For the 2nd time after 2021

Pogacar triumphs at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Tadej Pogacar(Bild: AFP)

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar has celebrated his sixth victory in one of the cycling monuments! 

The 25-year-old triumphed in superior style for the second time since 2021 at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday at the end of the spring classics season. The top favorite from the UAE team, who retired last year with a crash injury, launched an attack on the climb to La Redoute and rode to a clear solo victory over the remaining 35 of the 255 kilometers. Felix Gall (Decathlon) and Patrick Konrad (Lidl) did not finish in the top 40.

Remco Evenepoel missing due to injury
Pogacar won 1:39 minutes ahead of the French climbing specialist Romain Bardet (DSM). World champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin) came third and won the sprint of the first chasing group 2:02 minutes behind. The Dutchman, successful this year in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, must therefore continue to wait for his first victory in the "Doyenne" in the Walloon Ardennes with its more than 4000 meters of climbing.

Last year's winner Remco Evenepoel was absent through injury, the Belgian having suffered broken bones at the beginning of the month in a mass crash during the Tour of the Basque Country, as did several other stars. In cold but mostly dry conditions, Pogacar made a perfect return to racing after his victory at the Tour of Catalonia in March. Next, he will tackle the Giro d'Italia for the first time in May, and in July he also wants to win the Tour de France for the third time.