Cycling: Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) won his first monument today. The Dane won Liège - Bastogne - Liège after an attack as a soloist ahead of the Italian Davide Formolo (Bora - hansgrohe). His teammate - the German Maximilian Schachmann - completes the podium. Annemiek van Vleuten from the Netherlands won the women's race for the first time.
Liège - Bastogne - Liège: 8 breakaways, 11 climbs
The classic Liège – Bastogne – Liège cycling event took place today for the 105th time. After finishing in Ans for 27 years previously, this year's winner was to be crowned in Liege city centre. Especially the Belgian teams from Deceuninck - Quick-Step and Lotto - Soudal made an effort that the escapees weren't allowed to compete for victory there. Unfortunately the weather wasn't kind to the pros today. Today, in mostly pouring rain, they had to tackle 256,0 kilometers and eleven climbs. The leading group found itself after just a few kilometers. With Julien bernard (Trek - Segafredo), Tobias Ludvigsson (Groupama – FDJ), Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty – Groupe Gobert), Lilian Calmejane (Total – Direct Energy), Jeremy Maison (Arkea – Samsic), Kevin Deltombe (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise), Kenny Molly (Wallonia – Bruxelles) and Mathijs Paasschens (Wallonia – Bruxelles), eight fugitives were able to gain a lead of more than ten minutes.
Daniel Martin & Alejandro Valverde get off their bikes
Long before the decisive phase started, had to Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates) - winner in 2013 and runner-up in 2017 - retire. The Irishman got out in the first aid zone because he felt unwell. A short time later it also hit world champions Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). Even before the start, the Spaniard complained about his mixed form and the fact that he had swallowed a bee during the Flèche Wallonne. The drivers remaining in the race were able to steadily reduce the gap to the leading group and gradually catch up with all drivers. In the person of Julien bernard the last fugitive was caught 70 kilometers before the finish line.
Bora – hansgrohe takes matters into its own hands
The new front of the race formed just after the catch. Ten drivers, including the Swiss Michael Albasini (Mitchelton - Scott), challenged Deceuninck - Quick-Step. This now had to do the sole work in the peloton. On the Côte de La Redoute, however, the Belgian team lost in the person of Philip Gilbert one of their captains. The Belgian struggled to follow the pace despite the group of favorites still being quite large. Finally, the German team Bora - hansgrohe rushed to help. Together, the breakaway group could be caught up again. Only Tanel Kangert (EF Education Fist) was able to hold his own as a soloist for a few kilometers before he was joined by Patrick Conrad (Bora – hansgrohe) from Austria. Behind, the duo made up Tim Wellens (Lotto – Soudal) and Daryl Impey (Dimension Data) on tracking. 20 kilometers before the finish line, there was a merger.
Jakob Fuglsang was in a class of his own today
In order not to lose sight of the quartet, the Astana team with six men in the main draw was in the lead. Shortly after the renewed merger, the favorites finally entered the stage of Liège - Bastogne - Liège. A trio consisting of Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Michael Woods (EF Education First) and Davide formolo (Bora – hansgrohe) was able to break away successfully. Behind it was clearly visible that Julian Alaphlippe doesn't have the best legs today. Not so with Jakob Fuglsang. The Dane left his two companions behind after the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons and made his way to the center of Liège as a soloist. In a short descent he had to digest a moment of shock. His rear wheel slipped on a road marking, but the ex-mountain biker just got his bike under control. As clearly the strongest driver today, Fuglsang finally crossed the finish line 26 seconds ahead of Davide Formolo. The German Maximilian schachmann (Bora – hansgrohe) then won the sprint for third place. This puts two pros from the German team Bora – hansgrohe on the podium.
#LBL 🏆 @jakob_fuglsang (I.e. @AstanaTeam ha ganado la @LiegeBastogneL 🇧🇪
🎥 @SnailNews pic.twitter.com/jO4K9jADCG
- Passion Cycling 🚴🏻 (@pasiociclismo) 28 April 2019
Liège – Bastogne – Liège Femmes: Dutch podium
The women's race from Liège - Bastogne - Liège was also held this Sunday - only for the third time in history. It was 138,5 kilometers to cover and finally Anna van der breggen to conquer. The Dutchwoman had been successful in the first two events. This year, however, some of their compatriots were stronger. Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton – Scott) was able to break away on the Côte de la Redoute and was not caught again in her solo for more than 30 kilometers. The other podium places also went to the Netherlands. Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb) was before Demi Vollering (Parkhotel Valkenburg) Second.
Annemiek Van Vleuten s'impose avec 2 minutes d'avance sur #LBLwomen ; partie en solitaire dès la Redoute! Source demonstration ! pic.twitter.com/Ey2CCK5xwP
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) 28 April 2019