Day 4: Amstel Gold

After three days of being pummeled by the pave, the Stoepedist Week turns to the mountains of the Ardennes, starting with the Amstel Gold Race in the Limburg region of the Netherlands. Started by two non-cyclists, the race almost didn’t come off in the early years, but today it has matured to be one of the important Spring Classics. The 255km course loops around and constantly turns back on itself along winding, narrow farm roads while constantly climbing and descending for a total 3000 meters (10,000 feet) of elevation. It’s the only major race named after a beer, but no amount of Amstel Light will dull the suffering on this route.