Remco Evenepoel is on a mission for a season reset this Sunday, targeting victory at the Amstel Gold Race to kick off the prestigious Ardennes Classics. The punishing 257-kilometer Dutch classic, with its 33 short, leg-sapping climbs, is tailor-made for the Belgian superstar's explosive, attacking style.

Evenepoel's 2026 campaign began in blistering form with three wins at the Challenge Mallorca and overall glory at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. However, his momentum stalled with a 10th-place finish at the UAE Tour and fifth at the Volta a Catalunya. A hard-fought podium spot behind titans Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel at the Tour of Flanders, however, signaled he's finding his rhythm just in time for the Ardennes.

While a full heavyweight clash will have to wait—neither Pogačar nor rising French star Paul Seixas are on the start list—the Amstel field remains deep with talent. Defending champion Mattias Skjelmose returns, and 2024 winner Tom Pidcock could be a major threat if recovered from a recent crash. Matteo Jorgenson, fresh off a strong Tirreno-Adriatico, and a host of dangerous French riders like Dorian Godon and Ben Healy, who excels on punchy terrain, will all be hunting for the win.

The Amstel Gold Race is just the opening act. Attention will quickly turn to the midweek La Flèche Wallonne, where Seixas is expected to race, and culminate with the brutal Liège-Bastogne-Liège the following Sunday. There, the anticipated showdown between Pogačar—who has dominated classics like Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders this season—and the promising Seixas could ignite. Their duel at Strade Bianche, where Seixas clung to Pogačar's wheel longer than anyone before finishing second, hinted at a thrilling rivalry for the future of the sport.