Last week, Arlenis finished 56th in the Paris-Roubaix race. Photo: Movistar Teame Author: Team Movistar

The best and most famous Cuban cyclist of recent times, Arlenis Sierra, has not stopped pedaling since he joined the Movistar Team club.

The Manzanillera will hit the road again this Sunday 16 April with the start of the Amstel Gold Race, the first classic to match the Ardennes triptych, culminating next week with the Wallonne Arrow and Liege-Bastonlige.

It will be the 57th. edition of the Dutch fair for male competitors and the ninth for female competitors.

This Thursday, the Movistar team announced their squad for both tournaments. The leader among men is Spaniard Alex Aranburu, who will be supported by Ruben Guerreiro, Gonzalo Serrano, Jorge Arcas, José Joaquin Rojas, Gorka Izaguirre and Johan Jacobs.

Meanwhile, the “boss” of the ladies could not be another owner of the rainbow jersey, Annemiek Van Fleuten.

The local cyclist, according to information provided by the telephone club on its official website, will be accompanied by a powerful formation completed by German champion Liana Lippert, third this week in Brabanzona Arrow; Arlenis Sierra, Flortier Mackay, Paula Patiño and Elena Eric.

The route is planned between Maastricht and Valkenburg and consists of 155.8 km, although this year an additional lap will be added – to complete four – to the track, the key to which will be Valkenburg, with climbs to Goilhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and, above all, Cauberg, in two kilometers from the finish of Berg en Terbliit.

Marta Cavalli of Italy won the title in the previous women’s race, followed by Demi Vollering of the Netherlands and Teutonic Lippert. Meanwhile, the men’s winner was Michal Kwiatkowski (INEOS), who defeated Benoît Kosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team) in the photo finish sprint, with Thiès Benut (Jumbo-Visma) finishing third on the podium.

The start of the women’s race is expected to take place at around 10 am local time, with the closing in Valkenburg taking place approximately four hours later, the same time as scheduled for the men.

The Amstel Golden Race has been described by pundits as a tough race and is considered one of the longest of the World Tour season. Its route is spiced with numerous climbs, narrow roads, curves and street furniture, making it a demanding competition.

Source: Juventud Rebelde