Race Preview: Liège-Bastogne-Liège might be the toughest of the non cobbled Classics within the biking season and is rightly one of many 5 Monuments – The oldest one. It’s all the time a prime rider who takes victory in ‘La Doyenne’, with its robust finale finding out the very best climbers. This yr is not any completely different and there are prime names on the beginning record. We take a look at the favourites, the historical past and the course.
Tadej Pogačar’s second Liège win?
Can Tadej Pogačar take his second win in Liège, or will World champion, Mathieu van der Poel emulate his father, Adri, and add one other Monument/Traditional to his palmarès? There are nay extra riders who can put their identify on the Liège honours record: Tom Pidcock, Benoit Cosnefroy, Mattias Skjelmose, Dylan Teuns, Marc Hirschi, Juan Ayuso, Tiesj Benoot and Romain Grégoire are all doable winner who’re on kind in the mean time.
Can Mathieu be a part of his father, Adri, on the record of Liège-Bastonge-Liège winners?
La Doyenne Historical past
Liège-Bastogne-Liège is the oldest Monument on the calendar. The primary version was run in 1892, the primary Paris-Roubaix was 4 years later and the Tour of Lombardy was 1905, Milano-Sanremo 1907 and the Tour of Flanders 1913. The organisers Liège-Bastogne-Liège are happy with the nickname La Doyenne, ‘The Previous Woman’. Initially, it was not the intention to experience from Liège to Bastogne and again to Liège. The Liège Bicycle owner Union wished to make a detour by way of Paris. Liège-Paris-Liège: a race of 850 kilometres was the plan on the time. Liège-Bastogne-Liège was solely a take a look at occasion for Liège-Paris-Liège, however L-B-L finally grew to become an annual occasion. These first races had been dominated by the Belgians. The Frenchman André Trousselier was the primary foreigner to beat the Belgians in 1908, however from the primary version in 1892 till 1978, foreigners solely gained 10 occasions.
4 wins for Moreno Argentin
From the early Eighties the victories went to Dutch, Italian, Irish or Swiss riders. After all Belgians prime the winner’s record. Léo Houa, Alfons Schepers and Fred De Bruyne every gained thrice and Eddy Merckx (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1975) is on the record with 5 wins. Rik Van Looy, Roger De Vlaeminck and Walter Godefroot additionally took wins, however after Joseph Bruyère’s victory in 1978, the lean years got here for the Belgians. The wins got here from Italians: Silvano Contini and Moreno Argentin 4 occasions. Dutch: Steven Rooks and Adri van der Poel and Irishman Sean Kelly.
Sean Kelly in Liège 1986
In 1990 Eric Van Lancker took the win for Belgium, then Dirk De Wolf in 1992, Frank Vandenbroucke 1999, Philippe Gilbert in 2011 and naturally Remco Evenepoel final yr. Essentially the most profitable riders of latest occasions are Moreno Argentin and Alejandro Valverde, each gained 4 occasions. Different notable riders who’ve gained Liège-Bastogne-Liège greater than as soon as are Michele Bartoli, Paolo Bettini and Alexander Vinokourov.
Michele Bartoli in 1998
The 2023 Liège
Remco Evenepoel gained his second Liège-Bastogne-Liège in a row after a formidable solo. The Soudal Fast-Step World Champion attacked on la Redoute, then dropped Tom Pidcock to solo the final 30 kilometres to Liège. The duel with Tadej Pogačar by no means materialised as a result of an early crash by the Slovenian.
Will we see the rainbow jersey cross the road first in Liège’24?
On the climb of l. a. Redoute it was a case of ready for Evenepoel’s assault, which was lead-out by Van Wilder. The acceleration got here from the World Champion simply earlier than the highest. He instantly had a spot, however the race wasn’t over. Tom Pidcock managed to get his wheel on the descent. As a result of a route change, there was nonetheless a small climb after the Redoute, that’s the place Evenepoel disposed of Pidcock. With a robust present, the World Champion left the British rider with a 30 kilometre solo experience forward. The hole to Pidcock was 25 seconds very quickly. Giulio Ciccone and Mattias Skjelmose had been chasing, adopted by a gaggle together with Tiesj Benoot, Romain Bardet and Ben Healy.
Evenepoel needed to keep centered within the heavy rain, however he elevated his result in greater than a minute and now not needed to take any dangers. Solely unhealthy luck or a crash may take the win away from the younger Belgian. The battle for the rostrum behind Evenepoel was extra fascinating, as a result of Pidcock dropped again in a big chase group. With greater than 1:20 behind, they began to climb the Roche-aux-Faucons, the final impediment of the day. Healy and Santiago Buitrago had the very best legs and pulled away from the remaining. Pidcock was capable of soar throughout to the 2. Evenepoel now had a minute and a half. Nothing stood in the best way of a second victory in a row in La Doyenne for the World Champion carrying number one. Within the final 3 kilometres he had loads of time to smile on the digital camera and rejoice the victory. Pidcock sprinted to second place greater than a minute later, forward of Buitrago and Healy. Valentin Madouas adopted in fifth place, forward of Guillaume Martin and Tiesj Benoot.
2023 Liège-bastonge-Liège End result:
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Fast-Step – Alpha Vinyl) in 6:15:40
2. Tom Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 1_06
3. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain Victorious
4. Ben Healy (Irl) EF Schooling-EasyPost at 1:08
5. Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 1:24.
2023 Liège-bastonge-Liège highlights
The 2024 Parcours
The 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège route has a couple of minor adjustments. The beginning is once more at Place-Saint Lambert in Liège for 254.5 hilly kilometres, 4 lower than final yr. There are fairly a couple of climbs within the first 100 kilometres, however there gained’t be a decisive transfer that early, though nowadays, who is aware of?. Within the first two hours we should always see an early break on the highway out to Bastogne.
2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège map
The Côte de Bonnerue is the primary of 11 categorised climbs. After 117,3 kilometres, there’s the second ramp, the Côte de Saint-Roch. It’s a lot shorter than the Bonnerue, however so much steeper. It’s nonetheless too early for the massive weapons to start out firing, this could begin after Vielsalm and 150 kilometres of racing. The race then hits the Côte de Mont-le-Soie, this could possibly be the beginning of the finale. After that 5 climbs are available fast succession. Inside 40 kilometres, there are the Côte de Wanne, the Côte de Stockeu, the Côte de la Haute-Levée, the Col du Rosier and the Côte de Desnié. The identical as yearly.
2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège profile
After the Desnié, the peloton has a quick descent and the highway they got here out on in the direction of Bastogne. Subsequent is Côte de la Redoute, which is simply 1.6 kilometres lengthy, with a median gradient of 9,4%. The riders flip proper about 300 metres earlier than the highest to hit the Côte de Cornémone.
Remco Evenepoel coming over La Redoute in 2023
La Rédoute is the place Liège-Bastogne-Liège ought to cut up and the ultimate be determined, as there are 30 kilometres to the end. The Côte des Forges comes after 11 kilometres and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons at an extra 10 kilometres. This last climb is also called the Valkenrock and its summit is about 13 kilometres from the end line. The climbing isn’t over but. After a brief descent, there’s nonetheless some steep ramps of as much as 10% on not the very best of concrete roads. The end is on a large highway within the Quai des Ardennes.
There’s a good extensive end in Liège, don’t get it improper
The Climbs
Côte de Bonnerue (2,4km at 5,7%) – 76,2 kilometres
Côte de Saint-Roch (1km at 11,2%) – 117,3 kilometres
Côte de Mont-le-Soie (1,7km at 7,9%) – 161,2 kilometres
Côte de Wanne (3,6km at 5,1%) – 169,5 kilometres
Côte de Stockeu (1km at 12,5%) – 176 kilometres
Côte de la Haute-Levée (2,2km at 7,5%) – 180,2 kilometres
Col du Rosier (4,4km at 5,9%) – 194,4 kilometres
Côte de Desnié (1,6km at 8,1%) – 197,8 kilometres
Côte de la Redoute (1,6km at 9,4%) – 220,5 kilometres
Côte des Forges (1,3km at 7,8%) – 231,2 kilometres
Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (1,3km at 11%) – 241,2 kilometres.
The Côte de Saint-Roch comes early within the race, nevertheless it’s all the time well-liked with the followers
The Males to Watch
A race of the stature of Liège-Bastogne-Liège ought to have a begin record of the highest riders. This yr there are a couple of lacking, together with Remco Evenepoel who gained the final two editions and Primoz Roglič who gained in 2020, however there are lots of others who could make their mark in Wallonia. World champion, Mathieu van der Poel is driving for the second time, he was sixth when the race was run in October 2020. That yr he completed at 14 seconds behind the profitable group of Roglič, Hirschi, Pogačar, Mohorič and Alaphilippe. However MvdP isn’t the highest favorite in Liège.
Pogačar needs to be the ‘High Favorite’
This yr’s prime favorite for ‘La Doyenne’ needs to be two-time Tour winner Tadej Pogačar, the winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2021. The Slovenian’s subsequent large purpose is the Giro d’Italia and so he hasn’t raced most of the Classics this yr. Liège-Bastogne-Liège comes at simply the precise time in his coaching schedule, time to check the legs earlier than the pink race. Final yr, Pogačar crashed on a descent and sustained a fractured wrist, which upset his Tour de France preparation. When Pogačar traces up firstly of a race, you understand he’s not going for second (or decrease) place. Pogacar hasn’t raced a lot this season, however has been fairly profitable: Strade Bianche – win, Milano-Sanremo – third and Tour of Catalonia – win with 4 out of seven phases. Pogačar’s predominant fear will likely be damage from a crash right now in his season, however different clever he needs to be the massive favorite for Sunday.
Can Van der Poel make historical past?
World champion Mathieu van der Poel has had an incredible spring thus far. He didn’t do as effectively in Amstel, nevertheless it was a tactical race and he didn’t have the identical workforce help as within the earlier Classics. Pogačar is a greater climber, Van der Poel carries a couple of extra kilos, which works in opposition to him on the longer climbs. After Amstel he urged that he didn’t have the tremendous type of the previous weeks. He has been at a really excessive degree since Sanremo, however Van der Poel doesn’t give in calmly and has been coaching in Spain this week to take his fourth Monument.
Pidcock has Amstel in his pocket – What a couple of Monument?
Tom Pidcock has proven that he can win large, in reality all his fins on the highway have been large. Liège-Bastogne-Liège has longer climbs than Amstel and can have Tadej Pogačar. In final yr’s Liège, Pidcock was the one rider who may go together with Evenepoel, effectively, cling on for a short while. In Liège he is aware of what he has to do, simply this time it’s Pogačar and never Evenepoel.
Cosnefroy gained the Brabantse Pijl – Liège an excessive amount of?
The Amstel Gold Race generally is a good information for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however this yr it appeared that the highest riders had been both holding again or couldn’t be within the battle. Within the Brabantse Pijl the cut up got here earlier and Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech) and Benoit Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R) had been the principle males. Teuns had already been wanting good, with eighth within the Tour of Flanders. Teuns is likely one of the finest in these sorts of races and can make his mark on Sunday. Teammates Stephen Williams (winner of Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday) and Michael Woods can even play a key position. Cosnefroy has a greater dash, he was too fast for Teuns within the Brabantse Pijl, however Cosnefroy has by no means been within the prime 10 in Liège-Bastogne-Liège within the six occasions he has ridden, however this yr the Frenchman appears stronger than ever.
Romain Grégoire could possibly be Groupama-FDJ’s man for Liège
Groupama-FDJ has a powerful workforce with Romain Grégoire, Quentin Pacher and Valentin Madouas who had been all good within the Amstel Gold Race, whereas on the similar time David Gaudu has been ending within the prime 5 within the smaller French races. Gaudu was third within the 2021 Liège, so he can carry out within the Walloon Monument. The 21-year-old Grégoire could possibly be the workforce’s man to observe.
Benoot and Herschi can have their components to play, however what?
Tiesj Benoot was third in Amstel, 4th in Dwars Door Vlaanderen and 15 in de Ronde, so his kind is sweet. The one downside could possibly be his pregnant spouse. If she provides delivery this week, Benoot will in all probability not be firstly in Liège. Marc Hirschi was 2nd within the Amstel Gold, however he must work for his chief, Pogačar, however with everybody taking a look at and marking the Slovenian, it may work for Hirschi Juan Ayuso is in the identical place, however once more there could be a gap for the younger Spaniard.
Don’t overlook Ben Healy’s experience final yr in Liège
There are numerous exterior hopes, however will they be preventing for second place, together with everybody else? Ben Healy & Richard Carapaz (EF Schooling-EasyPost), Quinten Hermans & Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Michal Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers), Andrea Bagioli & Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Maxim Van Gils and Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), Simon Yates & Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) and Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Fast-Step) all may do one thing.
High favorite – Tadej Pogačar
The Favourites:
TOP: Tadej Pogačar
Possible: Tom Pidcock, Benoit Cosnefroy
Doable: Mathieu van der Poel, Mattias Skjelmose, Dylan Teuns
Outsiders: Marc Hirschi, Juan Ayuso, Tiesj Benoot, Romain Grégoire.
* The beginning record would possibly change earlier than Sunday. *
# Keep PEZ for the Liège ‘Race Report’ on Sunday and all of the information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
* Because of ProCyclingStats and WielerFlits for information and figures. *
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