Pogacar - Evenepoel, first real duel in Liège?

April 24 ^th 2025 - 15:26

- Winners of the last four editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel are yet to battle against each other in the Ardennes Monument.
- Against the leading duo, the attention is on riders in good form such as Kévin Vauquelin, Tom Pidcock, Ben Healy, Santiago Buitrago…
- The 111th edition of La Doyenne also marks the last participation of Jakob Fuglsang, Romain Bardet and Geraint Thomas.

Yours, mine, mine, yours. Since 2021 and Tadej Pogacar's first triumph at La Doyenne, the Slovenian Cannibal and Remco Evenepoel have taken turns as stellar winners of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Belgian icon succeeded Pogacar with an electrifying double victory in 2022 and 2023, before the latter reclaimed the Ardennes Monument in 2024. On Sunday, most of the attention will once again be focused on this star duo as they take on the 111th edition of La Doyenne.

On paper, it is very difficult to separate them. Not only do they have the same number of victories in the Ardent City, but they have never really faced each other there. The big duel was scheduled for 2023... Pogacar crashed on the road to Liège and Evenepoel flew away at La Redoute. Last year, it was the Belgian who was injured while the Slovenian stamped his authority.

Behind Pogacar, Romain Bardet was securing his second podium in Liège. The Frenchman will be back on Sunday for his 11th and final appearance before retiring from road racing this summer. Among the other soon-to-be retired, the 2025 peloton features Jakob Fuglsang (14th participation, winner in 2019) and Geraint Thomas (3rd participation). The latter will be accompanied by another former winner, Bob Jungels.

A host of contenders are lining up to emulate their illustrious predecessors, starting with the men in form who distinguished themselves on Wednesday on the Mur de Huy. Second-placed Kévin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) has gained confidence at World Tour level after a series of victories in lower-category races this season. On the third step of the podium in Huy, Tom Pidcock has already proven himself in Liège, where he took second place in 2023. Following closely the British star, Ireland's Ben Healy has similar credentials: fifth in Huy this week and fourth in Liège in 2023.

The list of entrants includes a handful of other riders who have already stood on the podium in Liège, from Julian Alaphilippe to Quinten Hermans, as well as Santiago Buitrago (6th on Wednesday), Marc Hirschi, Maximilian Schachmann and Davide Formolo. Belgium is hoping that Thibau Nys will be up to the task in his first appearance at the age of 22.

25 teams, the main participants

Australia
Jayco AlUla: Schmid (Sui), Matthews (Aus), O'Connor (Aus)

Bahrain
Bahrain Victorious: Buitrago (Col), Bilbao (Esp)

Belgium
Alpecin-Deceuninck: Hermans (Bel)
Intermarché-Wanty: Barré (Fra), Zimmermann (Ger)
Lotto: Van Eetvelt (Bel)
Soudal Quick-Step: Evenepoel (Bel), Schachmann (Ger), Van Wilder (Bel)
Wagner Bazin WB: Desal (Bel)

France
Arkea-B&B Hotels: Vauquelin (Fra)
Cofidis: Aranburu (Esp), Teuns (Bel)
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale: A. Paret-Peintre (Fra), Tronchon (Fra)
Groupama-FDJ: Grégoire (Fra), Madouas (Fra), Martin Guyonnet (Fra)
Total Energies: Burgaudeau (Fra), Jegat (Fra)

Germany
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe: Van Gils (Bel), D. Martinez (Col)

Great Britain
Ineos Grenadiers: Sheffield (USA), Laurance (France), G. Thomas (Gbr), Jungels (Lux)

Israel
Israel - Premier Tech: Blackmore (Gbr), Lutsenko (Den), Fuglsang (Den)

Kazakhstan
XDS Astana: Champoussin (Fra), Scaroni (Ita), Velasco (Ita)

Norway
Uno-X Mobility: Cort (Den), Dversnes (Nor), Leknessund (Nor)

Netherlands
Picnic PostNL: Bardet (Fra), Onley (Gbr)
Visma-Lease a Bike: Benoot (Bel), Tulett (Gbr)

Spain
Movistar: Mas (Esp), Formolo (Ita)

Switzerland
Q36.5: Pidcock (Gbr)
Tudor: Alaphilippe (Fra), Hirschi (Sui)

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates XRG: Pogacar (Slo), McNulty (Usa), Sivakov (Fra)

United States
EF Education-Easypost: Healy (Irl), Powless (Usa)
Lidl-Trek: Ciccone (Ita), Nys (Bel), Skjelmose (Den)