Tadej Pogacar again gives the competition no chance

As Tadej Pogacar After his next solo show crossed the finish line, he stretched his index finger. The world champion of his partner Urska Zigart devoted his third triumph at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, whose death had been going on shortly before the start of the 111st edition of the oldest cycling monument. Then Pogacar had his team celebrated.

The Slovenian crowned an impressive classic early year with his ninth victory in a monument. At the end of the Ardennes trilogy, Pogacar prevailed in an inimitable manner after a 35 km long single-handedly, after 2021 and last year Pogacar was again unstoppable in Liège.

« It feels great to end the first part of the season like this. It has been perfect so far. I am happy that I can go home, » said Pogacar in the winner’s interview.

As a year ago, Pogacar attacked the steep Côte de la Redoute. None of his competitors, including the poorly positioned and after a long injury break, double Olympic champion and twice Liège winner Remco Evenepoel as well as mountain bike gold medalist Tom Pidcock. « I thought I just tested my legs, » said Pogacar with a grin on my face: « Then I continued. »

Comparison with Eddy Merckx

Second in the 252 km long « Doyenne » with eleven short but enormously steep climbs, the Italian Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) was ahead of the Irish Ben Healy (EF Education). The gap to Pogacar was 1’03  ». Evenepoel landed 59th with more than three minutes behind.

The race was long shaped by a twelve -headed escape group, but it fell out over time. Bob Jungels (Ineos) had tried to reach this group with his team -mate Tobias Foss (s). However, this was doomed to fail. The duo was swallowed by the peloton 82 km before the finish and fell back a little later. In the end, Jungels gave up the race prematurely. The last outlier was set 60 km before the finish, followed by the big pogacar show.

Kevin Geniets (Groupama) was still seen in this group at the moment the Pogacar attack in the Côte de la Redoute. Geniets became 52nd (on 2’58  »). Luc Wirtgen (Tudor) should also start with the classic. However, he had to cancel at short notice due to illness. Nina Berton (EF Education-Oatly) had to give up the women’s race, which was won by Kimberley Pienaar (Mri/AG Insurance).

Pogacar is only the second driver who, after the victories at the Tour de France and the World Cup, also wins in Liège the following year. The first was Eddy Merckx, with which Pogacar has long been compared. Like the Belgian legend in 1969 and 1975 and the Irish Sean Kelly in 1984, the 26-year-old also managed to be on the podium in each of the first four monuments of one year.

Pogacar closed his classic campaign this spring with victories at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, at Flèche Wallone and at the Flanders tour off after winning Strade Bianche in early March. In his Roubaix debut and the Amstel Gold Race, he finished second, third at Milan-Sanremo. He never missed the podium. For Pogacar, the Critérium du Dauphiné is expected to continue in June before starting the title defense at the Tour de France.