One-Day Racing

Tibor Del Grosso Soloes to NXT Classic Victory in Limburg as Amstel Gold Race Looms

CYCLING LOOKOUT • 4 APRIL 2026

Tibor Del Grosso delivered a commanding performance to win the NXT Classic on Friday, soloing to victory on the rolling hills of Dutch Limburg in what doubles as the most significant dress rehearsal for the Amstel Gold Race on April 19. The young Dutchman, riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, attacked with around 30 kilometres remaining alongside Mauro Schmid before dropping the Swiss champion on the final climb to cross the line alone, arms aloft in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

The NXT Classic — formerly known as the Volta Limburg Classic — has long served as the "little brother" of the Amstel Gold Race, sharing many of the same climbs and narrow lanes that define racing in South Limburg. The 2026 edition lived up to that billing, with the peloton splitting apart under sustained pressure from Alpecin-Deceuninck on the succession of short, punchy ascents that pepper the final 60 kilometres. Del Grosso and Schmid went clear when the pace proved too much for the chasing group, and the pair worked together until the final rise where Del Grosso's superior kick proved decisive.

Schmid crossed the line in second, seven seconds behind, having been unable to match Del Grosso's acceleration on the steepest section of the final climb. Anders Foldager led the remnants of the chasing group home for fourth place, also at seven seconds, confirming the race had effectively been decided by Del Grosso and Schmid's mid-race move. For Alpecin-Deceuninck, the victory extends a remarkable run of success in this race and offers an encouraging signal ahead of the team's Amstel Gold Race campaign, where Mathieu van der Poel will lead the charge on the Cauberg.

Del Grosso's trajectory over the past eighteen months has been one of the quieter success stories in Dutch cycling, overshadowed by the continued dominance of Van der Poel and the emergence of younger talents elsewhere. But the 23-year-old has quietly built a palmares that now includes victories on three continents, and his ability to race aggressively on the hilly terrain of Limburg suggests he may yet have a significant role to play in Alpecin's Ardennes campaign. His climbing punch is well suited to the Cauberg and the Keutenberg, and if Van der Poel draws the attention of the favourites, Del Grosso could be the wildcard nobody sees coming.

The NXT Classic also served as a useful pointer for the broader Ardennes pecking order. Several riders used the race to sharpen their form between the cobbled Classics and the Ardennes week, and the pace and profile of the finale offered a glimpse of what lies ahead when the hills of Limburg, Wallonia and the Belgian Ardennes host the sport's most prestigious climbing one-day races over the next three weeks. With the Brabantse Pijl on April 17, the Amstel Gold Race on April 19, Flèche Wallonne on April 22 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 26, the Ardennes campaign is now imminent — and Del Grosso's NXT Classic win is the first shot fired.

Tibor Del Grosso Soloes to NXT Classic Victory in Limburg as Amstel Gold Race Looms

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