Embed from Getty ImagesMarc Hirschi attacks on the Geulhemmerberg, his third big attack of the day. Tiesj Benoot and Tom Pidcock follow, as does Mauri Vansevenant. Hirschi might have been the strongest on the day and his work helped the move go clear but the fatigue might have cost him and Pidcock would get the better of him.Embed from Getty ImagesThe early breakaway had just four riders. Tosh Van der Sande (Visma-Lease a Bike), Enzo Leijnse (DSM Firmenich-PostNL), Alexander Hajek (Bora-hansgrohe) and Zeb Kyffin (TDT-Unibet). Its been a theme this spring that the early break doesnt get time. Four minutes is the World Tour limit, some unwritten rule that the break and bunch cant go beyond. Ineos and Alpecin-Deceuninck holding the gap before the breakaway was caught with 80km to go.Embed from Getty ImagesTheres always a fight for position and riders sprinting into corners but the intensity went up a notch just inside 60km when Soudal-Quicksteps Louis Vervaeke attacked and he was joined by Mikkel Honor (EF) and Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-Ag2r). It looked like a ruse to force to chase and trio were often looking back to see where the bunch was. The answer was in sight.The Gulperbergweg climb came with 44km to go and Micha Kwiatkowski took a few metres going into to the climb and then launched. Mathieu van der Poel chased in person and it looked like an attack was coming. Only here was a different beast. Floating on pav a week ago, suddenly he seemed less agile, his upper body and legs didnt seem to be one unit; if he was dancing on the pedals this was more someones uncle at a wedding than last weekends exhibition. As soon as Kwiatkowski sat down, so did Van der Poel and what was left of the bunch spread across the road.Onto the Kruijsberg and Alpecin-Deceuninck had two on the front for Van der Poel. Only the climb came and went. It can be where a major selection happens and everyone seemed to be waiting for Van der Poel to attack, bracing themselves for the effort. But nothing, niks. Likewise on the Eyserbosweg although Richard Carapaz surged Honor was still, just, up the road with Van der Poel marking him. Again more riders were dropped but no flamboyant attack.Instead of waiting for the next climb Marc Hirschi made a serious move with 35km to go. Many of the main climbs in the race are small even if some sting but the Swiss rider launched on an unmarked rise and was joined by Roger Adria, Bauke Mollema and Valentin Madouas. Mauri Vansevenant bridged to them. Pello Bilbao too. More floated across with Kevin Vauquelin, Tiesj Benoot, Quentin Pacher and Tom Pidcock and they caught the breakaway on the Keutenberg with Benoot surging and taking Hirshi, Pidcock and Vansevenant clear the same quartet as wed see later but Honor helped bring things back. Pidcocks presence here was the big deal although Bilbao, Madouas and Benoot were co-leaders too.Embed from Getty ImagesIt left a simple matter of subtraction: 12 riders from 11 teams were up the road. With 24 teams in the race that equalled 13 teams left to chase, or 12 since because Cofidis were not there (all DNF as it happens, a rare feat but Astana did it in the Tour of Flanders too). Given some squads only had a tired rider hanging on, the arithmetic favoured the group and more so since they had team mates behind to sap the chase.Hirschi attacked the break on the Cauberg where Paul Lapeira matched him and the rest came back, except for Honor. Behind the peloton accelerated and chomped twenty seconds lead with Lidl-Treks Mattias Skjelmose making a big move that suggested few were counting on Mollema up front. But the breakaway was still clear and Bilbao attacked the descent but Hirschi and Pidcock, them again, covered him.Hirschi made another big move on the Geulhemmerberg, third time lucky for him as itd stay away to the finish. Benoot was there with Vansevenant and Pidcock. Benoots long pull over the top helped prise them away. With his partner due to give birth any day now, Benoot wasnt even sure to start the race, perhaps he was in a hurry.Embed from Getty ImagesAs a quartet they all had a clear motivation to get to the finish to contest the win or at least the podium, they looked committed. The chase from the group behind was working but the classic stand-off, the group had more riders but because of this some were missing turns or taking an economy pull. Sensing this Bilbao tried to bridge but couldnt make it.Behind EF chased hard with Richard Carapaz and Ben Healy working for Marijn van der Berg. They didnt get much help and so couldnt bring back the breakaway. Van der Berg would crash on a corner soon too but it was over for the peloton now, just UCI points left.Pidcock made a move on the last climb of the day which surprised as it suggested he didnt fancy his chances in a sprint but Benoot drove across. Lapeira tried to get across but couldnt. Benoot tried a late attack but if some riders are explosive hes inert, powerful in gradual efforts but he couldnt get a gap. The quartet could see the chasers and Vansevenant started the sprint with 300m to go and Pidcock went with 150m to go while Hirschi was behind. There was a headwind but Hirschi could neither find the opening or the speed and Pidcock was clear to sit up and celebrate, no photofinish worries this time.Embed from Getty ImagesThe VerdictA lively edition that forced viewers to watch until the end. Time gaps were tight, there was suspense but it wasnt a full thriller, that needed more attacks and reversals of fortunes were needed. This was a good edition, not a great. But its most interesting to compare it not to other years of the Amstel but to other races this spring. Here it was entertaining because it was like watching racing from a different era, no galatico, no extraterrestrial who we may admire but who bends the race to their will and turns the final hour into a victory procession. Likewise no single team was in charge.Marc Hirschi looked the strongest, his three attacks shaped the final result but Pidcock proved quicker in the sprint and was able to match him in the hills. For Pidcock its his first win on the road in over a year. Hes potentially a star rider he won the Strade Bianche with a solo move that we normally think on Pogaar can pull off but his win rate and the fact that he had to snipe Hirschi in the sprint shows why he isnt in the same bracket as Van der Poel. He rode a tactically astute race: efficient, always in the right moves, his late attack was the surprise but otherwise it was out of the Kwiatkowski handbook. Benoot was strong throughout and thats his hallmark, a haul of top-10 results but very few wins among them while Vansevenant was a ray of sunshine for Soudal-Quickstep who will give the team more confidence for Lige.Embed from Getty ImagesRival mountain biker Van der Poel didnt have a Sunday to write home about, often so visible thanks to full white shorts and rainbow jersey but also because he was always near the front. Yet he barely attacked, his chase of Kwiatkowski was as far as things went with talk that he did one ride too many during the week. His focus is still on Lige but thats looking harder as his team were harassed by rivals and hell find even hillier terrain. But hes got nothing to lose.Two wins in France, a Basque stage make it hard to say Paul Lapeira was a revelation but it was still a further breakthrough in a long race, on the attack 60km to go and still making moves in the final.We start Ardennes week officially with Flche Wallonne, the most scripted finish of the season but perfect for a Wednesday afternoon, before Lige on Sunday. The Tour of the Alps starts today to provide us with sport and clues ahead of the Giro too.Embed from Getty ImagesThe post Amstel Gold Race Review first appeared on The Inner Ring.