Amstel Gold Race raises women’s prize money equal to men’s

The women’s winner at Amstel Gold Race on Sunday will receive a paycheck equal to the men’s winner.

Officials from the Dutch one-day classic confirmed that the prize money purses of the men’s and women’s races will be the same, with a total purse of €40,000 for each race.

“That is a big step forward. In total the prize money for the women as with the men. That is €30,000 more than last year. A considerable increase,” said Leontien van Moorsel, race director Amstel Gold Race.

“When you see where women’s cycling comes from and where we are now, it really makes a world of difference. The development to get more equality in cycling has taken off in recent years. And here we really want to be in the leading group.”

The winner of each race will receive 16,000 euros, and the amount of fees going to the women’s teams also increased, van Moorsel said.

“Five years ago we started again with a women’s edition. In recent years we have taken steps again and again to achieve more equality in the Amstel Gold Race,” said Els Dijkhuizen, marketing director Heineken Netherlands. “In addition, there is increasingly longer airtime for the women’s race at the NOS and we have gradually increased the prize money in recent years.”

The Women’s Amstel Gold Race ran for three years two decades ago, and was revived in 2017.

Among the confirmed starters include Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team), Demi Vollering (SD Worx), and world champion Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo).

“I’m really looking forward to Sunday, all those people on the side provide so many goosebumps, especially when you drive up the iconic Cauberg,” Vollering said. “We had to miss that last year. I hope this just gives the extra boost to this year to be the first to cross the finish line.”