Renowned cyclist Tadej Poga?ar clinched his third victory in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège classic race on Sunday, showcasing his remarkable ability to conquer uphill segments. Poga?ar, the defending titleholder, strategically initiated his powerful climb approximately 35 kilometers from the end of the physically demanding 252-kilometer route. With a lead of 10 seconds at the summit, he managed to extend his advantage all the way to the finish line.
This triumph marks Poga?ar’s third win at this esteemed spring classic race, one of the five prestigious “monuments” in one-day cycling. These include iconic races such as Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Lombardy, Milan-San Remo, and the Tour of Flanders. Poga?ar has now achieved a total of nine “monument” victories throughout his illustrious career.
His dominant performance on Sunday allowed him to comfortably celebrate near the conclusion of the race. As he approached the finish line, Poga?ar had enough of a lead to smile at the roadside cameras and interact with fans before securing his victory with arms triumphantly raised. He completed the race just over six hours, finishing 1 minute and 3 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, Italian cyclist Giulio Ciccone, who secured second place. Irish cyclist Ben Healy finished in third after a close sprint.
Racing conditions were favorable as Poga?ar’s UAE Team Emirates teammates worked to increase the pace at the front of the main pack. With 60 kilometers left to ride, they reeled in a small group of leaders, ensuring that the race favorites remained competitive. However, Poga?ar’s decisive surge on the Côte de La Redoute climb left no other cyclist able to keep up.
A similar scenario unfolded earlier in the week when Poga?ar executed another signature uphill attack to seize victory at the Flèche Wallonne classic for the second time. At 26 years old, the Slovenian cyclist is setting his sights on his fourth Tour de France title later this year.
Meanwhile, two-time champion Remco Evenepoel struggled to maintain pace with Poga?ar during the climb up Redoute and ultimately finished in a disappointing 59th position, significantly behind the leader.
In the women’s race, Kim Le Court from Mauritius emerged victorious for the first time. She outpaced her competitors in a four-way sprint finish. Demi Vollering, the 2023 champion, initiated the attack, but Le Court responded decisively, managing to fend off Dutch cyclist Puck Pieterse. Pieterse, who had secured victory in the Flèche Wallonne earlier that week, claimed second place, followed by third-placed Vollering and French competitor Cédrine Kerbaol in fourth.
The women’s race covered a 152.9-kilometer route, completed in 4 hours, 15 minutes, and 42 seconds. It marked the first classic win for the 29-year-old Le Court. Kerbaol had briefly created a gap in the closing stages, leading by 14 seconds with 11 kilometers to go. However, Pieterse managed to catch up, and eventually, the group of four reached the final sprint together. Leading Belgian cyclist Lotte Kopecky finished fifth, 24 seconds behind the leaders after struggling on the final climb up Roche-aux-Faucons.