Cycling: Remco Evenepoel won Liège - Bastogne - Liège and thus defended his title. The Belgian world champion benefited from an early fall from top favorite Tadej Pogacar. In the women's category, Demi Vollering was able to complete the Ardennes triple with her win.
Evenepoel pulls away on the Côte de la Redoute
The world champion won Liège - Bastogne - Liège. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick-Step) let himself be guided by his strong team throughout the day before going on the offensive himself with 34 kilometers to go on the Côte de la Redoute. Only thomas pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) could follow at first. Four kilometers later, however, it was also the case for the British. Remco Evenepoel then drove towards his solo victory on a wet track. Behind them, an exciting fight for the other podium places broke out. Thomas Pidcock eventually won the sprint against Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain – Victorious) and Ben Healy (EF Education - EasyPost). Austria Patrick Conrad (Bora – hansgrohe) can look forward to a strong eighth place.
Pogačar unfortunately had to abandon #LBL23 due to a crash. We'll have more info on his condition as soon as we can update. #WeAreUAE pic.twitter.com/vEvZSiOoRw
— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamEmiratesUAE) April 23, 2023
Pogacar falls and has to retire
The 109th edition of Liège - Bastogne - Liège led the drivers over 258,1 kilometers. And actually wanted Tadej pogacar (UAE) make history today. And only a few fans and experts didn't believe the Slovenian could do it. After his successes at the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallonne, the next triumph should be achieved today at Liège - Bastogne - Liège. But the two-time tour winner fell at the beginning of the race. The top favorite apparently collided in a descent Mikel Honore (EF Education - EasyPost). Both drivers had to retire from the race.
Osborne, Zimmermann and Balmer in the breakaway
Eleven drivers, including the Germans, were able to break away from the peloton relatively early on after the start in Liège Jason osborne (Alpecin – Deceuninck) and George Zimmerman (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty), as well as the Swiss Alexander Balmer (Soudal - Quick Step). Due to the constant pace dictated by the Belgian team Soudal - Quick-Step, the fugitives did not get a particularly large lead. So could Jan Tratnik (Jumbo – Visma) quickly caught up with the breakaway group after his attack and then even left them standing. His team was already severely decimated at the start because Sam Oomen and Tosh van der Sande were not allowed to be there due to a positive corona test. 34 kilometers from the finish - in the Côte de la Redoute - Tratnik was caught by the group of favorites.
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) ataca a pocos metros de coronar the Côte de la Redoute and se marchaba en solitario.
Poco después Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) conseguía alcanzarlo. #LBL #LBL2023 #LBL23 #Noticiclismo #ciclismo pic.twitter.com/bwuKpv2X3P— NotiCiclismo ➡ #LBL (@Noticiclismo1) April 23, 2023
Demi Vollering makes the Ardennes triple perfect
Different to Tadej pogacar (UAE) in the men, got Demi Vollering (SD Worx) had the opportunity to complete the Ardennes triple in the women's category. After the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallonne, the Dutchwoman has now also won Liège – Bastogne – Liège. This makes her the first cyclist after Anna van der Breggen to do this within a calendar year. On the last ten kilometers she was able to join with Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek – Segafredo), which she then defeated in a sprint. Behind her, her teammates worried Marlene Reusser (SD Worx) from Switzerland for a phenomenal team result. Liana Lippert (Movistar) can look forward to a strong eighth place as the best German.
The apprentice becomes the master
Demi Vollering becomes the second woman to do the Amstel-Flèche-Liège triple after her DS Anna van der Breggen in 2017.
She certainly doesn't do things by help pic.twitter.com/GZOIi0HuRM
— Cyclist (@cyclist) April 23, 2023