So close, but was more possible? Here's what regular contender Matthews, French revelation, and top Dutchman Van den Broek had to say

Michael Matthews finished fifth, his seventh top-ten finish in the Dutch classic. But on the Gulperberg, he couldn’t follow Tadej Pogacar and Julian Alaphilippe. “I was in a really good position when they attacked,” he told Cycling Pro. “But I just couldn’t go with them. And maybe it was a bit too early to go that deep. You saw Alaphilippe blow up just two climbs later. So I think I made the right choice not to go all-in to try and follow them. But when you see how Tadej is riding right now, he can do everything. I’m not even sure who ended up winning, but it was a strong race from Tadej.”

Could the Aussie have done more? He held out hope until the very end that the trio up front would be caught, but their teammates in the chase group made things difficult. “The problem was that UAE had a rider up there, and so did Trek and Quick-Step. They made it really tough to organize the chase. But I think we got pretty close. I believed we were almost within reach, and that someone might make the jump. But it was just a bit too far.”

In the end, the Jayco–AlUla rider can’t be too disappointed, especially with teammate Mauro Schmid finishing 15th. That’s important for a team trying to gather UCI points wherever they can. “A top five is always a good result in a classic, and those are a lot of points we need. I think we can be really happy with that. We came here aiming for the podium, but we came up two spots short. I think we can be proud.”

Just one spot behind Matthews, a name unknown to most people crossed the line: Louis Barré finished sixth. The Frenchman from Intermarché–Wanty earned his first top result in a major classic. “I didn’t really know what to expect,” he laughed in an interview with Cycling Pro. “I knew the course suited me well, but I came out of the Basque Country sick last week, so I wasn’t sure. But in the end, I felt good all day and was in a great position right up to the finale. That made the difference. I was able to follow the best, except for the three in front who were just on another level. But the gap wasn’t huge.”

While Matthews still had hope, the 25-year-old Frenchman had already sensed for a while that the race was over. “To get back, you would’ve had to be with Remco. After that, it became really tactical, and there were constant attacks. It was really hard to know when to follow and who to follow.” So it came down to a sprint for an honorable placing. “I didn’t really know how to approach the sprint. There was a headwind, and I started late. I faked like I was launching, and it worked because the others went early. But I should’ve gone full-on right away, since it was a short effort. Still, it was a solid sprint. If you look at the names in that group, sixth place is definitely not bad.”

Barré may have been the best French finisher, but just one spot behind him came Romain Grégoire. His compatriot was thrilled with his first top-10 finish in the Amstel Gold Race, after placing 12th last year. There wasn’t much more in it this time, mainly due to the fast pace of the race. “It was a pretty crazy race,” he told Cyclism'Actu. “I don’t think any of us expected the tempo to be so high from the start. We were all really on the limit when we reached the finale, and that exploded quickly.”

His legs were already empty when Julian Alaphilippe and Tadej Pogacar launched their attacks. “I went all out when they accelerated, but I had nothing left. I raced the way I needed to race, and I don’t regret anything. Everyone ended up where they belonged, and the three at the front were in a class of their own. I fought on every climb to stay with that group and battle for a top-five at the finish.”

Like his slightly older countryman Barré, Grégoire also felt he could have done better in the sprint. But he knows that in a race like this, it’s the strongest who win. “I did a decent sprint. I could’ve launched a bit earlier to gain more space, but after 250 kilometers at such a high pace, everyone ends up in their rightful place. We’re happy with that. A top 10 at this level isn’t bad at all.”

No spot in the top ten, but a 26th place was the best Frank van den Broek could manage. The Picnic PostNL rider was the highest-placed Dutchman in his home race. “I actually felt pretty good today,” he said in a team press release. “I just missed that little bit extra to stay with the group containing Van Aert on the Kruisberg and Eyserbosweg, but overall it went better than last year.”

In the end, he finished 3 minutes and 36 seconds behind winner Skjelmose. But the 24-year-old climber takes encouragement from the race he was able to ride. Plus, he crossed the line in good company in Berg en Terblijt. “I finished in a group with Alaphilippe and Madouas—really strong riders—that's something to be proud of. It was a tough, honest race, but I leave here with a satisfied feeling.”