"I'm really looking forward to it" - Home crowd a possible advantage for Bauke Mollema at Amstel Gold Race

As a former winner of Il Lombardia and Clásica San Sebastian among others, Bauke Mollema is a very experienced classics rider when it comes to hilly terrain. The Dutchman starts Amstel Gold Race as a dark horse, but he believes that in the right scenario he could be in contention for a top result.

“I was not there last year and two years ago it was of course a bit different, with those laps. The last real Amstel for me was 2019, because of course the competition was canceled in 2020," Mollema told L1. "So it has been four years since I rode that beautiful race through Limburg. I am looking forward to it.”

Trek - Segafredo have the likes of Mattia Skjelmose and Quinn Simmons that can also perform over the roads of Limburg, and Mollema will be another card. In a startlist that features dozens of contenders for a top result they will try to mix it with the big guns.

“At those moments I was a bit more tense, I experienced it for the first time. I also didn't know the course very well, which was also a disadvantage. I'm a bit more relaxed now," he recalls. "I don't really need anything, I'm not one of the favorites. I don't think many people expect me to be in the top ten. But I am still motivated. I'm really looking forward to it, I've been looking forward to starting in front of the home crowd all week and racing on these roads. I do have the morals to make something of it.”

Mollema is a specialist when it comes to solo moves, and although he's hitting 36 years of age he's shown good form at the Volta ao Algarve this year and should still be competitive throughout this spring.

“I hope I can do something in the final, in the last fifty kilometers. A result would be great, but I don't know if that's in it. Playing a role, following a leading group, riding in front of it – I would also like that. It remains to be seen whether that will be in it, I hope so," he concluded.