Mathieu van der Poel shares incredible data from Amstel Gold Race on Strava
The data behind Van der Poel's stunning win in Limburg
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mathieu van der Poel is not what you might call a Strava addict. In fact, before now the last ride he uploaded was his Dutch national championships win from June 2018.
On Wednesday though, the 24-year-old uploaded his file (opens in new tab) from his stunning win at the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday. Even he must have been impressed with the numbers.
First off, over the 260km, 6-26-20 ride, Van der Poel averaged 337 watts weighted for the day. He spent most of the day in zone two and zone three heart rate, but did spend over 47 minutes at threshold, much of that probably coming in the last 10km when he was chasing down the breakaway riders. Van der Poel's best 20-minute effort for the day was 378w (5.17w/kg) with a max power of 1,400w during his final sprint.
Before we get to that incredible finish though, Van der Poel's first real action in the race came with 43km to go when he made a daring and powerful attack on the climb of the Gulperberg, a circa 500m climb that averages around five per cent gradient (according to Strava) but hits up to 18 per cent in places.
While that attack was short lived, the Dutchman got fourth place overall on the segment after averaging 761w for its duration, hitting over 1,200w at an average speed of 26.5kmh. He was clearly trying hard, hitting a maximum heart rate of 190bpm.
It's the final 16km we're really interested in though, around the distance of the final lap from the top of the final ascent of Cauberg to the finish.
By this time in the race, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) were a close to a minute up the road on Van der Poel's group with Michał Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) and Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) chasing behind at a yo-yoing gap that jumped between 10 to 30 seconds.
For the final 16km Van der Poel averaged 43.7kmh, at 353w average (4.8w/kg), with an average heart rate of 171bpm. After the downhill section from the finish and the Guelhemmerberg climb, the road began to rise up again with the final climb of the Bemelerberg and the uncategorised Steenberg, and this is where Van der Poel really seemed to hit the gas in the final 8km.
TV images showed him doing more or less all of the work as he dragged a group containing the likes of Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) back into contention.
The entire section from the Bemelerberg onwards saw him average 185bpm as he averaged 426w (5.8w/kg) at 42.9kmh to the finish.
Van der Poel rode the 680m drag of the Steenberg at 39.8kmh at 526w (7.2w/kg), and was still able to recover enough to pull out a power full sprint just over a kilometre later.
He rode at 57.4kmh average on the front of the chasing group coming into the final straight and bearing down on Alaphilippe, Fuglsang and Kwiatkowski, averaging 659w (9.02w/kg) at 190bpm. As he came close to making the catch he then launched his sprint, hitting a whopping 1,400w max power output, averaging 1,186w in the final 200m or so.
Van der Poel travelled at around 62kmh with a max speed of 65kmh, enough to seem him cross the line and take victory much to his own disbelief, in what was one of the most memorable race finished we've ever seen.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
-
Pfeiffer Georgi wins Brugge-De Panne solo after aggressive race splits in crosswinds
Brit claims her first WorldTour win by out-foxing some of the fastest riders in the world
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
Kaden Groves sprints to victory on stage four of the Volta a Catalunya
Australian takes first win for new Alpecin-Deceuninck team ahead of Bryan Coquard
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel powers to Milan-San Remo victory with explosive Poggio attack
'This was my best level,' says Dutchman after Monument win
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Remco Evenepoel obliterates Tenerife's Mount Teide Strava KOM
Reigning World Champion currently in altitude training before next week's Volta a Catalunya
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig eyes Ardennes podiums and Tour de France Femmes result after strong start
The FDJ Suez rider is building up her form towards her season targets
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel hoping to race 'as aggressively' at Strade Bianche as 2021 victory
The 28-year-old says he has had "the perfect build-up" for Saturday's event
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Eight riders to watch in the men's Strade Bianche 2023
Wout van Aert sits out due to illness, opening the door for a potentially new winner in the Piazza del Campo
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Strade Bianche 2023: Start list information for the Italian classic's 17th edition
Taking a look at the men's and women's start lists for the Italian one day race
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
British rider takes Jebel Hafeet QOM, deletes Strava file
Claire Steels's bike was the fastest to the summit, but she wasn't riding it
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Wout van Aert v. Mathieu van der Poel - a truly rare and iconic sporting rivalry
As the duo continue to trade blows on the biggest of stages, their rivalry will go down in history as one of cycle racings greatest
By Tom Thewlis • Published