For a long time, Gesink competed for a place in the top ten. During the final, the Dutchman climbed the Eyserbosweg and the Keutenberg among the favourites, but in the end he had to let them go. He finished just outside the top twenty.

The Amstel Gold Race was coloured by an early breakaway that achieved a maximum gap of eight minutes. The breakaway was caught in the run-up to the Eyserbosweg, partly due to the efforts of Team Jumbo-Visma. On the Eyserbosweg the race split to bits and only Gesink was able to join the best. He battled, in his known style, for what he was worth and eventually crossed the finish line in 21st place.

Sports director Frans Maassen was realistic about his team’s performance afterwards. “Of course we are disappointed and we certainly had hoped for better. But we also need to be honest. It was a fair race and we missed a few percent to compete with the best. We should certainly not search for any excuses. We gave everything we had, but we were not good enough. Robert rode a very good Amstel Gold Race. Certainly because, like a number of other guys, he has just returned from altitude. The Giro d’Italia is the big main goal, although you also want to do as well as possible in a race like today’s. It is what it is, but it does provide us some perspective for the Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Then Laurens De Plus will also part of the team. I am convinced that we can show something good there.”