Maastricht – 7 January 2026. During a press conference today at the café In den Ouden Vogelstruys on the Vrijthof square in Maastricht, the place where the idea for the international cycling race originated in 1965, the Amstel Gold Race announced that the 60th edition of the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday 19 April 2026 will be the last one to take place under the leadership of Leo van Vliet as race director. As from 2027, his successor will be Tom Dumoulin.The announcement marks the end of a very special era in the history of the only Dutch cycling classic. After its first 30 editions (1966 – 1995) under the leadership of Herman Krott, the Amstel Gold Race was directed for its next 30 editions (1996 – 2026) by Leo van Vliet. It is very noteworthy that the organisation of the event has had just two race directors in 60 years.
Leo van Vliet took over from the race’s founder Herman Krott in 1996 and became a vital figure in the Amstel Gold Race’s organisation. Under his leadership, the race developed further into an essential fixture on the international cycling calendar and an indispensable part of the UCI WorldTour. In addition, Van Vliet was instrumental in establishing the highly successful Toerversie Amstel Gold Race and played a key role in adding a women’s race to the Amstel Gold Race weekend, among many other achievements.
“It’s quite remarkable to realise that I’ve had the opportunity to experience 30 editions as race director,” Van Vliet said at the press conference. “The 60th edition in 2026 feels like the right time for me to pass on the baton to a new generation.”
Just as Krott picked Van Vliet as his successor in 1995, Van Vliet has selected Tom Dumoulin as his. With the former professional cyclist and winner of the Giro d’Italia, the organisation is deliberately opting for a successor with international appeal, a strong profile and a deep connection to Limburg and the Amstel Gold Race.
Future race director Tom Dumoulin said that he was honoured by his appointment:
“The Amstel Gold Race is a race that has given me such a lot, both personally and in terms of sport. The fact that I’ve been entrusted to lead this race as from 2027, following in the footsteps of Herman Krott and Leo van Vliet, feels like a great honour and responsibility. I look forward to working with the team to continue the rich tradition of this unique classic.”
At the meeting, the organisation expressed its deep appreciation for Leo van Vliet’s decades of commitment and emphasised its confidence in a successful future under the leadership of Tom Dumoulin. Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics:
“Since 2025, Flanders Classics has been actively involved in the organisation of the Amstel Gold Race, which means that we have collaborated intensively with Leo in recent years. During this collaboration, we have been able to experience right from the front row how much Leo has made his mark on this spring classic and how passionately he does so. We therefore want to continue to work on the foundations that Leo spent many years building, and to do so with respect. Both HEINEKEN Nederland, the parent company of Amstel, and our organisation see Tom, a Maastricht native who’s passionate about the Amstel Gold Race, as the ideal successor with whom we can develop a new long-term vision, following the examples set by Leo and by Herman Krott. But before we turn our attention to the future, we are first looking forward to an anniversary edition that will celebrate both the race and Leo.”
The 60th Amstel Gold Race, to take place on 19 April 2026, will therefore be not only an anniversary edition, but also the historic conclusion of an era.
