Info with one day to go
April 26 th 2025 - 18:06
The peloton is ready to face the 111th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The return of the Col de Haussire comes to emphasise the history of the race, yet the challenge remains the same - a demanding up-and-now journey through the Ardennes. The winners of the last four editions of the race, Tadej Pogacar (2021, 2024) and Remco Evenpoel (2022, 2023), are both in great shape and tipped by everyone inside the bunch as the obvious favorites for victory. “I have a good feeling for tomorrow”, Tom Pidcock says after finishing 3rd at La Flèche Wallonne. The Brit is the main outsider for a race where several French prospects are looking forward to prove their talent while seasoned riders like Jakob Fuglsang, Romain Bardet or Geraint Thomas are bidding farewell.
THE 111TH DOYENNE RETURNS TO "THE TOUGHEST HILL IN BELGIUM"
The Ardennes Monument presents a familiar layout on Sunday, with a series of legendary climbs on which the best riders are accustomed to marking the difference, in order to win in the Ardent City. "This is La Doyenne and we respect the history," emphasises race director Jean-Michel Monin, who has nevertheless permitted a slight variation in 2025... to bring back to the race a climb last used in 1995. "We’ve modified the downhill section to reach the Col de Haussire, on the advice of enthusiasts, who explained to me that it was the toughest hill in Belgium," he says. "I went to see it and it's a nice climb: it's narrow, there are ramps... It's almost 4 km long and that adds a new challenge to the course that in addition links back with the race’s history." At the summit, the riders will pass a memorial to Claudy Criquielion. Then they will have nine more climbs to tackle before they reach the Quai des Ardennes after 252 km. "Once they're in Vielsalm and they attack Mont-le-Soie, it's full-on: they're constantly climbing and descending," describes Monin, for whom the series of difficulties logically brings forward the best riders. "In 2023, Pogacar crashed and Evenepoel won. Last year, it was Evenepoel who was injured while Pogacar won. Now, they're back together for the big showdown. They may not win, but they're clearly the favourites."
TADEJ POGACAR SET FOR NEW HISTORY-MAKING PERFORMANCE
It’s so tempting to draw parallels between Tadej Pogacar and Eddy Merckx, unanimously regarded as the best rider in the history of cycling, so there go another two. First one: if the Slovenian manages to win his third Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, he will do so while being the reigning Tour de France champion (as he was on the day of his first victory, 2021) and the owner of the rainbow jersey (as he already was in his second win, 2024). Conquering La Doyenne while holding both titles at the same time is a privilege that only Eddy Merkcx enjoyed back in 1972, when he won his third edition of Liège coming off from claiming his third Tour and his second World Championships the year before. Second one: if he manages to stand on the podium in Liège, he would be the first rider in history to finish in the top three of six consecutives Monuments. He is at five now, tied in the all-time ranking with Sean Kelly (from Lombardia 1983 to Liège 1984) - and of course Eddy Merckx, who scored this feat twice (from Lombardia 1974 to Liège 1975, and from Lombardia 1968 to Liège 1969). “I think I have recovered well since Wednesday,” says the winner of Flèche Wallonne. “It’s a Monument, and thus a long, hard race. It all depends on the legs.” Any rival on his radar? “It's no secret that Remco Evenepoel is in super good shape, but Lidl-Trek also has two guys that can go for the victory here. And then there's always somebody else that has a good shape on the day, so we will see…”
EVENEPOEL: “LIÈGE-BASTOGNE-LIÈGE IS STILL MY FAVORITE RACE”
“I know every pothole on the road.” Remco Evenepoel keeps Liège-Bastogne-Liège in his head - and in his heart. “It’s my favorite race of the season. I could race it with my eyes closed, and that gives me some extra confidence and motivation because in some climbs I can better calculate the efforts in my head. I always have great fans supporting me from the roadside, and I want to give my maximum back to them. Especially in Liège, as it’s a city I’ve frequently come to from a young age.” The Soudal-Quick Step rider already won La Doyenne in 2022 and 2023. If he is to repeat that victory, he would need to defeat an outstanding rival by the name of Tadej Pogacar, yet he doesn’t seem particularly impressed about it. “Winning is winning. It doesn’t matter where nor against whom.” The double Olympic road cycling champion in Paris 2024 is pleased with his shape after a rough pre-season marked by a crash with a postal van in December that sidelined him until his victorious return at Brabantse Pijl last Friday. “I have been surprised with my shape in these first few races,” Evenepoel says. “And I feel I am improving, because I had my best feelings on the bike last Wednesday at La Flèche Wallonne [9th]. I was just a bit blocked at the finish because of the cold, but we were happy with how we raced. We didn’t expect that I was going to be at this level already.”
PIDCOCK: “I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT TOMORROW”
A strong 3rd on the Mur de Huy, Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) achieved his best result in La Flèche Wallonne and heads towards Liège-Bastogne-Liège with confidence. “I think it was a good performance for me in the rain”, the British star reflects. “I had a good recovery. I’ve just been kind of getting better from every race and I have a good feeling about tomorrow.” Pidcock’s best performance in Liège came in 2023, when he finished 2nd behind Remco Evenepoel. This time, he makes Tadej Pogacar his main rival on the way to a first Monument victory: “We know how incredible he is. I think everyone's outlook on races changed a little bit, you know. We might be dealing with the next Eddy Merckx or whatever, so sometimes we feel we can be happy with a second place. But no, that's not my mentality, of course. We're going into the race to try and win. In Strade Bianche, I was certainly fairly close to him … So I think it's not all over before we start.”
FUGLSANG AND BARDET BID FAREWELL TO LIÈGE
Recent heroes of Liège-Bastogne-Liège are gearing for their last participation on Sunday. At 40 years old, Jakob Fuglsang (Israel-Premier Tech) is the most experienced rider on these roads: 13 starts, no withdrawal, and a solo victory in 2019. “When my sports director Daryl Impey asked me if I would come to do the race even though I just finished the Tour of the Alps yesterday, I had no doubt”, the Dane explains. “I said: ‘if you can use me, I will come and I will help as much as I can.’ I really, really like the race and it has always been one of my favorites in the calendar, so I'm happy to be back and enjoy it one last time.” As for Romain Bardet (Picnic-PostNL), it will be his 11th participation in a race that saw him stand on the podium twice: 3rd in 2018 and 2nd in 2024. “It’s my last Monument”, the Frenchman announces. “I was very happy with my race last year and I wanted to give myself one last shot at a race that I really love before ending my career halfway through the season. This event is definitely my highlight of the spring.” Another marquee name who is racing Liège for the last time on Sunday is Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour de France.
VAUQUELIN - GRÉGOIRE, THE AMBITIOUS YOUNG FRENCH GUARD
In the last four editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, three French riders have achieved a podium result: Julian Alaphilippe (2nd in 2021), David Gaudu (3rd in 2021), and Romain Bardet (2nd in 2024). Whose turn will it be on Sunday? Kévin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) and Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) prepared for La Doyenne by putting in strong performances at the Mur de Huy on Wednesday. "I have the same mindset I had at La Flèche Wallonne," explains Vauquelin, who celebrates his 24th birthday this weekend and finished second atop the Wall. "These are special races, very demanding... It's easy to make plans, but it's harder to make them happen. Often, it's a steamroller before the big attacks, so it's always difficult to anticipate the moves." At 22 years of age, Grégoire finished in seventh place in both the Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne. Winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Espoirs in 2022, he is aiming for "a big shot on Sunday. I already felt pretty good in the Amstel Gold Race, and I was even better at La Flèche Wallonne. So, the form is improving for Sunday. Even if there are two or three riders who are above the rest and who are competing in another league, I think we are pretty even in the group below them. So, there is a way to do something good and get a big result, especially with the team we have here which is ultra solid."
