Demi Vollering takes win at 2023 Amstel Gold Race after late breakaway, Lotte Kopecky second for SD Worx

Demi Vollering soloed to victory at the Women's Amstel Gold Race on Sunday in Valkenburg.

On a parcours containing 21 climbs and one that was 30km longer than last year, it was Vollering who broke away in the final kilometre to outlast the rest and secure a memorable win after finishing second in the previous two editions of the race.

A breakaway had stayed out until just over 20km from the finish, and thereafter a number of solo attacks sought to get away, including one by world champion Annemiek van Vleuten.

But Vollering's was the one that stuck.

Her SD Worx teammate Lotte Kopecky finished second with Dutch rider Shirin van Anrooij took third for Trek-Segafredo.

With 50km to go when the live pictures started, Dutch riders Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) and Sabrina Stultiens (Liv Racing TeqFind) were out in front with one minute on the peloton behind.

Their lead ebbed and flowed, moving up to two minutes before dropping down to within a minute. As the front two took on the Cauberg for the second time, Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) and Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM) launched an attack. These two would later find themselves together within the 10km to go mark.

In the damp Dutch conditions Brand and Stultiens crossed the line 33 seconds ahead with two laps remaining. As the leaders approached the Geulhemmerberg again, the peloton had moved themselves within 12 seconds. The gap once again continued to fluctuate, and the group dropped further behind.

With 23km to go, the peloton finally managed to close down the leaders. They continued as a group, with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) launching an impressive attack up the Cauberg before being rejoined by the peloton. Wiebes worked selflessly today for her teammates with a series of powerful moves proving vital in securing the top two spaces on the podium for SD Worx.

Following Wiebes’ attack, others soon followed suit. Kristen Faulkner (Team Jayco AlUla) went herself, and was successful in creating a gap between herself and the group. This lead continued for three kilometers, and she had a six second lead as she went into the final lap before Wiebes launched another powerful effort to catch up with Faulkner. Eventually Wiebes moved aside and let Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM) take the front while the European champion made way for her SD Worx teammates.

With 15km remaining, Paladin was involved in yet another attack, but was swiftly closed down by van Anrooij. A further attack from Chabbey, followed by one from van Vleuten, were also swallowed up by the group promptly.

Chabbey attacked again, Quinty Ton (Liv Racing TeqFind) saw an opportunity to go herself, and created a slight gap. This didn’t last long, as yet again Paladin made an influential move and created a gap of her own of 15 seconds. Brown yet again attempted to catch up with Paladin, and managed to do so with 5.6km remaining. The two created an eight second gap, and were ahead as they approached the Cauberg for one final time. Paladin continued to power forward and dropped Brown, before she herself was caught by Liane Lippert (Movistar) and Dutch champion Riejanne Markus (Team Jumbo-Visma).

Vollering then saw her moment to strike. She powered ahead on the Cauberg with 1.7km remaining, in the exact way that SD Worx had planned. She remained ahead as she crossed under the Flamme Rouge, and managed to storm her way to an impressive solo victory. Kopecky took second in the sprint with the group as van Anrooij took second.

Today's win marked Vollering's third of this season following victories at Strade Bianche and Dwars door Vlaanderen. After finishing Amstel Gold on the second step of the podium in the past few years, she thoroughly deserved her place at the top today. SD Worx are firmly in front of the World Tour points rankings, bolstered further by another 1-2 victory.

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