Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski claimed the second Amstel Gold Race of his career in a photo finish after France’s Benoit Cosnefroy had initially been awarded victory.
Last year’s race was also a photo finish with Wout van Aert edging Tom Pidcock, a team-mate of Kwiatkowski.
In confusing scenes, Cosnefroy had begun to celebrate after the PA announcer declared him the winner.
But a few minutes later Kwiatkowski was given the win instead.
The photo finish showed the Ineos Grenadiers rider had just nudged ahead with a lunge on the line.
“After the race I didn’t know, there was a lot of confusion,” said Kwiatkowski. “But I heard what happened to Tom last year – you have to wait for the photo finish.”
Pidcock, who had been struggling with illness in the lead-up to the event, crossed the line in 11th after helping to spark the breakaway with Kwiatkowski 35km from the finish.
The Pole then went clear off the front of the group, to be joined by Cosnefroy, and despite looking lively Pidcock was content to sit in the group, rather than risk bringing other riders up to his team-mate.
Belgian Tiejs Benoot counter-attacked just before the final sprint to finish third ahead of Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, the pre-race favourite.
Italy’s Marta Cavalli sprinted to a dominant victory in the women’s event, crossing the line alone three seconds ahead of Demi Vollering of the Netherlands, with Germany’s Liane Lippert third.
