The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held (mostly) in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup (1989–2004), the UCI ProTour (2005–2010), UCI World Ranking (2009–2010) and from 2011 the UCI World Tour. It is the most important road cycling event of the Netherlands.
The name does not directly refer to the river Amstel, which is far away from the course, but to the sponsor, the Amstel brewery.
Famous quotes containing the words gold and/or race:
“Don different from those regal Dons!
With hearts of gold and lungs of bronze,
Who shout and bang and roar and brawl
The Absolute across the hall,”
—Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953)
“This race is never grateful: from the first,
One fills their cup at supper with pure wine,
Which back they give at cross-time on a sponge,
In bitter vinegar.”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861)