"The only way to beat him was to ride tactically" - Valentin Madouas on Tadej Pogacar's Amstel Gold Race dominance

Valentin Madouas was forced to settle for an eleventh-placed finish at last Sunday's Amstel Gold Race. Despite his disappointment, the Frenchman admits that there was little that could be done to stop Tadej Pogacar.

"I suffered a fall which forced me not to be able to play my card in the final," the Groupama-FDJ rider laments. Whilst Madouas was one of many to crash, unlike fellow riders Neilson Powless and Dorian Godon, Madouas was able to remount his bike and ride to an eleventh-placed finish.

“When Pogacar came out, we had three riders who had to anticipate. At that point in the race, I didn't have to go there and wait for the final, play a little poker," Madouas explains. "The only way to beat him was to ride a little tactically. But hey, he had a festival and the fall ruined our tactics," he concludes.

Next up for Madouas are La Fleche Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The 26-year-old will be hoping for a crash-free ride that will allow him the chance to take his first race win of the year.