Sports Poets Society

https://zachnehr.com/2019/04/24/mathieu-van-der-poel-power-analysis-amstel-gold-race-2019/ April 24, 2019 “Unbelievable.” These were the words that Mathieu van der Poel mumbled breathlessly as he lay on the ground after crossing the finish line of the 2019 Amstel Gold Race. It was the most exciting race, the most improbable of finishes, and the most incredible display of individual strength that we’ve ever seen. With 10 kilometers to go, the gap between van der Poel and the leaders – Julian Alaphilippe and Jakob Fuglsang – was over a minute. With 3.5 km to go, the gap was 35 seconds. With 1 km to go, the leaders were in sight, just a few seconds ahead of a driving van der Poel. And with a few hundred meters to go, van der Poel not only made the catch, but went flying by in full-sprint. Despite leading out for almost 10 km, no one could come around the Dutchman, and he became the first home winner of the Amstel Gold Race since Michael Boogerd in 1999. So how did he do it? Van der Poe...

For over 40 years, from mid-century to the early 90s, the visionary Giro d’Italia organiser Vincenzo Torriani relentlessly pushed the boundaries, taking the race into new territory. Procycling looks at his legacy Writer:  William Fotheringham Procycling UK, ISSUE 255 / MAY 2019 Thirty years ago, at Italian races, you could still come across two men who had coloured much of post-war cycling history in ‘the Boot’. Gino Bartali was a fixture at the big races like Milan-San Remo, the Giro d’Italia and the Tour of Lombardy. He never really seemed to be doing much, to the extent that I pondered what his role was. Then one day I figured it out: Bartali’s job was to be Bartali . He was invited to the race to maintain a link back to the glory days of his jousts with Fausto Coppi and Fiorenzo Magni. He didn’t have to say or do very much, but his presence alone would remind Italian cyclists, media and fans of their heritage , and emphasise why whichever race it was still mattered. A...