Liège - Bastogne - Liège 2026, one-day monument, 26th April

[Berniece]

Was looking at fastest Strava times for La Redoute. Pogacar has the KOM with 3:58, he did that last year in LBL. Rest of the peloton was 6-11s slower, the likes of Ciccone, Healy, etc. Fastest time Evenepoel was in 2023, 4:12.

Knowing all of this and that there’s a bit of wind frontside, I don’t think Pogacar will drop Seixas there, and if they drop Evenepoel, it will be max 3-5s. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gets back before Roche-aux-Faucons

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Is Lenny sick or injured? Will he ride in Romandie?

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

Was looking at fastest Strava times for La Redoute. Pogacar has the KOM with 3:58, he did that last year in LBL. Rest of the peloton was 6-11s slower, the likes of Ciccone, Healy, etc. Fastest time Evenepoel was in 2023, 4:12.

Knowing all of this and that there’s a bit of wind frontside, I don’t think Pogacar will drop Seixas there, and if they drop Evenepoel, it will be max 3-5s. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gets back before Roche-aux-Faucons

I wouldn't take that time as a reference; it feels like he climbed it without much effort because it was so easy for him to drop the others. If Remco had been there, he would have pulled harder.

 

[Sciatic]

I've spoken with people who were at Kwaremont, and they all agree that the difference between Pogacar and Remco was noticeable. Pogacar was far superior to Remco there; it's not just about seconds . Those who saw them climb that section say so. And if you watch at YouTube videos that people have uploaded, you can see it, although it's even more apparent in person.

That said, every race is different. This is another race, and the form is different. Flanders is another race with different protagonists: VDP, Van Aert, Pedersen... and Pogacar there, for now, is more superior to Remco than some people think.
They also tell that Van der Poel's climb at Kwaremont conveyed a force that Remco didn't. VDP wouldn't have a chance to win Liège.

Forget Flanders. It's a different race.

Curious though—was that noticeable difference on Kwaremont due to the ability to produce power on cobbles? Which of course isn’t an issue for most LBL climbs. I’m not trying to
Imply anything, just wondering what it was that seemed different.

 

[Sciatic]

Tulett is in great form; I wouldn't be surprised if he finishes top 5. Otherwise, the team is weak without Jorgenson.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2047953070609273327

View: https://x.com/vismaleaseabike/status/2047953070609273327?s=20

I hope Vingegaard gives it go one year, regardless of result he gets.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

If I remember correctly, Jarno Widar set the KOM of Redoute a few weeks earlier, and Pogacar beat him by just one second. It's hard to imagine he couldn't lower it further. Especially since, if you watch the moment, you can see he wasn't pushing himself to the limit.

 

[rallybanana]

I don't know if the organizers have included this route change for sporting reasons or if it is due to complaints from the residential area from the front, which is the normal start of the climb.
In any case, it makes me sincerely hope for a rally right up to this point, but I'm afraid I'm too delusional.

*I still haven't investigated whether this approach has been used in the first years of the climb, but my memory tells me that there is something to it.

The entrance to Roche-aux-Faucons was changed in 2016. Paul Sherwen alludes to it in the video. I only noticed the change last year when I realised that the residential area where Gilbert and the Schlecks attacked in 2011 was missing. My guess is the change was made so they can cross the railway line over a bridge instead of through a level crossing ( in response to the 2015 Paris-Roubaix train incident).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63J1SC7qOx4&t=3775s

 

[Sciatic]

2014 and 2020 had the worst finishes ever. Dan Martin should have won both times.

The pedal clip one was such a d’oh disaster. Hope he can laugh about it now.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

90% of putts left short don't go in.
@tobydawq
or Yogi Berra

 

[Sciatic]

Which Romes? Rome, Italy and Rome, Georgia? Or is Rome, New York involved as well

Or was it when Constantinople became the center of Christianity in early medieval period? That was kind of a reversal of Romes

 

[Sciatic]

LBL 2020 was magically connected with the next year's Ardennes classics. In FW 2021 Ala got his revenge for defeat against Rogla while in LBL 2021 Pogi got his revenge vs Ala.

I kinda doubt Ala thought winning FW was fair exchange for LBL, especially since at that point in his career he figured he could win multiple FWs? But Ala seems like a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, so maybe he was cool with it all

 

[Sciatic]

Tadej launches at Roche aux Faucons. Can Seixas and Evenepoel stay on his wheel?

Entertainment-wise, I’d be happy if he wasn’t already gone before that and they arrived at the foot of RaF together!

 

[Sciatic]

Which Romes? Rome, Italy and Rome, Georgia? Or is Rome, New York involved as well

The big differences there would be in the fields—grapes, peaches, or apples.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Was looking at fastest Strava times for La Redoute. Pogacar has the KOM with 3:58, he did that last year in LBL. Rest of the peloton was 6-11s slower, the likes of Ciccone, Healy, etc. Fastest time Evenepoel was in 2023, 4:12.

Knowing all of this and that there’s a bit of wind frontside, I don’t think Pogacar will drop Seixas there, and if they drop Evenepoel, it will be max 3-5s. Wouldn’t be surprised if he gets back before Roche-aux-Faucons

This wind will be light and is consistent with some previous years. Also keep in mind that if Remco loses contact it won't matter as he won't be on the wheel anymore. I'm not sure it will start on Redoute though, I have a feeling we will have a long and hard finale.

 

[Berniece]

This wind will be light and is consistent with some previous years. Also keep in mind that if Remco loses contact it won't matter as he won't be on the wheel anymore. I'm not sure it will start on Redoute though, I have a feeling we will have a long and hard finale.

You think he'll lose more time? Would also like LBL to start sooner

 

[Netserk]

This wind will be light and is consistent with some previous years. Also keep in mind that if Remco loses contact it won't matter as he won't be on the wheel anymore. I'm not sure it will start on Redoute though, I have a feeling we will have a long and hard finale.

start on redoute
end on redoute

 

[Sciatic]

start on redoute
end on redoute

Boo!

 

[topcat]

Can we all just agree 2011 was the best edition?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

You think he'll lose more time? Would also like LBL to start sooner

I am not saying it. Just that light headwind wont affect difference between Evenepoel and Pog on that climb. my guess is it would be closer to 10 seconds.

 

[Lequack]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khh_PcLAQ_w

 

[Red Rick]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khh_PcLAQ_w

So is Pogacar going to point at the sky again to commemorate the death of cycling?

 

[Taxus4a]

I've spoken with people who were at Kwaremont, and they all agree that the difference between Pogacar and Remco was noticeable. Pogacar was far superior to Remco there; it's not just about seconds . Those who saw them climb that section say so. And if you watch at YouTube videos that people have uploaded, you can see it, although it's even more apparent in person.

That said, every race is different. This is another race, and the form is different. Flanders is another race with different protagonists: VDP, Van Aert, Pedersen... and Pogacar there, for now, is more superior to Remco than some people think.
They also tell that Van der Poel's climb at Kwaremont conveyed a force that Remco didn't. VDP wouldn't have a chance to win Liège.

Forget Flanders. It's a different race.

I mean the second time, not the third..Remco was alone long time just behind Pogacar and his "domestique" MVDP and he was over last part for the climb cobble section. For his weight those cobbles are hard. I have been in Kearemont and if is notan easy one. Pogacar was clearly superior, day the same route without cobbles Remco just behind Pogacar second passage for Kwaremont would have been another race, although likely Pogacar droped him at the end and go alone..but if MVDP and Remco stay behind together... last 8 km straight to Oudenaarde could be long. Liege has much more elevation gain and longer climbs, but at Flanders the decisive ones are really step and maybe for Remco is even harder than Liege to keep the wheel at the decisive moments.

We will ser tomorrow. I cant wait. Porcorns are ready

 

[CyclistAbi]

So is Pogacar going to point at the sky again to commemorate the death of cycling?

The gesture actually is a tribute to Urška mother that died. As for the rest, yes, Pogi will likely murder the field tomorrow, there was no indication of decline or anybody else getting better to such extent to jeopardise Pogi if some external factor won't be at play. Paul IMHO can't keep up with that, as for Remco i don't know, likely not. Seated attack and a long solo, like a granny would.

 

[Oldman]

So is Pogacar going to point at the sky again to commemorate the death of cycling?

No. Probably pointing at the escaping ghost of chauvinistic nationality after he killed it. Everyone loves him now, don't they?

 

[Lequack]

I hope Vingegaard gives it go one year, regardless of result he gets.

View: https://youtu.be/AWwv7PGumAA?si=4T1G2Hu2O_vrC8Zb