a police motorcyclist who was supervising the race.
The officer on the motorbike sustained serious injuries in the crash, with a driver in a car. The scene of that incident will remain sealed off as it requires examination as part of the investigation into the crash.
The women's race was stopped for over an hour this morning and when it finally resumed the peloton was brought to Valkenburg to complete the 18km hilly local laps, only three of which will be covered.
Those local laps include three climbs; the 800m Cauberg at 6.6 per cent, the 700m Geulhemmerberg and 6.6 per cent and the 1km Bemelerberg at 4.4 per cent.
De vrouwenkoers van de Amstel Gold Race heeft enige tijd stilgelegen na een ongeluk met een motoragent. De race is inmiddels weer hervat, maar de koers is wel iets ingekort.#wielrennen #amstelgoldrace #nossport pic.twitter.com/cQ3pCIIGl6
— NOS Sport (@NOSsport) April 14, 2024
The changes mean the women's race has been reduced to approximately 100km, from the initial 157km race route. The race organisers confirmed the changes in a statement.
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“The women's race of the Amstel Gold Race has been stopped on the Bergseweg between Voerendaal and Ubachsberg after an accident between a motorcycle police officer and a passenger car. The course of the men's race was immediately rerouted, allowing them to continue their race according to the normal time schedule.
“After a long delay, the women's peloton was neutralised and taken from the Bergseweg to the foot of Sibbergrubbe. On top of the Sibbergrubbe, the women's race is led to the finish as quickly as possible. Once at the finish, we will see how many local rounds with the Cauberg, Bemelerberg and Geulhemmerberg the women can still ride.”
“The women's race of the Amstel Gold Race will restart in a few minutes at the finish to ride the last 55 kilometers of the race. This means that the women will ride the last three rounds of the race. The last round with the renewed final will take place on narrower roads between the Bemelerberg and the Daalhemmerweg descent.”
At the time the women's race was stopped, less than 50km had been completed and two riders - Clara Emond (EF Education-Cannondale) and Quinty Schoens (VolkerWessels) - had broken clear in a breakaway.
As a result of the crash on the course - which did not involve any cyclists - the men's race was also being rerouted. The Bergseweg is now being taken out of the race route, with a detour around that location for the men, who will now race towards Korenweg in that section of the race.
Limburg Police issued a brief statement saying: "A police motorcyclist was injured this morning around 11am in a collision with a car on the Bergseweg in Voerendaal while supervising the Amstel Gold Race.
"He was taken to hospital by ambulance. The Bergseweg has been closed off for an investigation by TTOV."
More to come.
