Top Stars Missing From Amstel Gold Race

Several top contenders for the Amstel Gold Race will not be at the start on Sunday, as Michael Matthews, Tom Pidcock, Ben Healy and Juan Ayuso have all been ruled out of the Ardennes classic due to various setbacks.

The absence of these riders significantly alters the dynamics of the race, which serves as a key preparatory event for the upcoming Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Matthews, the 2017 world road race champion, withdrew after sustaining a crash during training in Australia, according to his team Jayco AlUla. The Australian sprinter, who had been targeting a strong showing in the Ardennes, will now focus on recovery ahead of the Giro d’Italia.

Tom Pidcock, the 2022 Amstel Gold Race winner and reigning Olympic mountain bike champion, is also missing from the start list. His team, Ineos Grenadiers, confirmed that Pidcock is dealing with a lingering knee issue that flared up during recent block training in Mallorca. Rather than risk aggravating the injury, the British rider has opted to skip the Ardennes trilogy to ensure full readiness for the Tour de France.

Ben Healy, the Irish rider who finished third in last year’s Amstel Gold Race and showed strong form in early-season classics, will not participate due to illness. EF Education–EasyPost reported that Healy tested positive for a viral infection following the Tour of the Basque Country and requires rest to recover. His absence removes one of the most aggressive attacking riders from the peloton, particularly on the steep finishes characteristic of the Cauberg.

Juan Ayuso, the UAE Team Emirates leader who placed fourth in the 2023 Amstel Gold Race and has been building toward his Ardennes debut as a general classification contender, is also out. The Spanish rider suffered a clavicle fracture in a crash during the Itzulia Basque Country and is expected to miss several weeks of competition. His removal means UAE Team Emirates will rely on other leaders, such as João Almeida, for their Ardennes campaign.

The collective withdrawal of Matthews, Pidcock, Healy and Ayuso reshapes the favorites list for a race that has historically been won by puncheurs and sprinters capable of handling short, explosive climbs. With several of the sport’s biggest names absent, the opportunity opens for riders like Tadej Pogačar, who has entered the race with strong form after victory at Tirreno–Adriatico and Wout van Aert, aiming to add another Ardennes classic to his palmares.

Race organizers ASO have confirmed that the 2026 Amstel Gold Race will proceed as scheduled on Sunday, April 19, covering 253.5 kilometers from Maastricht to Berg en Terblijt. The route includes three ascents of the Cauberg, with the final climb coming 5 kilometers from the finish. Live coverage will be provided by major broadcasters and streaming platforms, with updated start lists reflecting the latest withdrawals.