"I need to learn to play the game better": Marco Frigo left frustrated despite a heroic top-ten finish at the Amstel Gold Race

While Remco Evenepoel grabbed the headlines with a phenomenal victory at the Amstel Gold Race, another rider quietly delivered one of the most impressive physical performances of the day, as Marco Frigo managed to survive the grueling Dutch hills from the early morning breakaway to secure a highly respectable top-ten finish against the elite favorites. For most riders, that would be a massive reason to celebrate, but not for him.

Having previously come close to stage victories in both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España from long-range breakaways, his strategy for the Amstel Gold Race was fairly straightforward.

"We know that positioning is not one of my strong points," Frigo explained in a post-race interview. "So yesterday after the recon and watching previous editions, we decided that for me it was best to attack and ride my own pace; that is my specialty."

Because the main peloton started chasing down the early breakaway much earlier than anticipated, Frigo was forced to accelerate far from the finish line just to keep his hopes alive. He initially brought Huub Artz with him, and the duo worked brilliantly together. Eventually, however, the relentless pace proved too much for Artz, leaving Frigo completely alone at the front of the race.

Inevitably, the Italian was swallowed up by the absolute elite of the peloton as Remco Evenepoel, Mattias Skjelmose, and Romain Grégoire bridged across. Rather than cracking under the pressure, Frigo managed to hang on in the elite chasing group all the way to the finish line. Because Grégoire eventually dropped back, a podium spot was suddenly within Frigo's grasp.

"Ultimately, I look back on the race with some disappointment," the Italian admitted, completely unbothered by the fact that he had just survived one of the hardest races of the year. "The Amstel was a great opportunity for a top result."

Frigo had every reason to hope for a great finish, especially because the tactical dynamic of the chasing group allowed him to save some precious energy in the closing phase. Knowing he is not naturally the fastest finisher, he tried to conserve his legs while others did the heavy lifting to keep the pace high.

"There was little cooperation in the chasing group. It was mostly Benoit Cosnefroy and Alex Baudin who worked," Frigo detailed about the final kilometers. "For me, it was also a matter of pure survival, which is why I just stayed in the wheels."

However, when the time came to fight for the final podium spot, Frigo's lack of sprinting experience betrayed him. He launched his massive acceleration far too early, completely running out of power before the line and slipping down to tenth place in the final meters.

"I am quite bummed about the finale. I need to learn to play the game better," Frigo concluded with heavy self-criticism. "I started the sprint too early. Ultimately, I am not here for a tenth place, a podium is much better."