Bauke Mollema back in Amstel Gold Race top 10 after 10 years: "It's nice that I could be at the front again"
Cycling
Bauke Mollema finished in the top 10 of Amstel Gold Race for the first time since 2014. Ten years ago, the 37-year-old Dutchman was seventh. Just like today. The Lidl-Trek rider looked back at the race with NOS afterwards.
However things didn't always seem so great to Mollema: "I rode a crazy race today. I couldn't get to the front and kept losing places on the descents. We then went to the steep climb fifty kilometers from the finish. Then I really thought: it's over, I'm getting dropped."
"But somehow I was able to keep going. I really didn't have the explosiveness, but apparently the guys around me were getting tired. At the top of the Eyserbosweg I followed a good attack and suddenly I was in the lead. That was actually a perfect group."
"I actually still felt good in the final. I could keep going, but I didn't have the explosiveness. When they started on top of the Geulhemmerberg I was just in a small gap. That's a shame. If you just go along with it, things can go either way in such a final."
The 37-year-old Dutchman ultimately had to settle for seventh place at the finish, but he can certainly live with that. "I am happy with this good result. It's been a while, ten years now. This spring didn't always go great, but I already felt better in the last few weeks. It's nice that I can now participate again."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026
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