'The Amazing Race' engaged couple Matt Cucolo and Ashley Gordon survive non-elimination leg

The Amazing Race engaged couple Matt Cucolo and Ashley Gordon survived a non-elimination leg during the 26th season's eighth episode Friday night on CBS.


"It's not over yet... Watch out, teams. It's not over yet. All the way," Matt, 30, said after discovering they could keep racing.

"We're going to get back ontop tomorrow," added Ashley, 28.

Matt and Ashley -- who are both hairstylists from Scarsdale, NY, and got engaged on this season of the Race after dating for three years -- were given another chance after arriving at the ninth leg's Pit Stop in last place.

Although the couple wasn't eliminated, Matt and Ashley will have to complete an additional Speed Bump task in the next leg.


The Amazing Race episode began with the teams talking over dinner. Matt apologized to blind daters Jenny Wu and Jelani Roy for U-Turning them, saying it's just the name of the game. Both teams put on a good face for one another, but Jenny and Jelani planned to target the hairstylists as soon as possible.

Blind daters Laura Pierson and Tyler Adams later departed the eighth Pit Stop in first place at 12:19PM. Matt and Ashley were close on their heels at 12:20PM. The last departure time shown on last night's broadcast was blind daters Hayley Keel and Blair Townsend at 12:34PM.

The teams were instructed to fly more than 5,000 miles to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, and upon landing, catch a taxi to Jagershuis, where they'd find their next clue.

Jenny and Jelani arrived at Jagershuis in first place. They were then followed by Laura and Tyler, Matt and Ashley, Mike and Rochelle, and Hayley and Blair.

It then became time for one member from each team to complete a Roadblock task.


For the Roadblock, Racers had to pick out a Dutch klompen out of hundreds in order to match the one that served as the example. Once a Racer found a matching pair of clogs by paying attention to the smallest of details, he or she would earn the next clue.

Jenny chose to take on the Roadblock task as well as Tyler, Matt, Blair, and Rochelle.

Ashley told the cameras Matt was great at observing details, but he struggled tremendously. Ashley assumed it was the pressure getting to him and giving him "tunnel vision." But finally, before getting it right on his 43rd attempt, Matt took a moment to re-analyze the example shoe, noticing things he hadn't picked up on before.

Jenny and Jelani finished the Roadblock task in first place. They were then followed by Laura and Tyler, Hayley and Blair, Mike and Rochelle, and finally Matt and Ashley.

The teams then learned they must ride bikes along the river into the city of Amsterdam, hop on a ferry with their bikes, and then ride to Munttoren, a large tower that stands on the busy Muntplein square.


Laura and Tyler got there first, followed by Jelani and Jenny, Hayley and Blair, Mike and Rochelle, and Matt and Ashley.

Teams were then instructed to choose one of two possible Detour tasks to complete: "Soak" or "Shuffle."

"Soak" required the teams to drive an electric-powered hot tub along the waterways while spotting a series of symbols along the way to ultimately solve a riddle that would reveal their next clue. The riddle's solution was "ice skating rink."

"Shuffle" required the teams to play a Dutch version of Shuffleboard and score 51 points in order to receive their next clue.

Laura and Tyler took on "Soak" as did Jelani and Jenny and Hayley and Blair.


Mike and Rochelle tried the Shuffleboard game just like Matt and Ashley.

It took Mike and Rochelle a while to rack in 51 total points, but Matt later proved he was a pro at it. Meanwhile, Jenny and Jelani were over-thinking a clue in which five letter I's were supposed to sound like "ice."

Laura and Tyler finished the Detour before any of the other teams. They were then followed by Hayley and Blair, Mike and Rochelle, Jenny and Jelani, and Matt and Ashley.

The ninth leg's last clue sent the teams to Museumplein Ice Skating Rink, which would serve as the Pit Stop.

Mike and Rochelle got a little lost on the way.


Laura and Tyler stepped on the Pit Stop mat and met The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan in first place. For winning the leg -- the couple's second win in a row -- Laura and Tyler received a trip for two to Seoul, South Korea.

Hayley and Blair arrived at the Pit Stop in second place followed by Jelani and Jenny in third. Mike and Rochelle subsequently arrived in fourth place, and then Matt and Ashley were greeted by Phil in fifth place.

Matt and Ashley quickly learned it was a non-elimination leg and therefore jumped up and down with joy and excitement.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski