Tadej Pogačar, the Tour de France champion riding with UAE-Team Emirates, has won Liège-Bastogne-Liège after just beating Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) on the line.
The winner and runner-up came to the finish among an all-star group of five, containing no Ineos Grenadiers riders despite all of their aggression, that went clear on La Côte de Roche aux Faucons, the final climb of the race.
The leading five then shared the workload up to the final 1km and in the sprint to the line Pogačar started his gallop last in the group and Alaphilippe second from last.
While the world champion looked like he may have it won, Pogačar simply had more left in the tank after 259km of racing and beat Alaphilippe on the line for a brilliant victory.
Advertisement
Related News
While a French rider hasn't won the race for over 40 years, the French were 2nd and 3rd today; the now rapidly emerging David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) filling the last place on the podium.
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was aiming to win the race for a record-equaling seventh time, and do so on his 41st birthday, and he made the five-man front group. He led out the sprint but had to settle for 4th place today.
Last man in the front group was Michael Woods, the Israel Start-Up Nation rider attacking on the run-in but being covered by Alaphilippe and placing 5th in the final sprint from the group of five.
Just seven seconds after the five leaders crossed the line, Marc Hirschi (UAE-Team Emirates) led in a three-man group for 6th place, a very strong indication he is now getting back to form after an interrupted early season due to health issues.
Eddie Dunbar was the only Irish rider in the race, having been called up by Ineos Grenadiers to replace Tom Pidcock. Dunbar (24) finished in 123rd today in a small group 10:28 down.
More to come.
Topics
