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2023 Volta Limburg Classic (1.1), Netherlands

48th edition: Saturday, April 1, 2023

Volta Limburg Classic historic results | 2022 edition | 2024 edition | Start list

Eijsden - Eijsden, 193.4 km

2023 Volta Limburg Classic map

Kaden Groves wins the 48th Volta Limburg Classic

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the start/finish city of Eijsden at 1:15 PM, local time: 10C (50F), rain showers, with the wind from the west at 24 km/hr (15 mph). The rain showers are expected to continue the rest of the afternoon.

The race: Here's the report from second-place Maxim Van Gils' Team Lotto Dstny.

Lotto Dstny put in a strong collective performance in the rain-soaked Volta Limburg Classic. The team couldn’t beat the strong and fast legs of Kaden Groves in the final, but Maxim Van Gils and Pascal Eenkhoorn managed to get a solid second and third place. A few minutes later, Milan Menten won the sprint for fifth from a small group.

In a soaking wet Limburg three of our Lotto Dstny riders managed to get into the final: Maxim Van Gils, Pascal Eenkhoorn and Milan Menten. Under the pouring rain, the leading group continued to thin out and finally, under the impulse of the Dutch champion only three riders remained at the front into the final 40 kilometres: Pascal Eenkhoorn, Maxim Van Gils and Kaden Groves.

Early in the race. It's a rainy day in the Netherlands.

In that final, Groves attacked several times. Eenkhoorn had to let go as the Australian went to the finish with Maxim Van Gils. In the sprint, the Lotto Dstny rider had to settle for second place. “I believed in it”, Van Gils said afterwards, “Kaden did all the work in the last 20 kilometres and I was hoping he wouldn’t have much of a sprint left. But, he immediately pushed really hard in the sprint and I quickly noticed he had more power in his legs, which is a pity. It was really a very difficult day, on a tough course and with rain all day long. That was not really pleasant, but okay, you have to go through it. I can live with this second place and I am especially proud of the team. We rode a very strong race.”

Pascal Eenkhoorn could live with his third place. “I tried to get away, but Kaden countered me and then my tank was empty. He rode another 20 kilometres in the lead with Maxim in his wheel and still won the race. So, he simply was the strongest rider today, that you have to accept. He showed his strong legs already last week in the Tour of Catalonia and won two stages. So we knew it wasn't going to be easy to beat him. We did our best, rode a strong race with the team and put in a great performance. Second and third is a pity of course, you always ride for the win, but you need to have the legs for it.”

Complete Results:

193.4 kilometers raced at an average speed of 39.031 km/hr

Start list with back numbers. March 31, 2023