"Second is the first loser" - Mixed emotions for Marc Hirschi after narrowly missing out on Amstel Gold Race success
Cycling
In a dramatic final sprint for the line, UAE Team Emirates' Marc Hirschi was just edged out for victory by Tom Pidcock with the Swiss having to settle for second.
"I mean, I can be proud to be second. I finally got some good shape and to be at this big race at the front is nice but yeah, second is the first loser," Hirschi reflects in a post-race interview with Eurosport. "And it was so close. So for sure, I am a little disappointed but yeah, overall I can be happy."
Part of a dangerous attack at around 30km to go, Hirschi managed to attack a second time towards the end and head into the final kilometre in an elite four-man group alongside Pidcock, Tiesj Benoot and Mauri Vansevenant, that decided the win. "I was always in a good position and I know the parcour super well. I studied the wind and when to be in the front and when not, so I anticipated and we got to the finish," Hirschi assesses.
"Us four guys cooperated together well and then, it was all about the sprint. I was a little bit blocked and that meant I could not come to the front but tactics wise I think I was almost perfect," he concludes. "It's nice to be back at the front of these big races."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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