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1-39 was the final winning margin from Pogačar to Bardet, which is the biggest since Bernard Hinault’s famous victory in the snow, 44 years ago.
He might have been well short on the climbs, but his finishing kick has brought him a podium finish regardless.
Van der Poel wins it, it’s a podium for the Dutchman.
Now comes the sprint for third…
Bardet crosses the line for second-place, a brilliant result for the Frenchman.
Behind the chase group has swelled, so there should be a big sprint for third place – and Van der Poel is in it.
Now here comes Romain Bardet, and he’s looking good for second-place.
He’s done it again – Tadej Pogačar wins Liège-Bastogne-Liège!
Pogačar’s on the finishing straight now, soaking up the applause.
Final 2km now for Pogačar, whose lead is nearing 2 minutes. This is going to be another stunning, historical victory for the Slovenian.
Paul Lapeira is in this cahse group and has just tried to attack, but he too has been brought back.
5KM TO GO
Pidcock, Martin and Mollema are the riders with Van der Poel.
Van der Poel is dragging himself back into contention for a podium finish. He’s in a quartet behind the group that’s behind Bardet.
There’s a stop/start tempo to the chase now, as riders keep attacking, then being closed down. If this keeps up then second-place may well be Bardet’s.
He’s brought back though by Carapaz, dragging the rest of the group with him.
Now Van Gils attacks, and he’s got a bit of a gap.
Bernal tried to use an unclassified uphill to get out of the chasing group, but didn’t manage to.
10KM TO GO
That’s a strong group, but right now they’re racing for third, as Bardet is still ahead by 15 seconds. The Frenchman is rolling back the years with this performance.
Bernal has joined Healy, Cosnefroy and Grégoire, along with some other riders: Benoot, Lutsenko, Carapaz and Van Gils.
Pogačar has already reached the top of the climb, Bardet will be next to the top.
Healy is now getting caught again by Grégoire and Cosnefroy.
Now Bardet drops Healy. It looked like the Frenchman was struggling to hold on, but now Healy has blown up.
Bernal attacks out of the peloton.
Healy and Bardet have gone clear of the other two.
Behind, Healy, Bardet, Cosnefroy and Grégoire are on the climb, 1-15 behind Pogacar and just 10 seconds ahead of the chasing ‘peloton’.
CÔTE DE LA ROCHE-AUX-FAUCONS
Time to start looking at the biggest winning margins of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in recent years. Remco Evenepoel’s victories in the last two years of 48 seconds and 1-06 are both under threat, while you have to go back to Andy Schleck’s victory of 1-17 in 2009 for the last time a rider won by more.
The quartet of Healy, Bardet, Grégoire and Cosnefroy are working well together. Pogačar may be out of sight 1-20 up the road, but podium spots are up for grabs, and the rest of the chasers are 25 seconds behind.
Having held off for a while, the rain is starting to fall again now. The riders will have to be careful on these final few downhills, especially considering how fatigued they are going to be on them.
The chase group behind the Healy quartet has gotten bigger, with Van der Poel and Pidcock among those to have rejoined it.
CÔTE DE FORGES
Grégoire and Cosnefroy have joined up to Bardet and Healy. That makes three French riders in the top five on the road.
Grégoire and Cosnefroy are in pursuit of Bardet and Healy, only a few seconds in it.
Healy and Bardet are together, and have a gap over the rest of the chasers. But they remain 45 seconds behind Pogačar.
Bardet is bridging up to Healy.
Ben Healy attacks from the chase group.
30KM TO GO
Also in this second group: Bilbao, Bardet, Benoot, Lutsenko, Cosnefroy.
That group is 30 seconds behind Pogačar, while Van der Poel is in a group another 10 seconds further back.
A large second group has formed behind Pogačar, featuring Carapaz, Bernal, Healy, Van Gils and Vansevenant, plus lots of other riders who joined up on the descent.
It’s not over yet, but the group behind will have to get very organised.
Pogačar summits the climb with a lead of about 15 seconds.
Four riders are closing down on Carapaz: Bernal, Healy, Van Gils, Vansevenant and
As for Van der Poel, he’s towards the back of the group.
Behind, Lutsenko, Healy, Bernal are all near the front of the now very reduced peloton.
Carapaz how now been distenced, Pogačar is alone
Pogačar accelerates again, and Carapaz is struggling to cling on.
Carapaz is on his wheel.
34.8KM TO GO
But is UAE again who retake control.
Lidl-Trek and EF have taken over from UAE at the front.
CÔTE DE LA REDOUTE
40KM TO GO
The favourites are preparing to do battle. Pidcock is at the back of the peloton taking layers off, getting ready for the climb.
There’s now a descent leading to the bottom of Côte de la Redoute, which is where a Pogačar attack feels inevitable. The question is, can Van der Poel – or anyone, for that matter – follow him?
They crest the climb, and no attacks yet.
It’s Novak again who’s laying down the hammer for UAE Team Emirates. Behind him is a line of Israel Premier Tech riders, who are still well represented in this lead group.
Some big names sliding towards the back of the peloton on this climb, most notably Flèche Wallonne Stephen Williams.
CÔTE DE DESNIE
50KM TO GO
After all this UAE work, the big question is: when will Tadej Pogačar make his move? The Côte de la Redoute would be the obvious point, given that it’s the most famous climb of the race, and where Remco Evenepoel made his winning move last year But given how early he likes to make his moves, perhaps he’ll even try something on the climb before, Côte de Desnié, which is coming up in about 10km.
60KM TO GO
Domen Novak is the UAE rider leading, having just taken over from Finn Fisher-Black.
There are about 60 or so riders in the peloton, being led by UAE Team Emirates.
This is a long climb – the longest of the race, in fact – but it’s not particularly steep, averaging 5.7%.
COL DU ROSIER
Just five climbs to go now, the first of which, Col du Rosier, is coming shortly.
Canal has abandoned the race as a result of that crash.
Now back in the peloton, Van der Poel has his Alpecin teammates move to the front of the pelton, alogside UAE Team Emirates. The Van der Poel / Pogačar showdown could still be on after all.
Carlos Canal has gone heavily in a fall, after colliding into a bollard. No other rider was involved.
70KM TO GO
Pidcock Vansevenant and Grégoire have made it back! That was great work from their respective teammates, Fraile, Serry and Rochas.
The Van der Poel are getting their act together too now! They’re bearing down on the Pidcock group, who are themselves getting closer and closer to the peloton. This might yet all come back together…
More reinforcements for the Pidcock group now, as Soudal’s Pieter Serry also comes back for Vansevenant. They’re closer now to the peloton than they are the Van der Poel group.
Rémy Rochas from the day’s original break has dropped back to the Grégoire/Pidcock/Vansevenant trio, to help pace his Groupama teammate Grégoire. And now Ineos have dropped Fraile to do the same. There is at least some ammunition in this group now.
Grégoire has joined Vansevenant and Pidcock, but no sign of Buitrago any more.
CÔTE DE LA HAUTE-LEVÉE
Buitrago has been dropped by the other two, and Pidcock is struggling to stay with Vansevenant on an especially steep ramp.
Vansevenant and Buitrago are the two riders with Pidcock. They’re taking drastic action, but it may not be enough – they’re still one minute down.
Van der Poel is further down the group – he appears to be struggling!
Two riders are with Pidcock, but none of them are Van der Poel.
Pidcock’s taking things into his own hands. He’s attacked out of the group as they begin the climb.
CÔTE DE STOCKEU
80KM TO GO
Alpecin are at least now getting some help from Ineos Grenadiers. They have riders in the lead group, including Bernal, but their main man Pidcock is the other big name caught out with Van der Poel.
Alpecin-Deceuninck might have ridden a flawless spring so far, but it’s going wrong for them today. They don’t seem to have the firepower to drag Van der Poel back into the lead group.
UAE Team Emirates lead the peloton over the climb, and their lead has increased to 1-25. This is looking dangerous now for Van der Poel and every other GC contender in the trailing group.
The slow pace has helped Pidcock, who has managed to make his way back into the group following his mechanical.
The pace isn’t high in this Van der Poel group. In fact, Kevin Vermaerke has attacked out of it and has a small gap.
That Van der Poel group is a big one, and contains many other favourites. Vlasov, Madouas, Bilbao, Vansevenant and Grégoire are all there.
Pidcock was in the Van der Poel group, which means he’s even further adrift.
Bad news for Pidcock, who has had to have a bike change.
CÔTE DE WANNE
90KM TO GO
There’s still lots of work for the Van der Poel group to do. They remain a minute adrift of the peloton, with his Alpecin teammate doing the work.
The dropped riders are now falling back into the peloton, as the peoton reach the top of the climb.
The lead group is breaking up on this climb, with Scaroni, Gelders, Rochas, Doubey and Ourselin clear of the rest.
CÔTE DE MONT-LE-SOIE
Van der Poel has two Alpecin teammates pacing him up, so isn’t having to do any work himself, but is using up those teammates earlier than he would have liked.
Van der Poel was one of the many riders held up, and is in a large group trying to get back up to the peloton. There isn’t a sense of panic though, he and the rest should be there before long.
Once again nobody appears too hurt, but those held up face an effort to rejoin the peloton now as the pace is on on the approach to the next climb.
Another crash in the peloton. Few seem to have gone down, but many have been held up, as it occured at a narrow stretch of road.
100KM TO GO
Chris Hamilton, Toon Clynhens and William Junior Lecerf are the three riders, but they seem OK.
There’s been a crash towards the back of the peloton, just in front of Van der Poel who was coming back from dropping things off at the team car. Van der Poel managed to avoid it, but three riders did go down.
Both the break and the peloton are climbing the uncategorised hill now, and there is barely more than a minute between them now.
This is a significant moment in the race, as from this rise onwards the climbs come thick and fast. Côte de Mont-le-Soie follows it almost immediately, and there are never more than 15km between the eight climbs that follow. The race is about to get serious.
The pace is really up in the peloton now. They appear to be anticipating the start of an uncategorised but tricky climb coming up soon.
110KM TO GO
It doesn’t seem so. They’re riding through it now and are all bunched together.
Strong winds have caused the breakaway to form an echelon on an exposed section of road. Will any team in the peloton attempt to attack when they reach it in a few minutes?
120KM TO GO
There are some spots of rain visible, but it’s only falling slightly and sporadically. Things could get very lairy if the heaven’s do open though.
While we near the halfway point here, the women’s race is about to begin. You can also follow all the action with us here.
130KM TO GO
UAE Team Emirates lead the peloton over the climb, and do so at a fair pace. The defecit to the leaders has come down as a result to 3-40.
Now the peloton are on it, wth lots of Bahrain jerseys massing at the front.
CÔTE DE SAINT-ROCH
140KM TO GO
It’s still cold out there, but we’re not seeing the truly horrible conditions that blighted La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. For one thing it’s not raining, though that could yet change as the day goes on.
UAE Team Emirates still lead the peloton, but behind their rider is a line of Bahrain-Victorious representatives They’re not an obvious team to take responsibility for pace-setting, but have a strong line-up featuring former winner Wout Poels, Antonio Tiberi, Pello Bilbao, and, perhaps most significantly, last year’s podium finisher Santiago Buitrago.
150M TO GO
We’ve completed the first half of the race’s titular challenge, as the riders arrive into the city of Bastogne. Unfortunately for them, the route back to Liège is a lot harder than from there.
160KM TO GO
We have a first abandon to announce – Giacomo Villa of Bingoal WB. There have thankfully been no other casualties yet today.
The next official climb, Côte de Saint-Roch, isn’t for another 25km, but on the way the road continues to undulate. Liège-Bastogne-Liège is one long, energy-sapping war of attrition, and the hard work is already having to be put in.
170KM TO GO
The riders in the peloton are now done climbing the Côte de Bonnerue too.
CÔTE DE BONNERUE
Make sure to read our full run-down of all the main contenders before they start showing their faces later in the race.
Also relatively unaffected by the bad weather on Wednesday was Max Van Gils, who sprinted impressively up the Mur de Huy to take third-place. Remembering also how he was one of the riders to get closest to Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche earlier this year, where he also finished third, he must be counted among the favourites again today.
190KM TO GO
Victory at Flèche Wallonne has also catapulted Stevie Williams to a top contender for victory today. The Brit is in the form of his life this year, having also won the Tour Down Under in January, and, though unproven at this race, his performance on Wednesday suggests he’ll be one of the riders excelling in these cold conditions.
All the talk has been about Tadej Pogačar versus Mathieu van der Poel, but what of the other contenders? After all, the Ardennes Classics have so far been won by other riders. Amstel Gold winner Tom Pidcock is surely one of the riders who can break the duopoly, especially as Liège-Bastogne-Liège is a race that suits him perhaps more than any other monument, and he was second here last year.
200KM TO GO
The peloton isn’t giving the break much encouragement. Having grown to three minutes they’ve already pegged the gap, which has in fact come down in recent kilometres to about 2-30.
210KM TO GO
Of the riders in the break, Calmejane has the most pedigree as a former stage winner at the Tour de France. But in terms of recent form, Doubey and Leijnse stand out having both made the top 25 at Flèche Wallonne. Both might have been on for a good result anyway, and could now have a head-start once the favourites start attacking, if the break can grow a big lead.
220KM TO GO
Here’s a glimpse of the riders in the break. It’s cold, but for now it’s not raining – though there are reports of some snow in Bastogne, where they are currently heading towards.
UAE Team Emirates are living up to their favourites tag, and taking responsibility for leading the peloton. They have a strong squad, with the likes of Marc Hirschi, João Almeida and Finn Fisher-Black reverting to domestique roles to support Tadej Pogačar.
230KM TO GO
Meanwhile Equipo Kern Pharma’s Danny van der Tuuk has given up the ghost and dropped back into the peloton. There will be no represenetitive from the wildcard team in the break.
Over two minutes for the leaders now. They are: Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché – Wanty), Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ), Christian Scaroni (Astana), Loic Vliegen (Bingoal WB), Iván Romeo (Movistar), Fabien Doubey, Paul Ourselin (both TotalEnergies) and Enzo Leijnse (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL).
240KM TO GO
This could be the break of the day already. Danny van der Tuuk is also trying to join, but attacks have died down and the gap is growing out.
Those five riders are: Christian Scaroni, Loic Vliegen, Iván Romeo, Fabien Doubey, Enzo Leijnse.
The four initial escapees have been joined by another five now, as the attacks keep coming.
Four riders are trying to get up the road and have a small gap: Lilian Calmejane, Rémy Rochas, Gil Gelders and Paul Ourselin.
254.5KM
The riders are in the neutralised zone now, and it is indeed a cold morning – a mere 5 degrees currently.
One decisive factor today looks set to be the weather. That was certainly the case at Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne, where freezing temperatures and snow caused many of the pre-race favourites to abandon, and threw up many surprise results.
That said, Van der Poel has said he still believes he can win, and wasn’t too far off the pace at his only previous appearance at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2020, when he won the sprint in the second group on the field to finish sixth. And we would do well to remember last summer’s World Championships in Glasgow, where he excelled on a route with lots of climbing to take victory — counting Pogačar among his victims.
Today, Pogačar is the favourite of the two to take victory. The amount of climbing in Liège-Bastogne-Liège makes it a race better suited to him than the heavier Van der Poel, and he already has great credentials having placed first and third on his last two finishes here. Van der Poel wasn’t competitive at his last race in Amstel Gold last weekend, when tiredness appeared to catch up to him.
They have already raced against each once this year, at Milan-Sanremo, a rare occasion in which they both appeared at a race without winning. Van der Poel still got the upper hand, helping Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jasper Philipsen Take the victory ahead of Pogačar, who finished third, but this time they are expected to face off directly. It promises to be a thriller.
It’s the showdown we’ve all been waiting for, between the two riders of the year so far: Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. They’ve been virtually unstoppable in every race they’ve completed in this spring, Pogačar storming to a huge solo victory at Strade Bianche and reaching a level of absurd dominance at Volta a Catalunya to win four stages and the GC; and Van der Poel enjoying one of the great cobbled classics campaign of all-time with a hat-trick of wins at Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and E3 Saxo Classic.
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews‘ live coverage of Liège-Bastogne-Liège!
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
