Liège-Bastogne-Liège Live – Pogacar attacks solo on Côte de la Redoute

Thanks for joining us today, for what was yet another historical occasion in the career of Tadej Pogačar. It’s been a spring full of exceptional individual performanes, and this was right up there as one of the best. 

You can read what he had to say at the finish line in our full report of the race here, and don’t forget that the women’s race is continuing as we speak. 

Van der Poel edging out Van Gils to take third-place in the sprint. 

As for Van der Poel, he might not have won, but third-place was still very impressive. It also means he’s now podiumed at ten of his last 12 monument appearances, an extraordinary record that even Pogačar can’t match.

While Pogačar’s victory was expected, Romain Bardet’s runner-up finish certainly wasn’t. He’s used to being a runner-up behind an impossibly good opponent from his year’s as Chris Froome’s main adversary at the Tour de France, and this is his second podium finish at Liège-Bastogne-Liège following his third-place finish from 2018. But this will be far from a frustrating near miss, but rather a late-career triumph from a rider who continues to thrive while many of his adversaries have retired.

That’s a sixth career monument for Tadej Pogačar, a total he has amassed in the space of just three years. That sees him draw level on the all-time list with Mathieu van der Poel – at the age of just 25!

The top ten in full:

1 Tadej Pogačar

2 Romain Bardet at 1-39

3 Mathieu van der Poel at 2-02

4 Max Van Gils

5 Aurélien Paret-Peintre

6 Mauri Vansevenant

7 Valentin Madouas

8 Alexey Lutsenko

9 Pello Bilbao

10 Tom Pidcock all at st.

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…