Liège-Bastonge-Liège 2024 Race Report: Top favourite, Tadej Pogačar attacked on the climb of La Redoute, with just over 30 kilometres to go to the finish in Liège and soloed to victory. The expected battle with World champion, Mathieu van der Poel never materialised. There were attacks from behind, but the Slovenian’s victory was never in Danger. A minute and a half later, Romain Bardet took second ahead of the chasers, who were brought in by Van der Poel for third place.
*** The full PEZ ‘Race Report’ very soon. ***
Tadej Pogacar won Liège-Bastogne-Liège for the second time on Sunday afternoon. The UAE Team Emirates rider attacked at La Redoute and finished on the streets of Liège with a lead of almost two minutes. Romain Bardet was second, Mathieu van der Poel third.
The win we all expected – Tadej Pogačar
The Parcours
The 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège route has a few minor changes. The start is again at Place-Saint Lambert in Liège for 254.5 hilly kilometres, four less than last year. There are quite a few climbs in the first 100 kilometres, but there won’t be a decisive move that early, although these days, who knows?. In the first two hours we should see an early break on the road out to Bastogne.
2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège map
The Côte de Bonnerue is the first of 11 categorised climbs. After 117,3 kilometres, there is the second ramp, the Côte de Saint-Roch. It is a lot shorter than the Bonnerue, but a lot steeper. It is still too early for the big guns to start firing, this should start after Vielsalm and 150 kilometres of racing. The race then hits the Côte de Mont-le-Soie, this could be the start of the finale. After that five climbs come in quick succession. Within 40 kilometres, there are the Côte de Wanne, the Côte de Stockeu, the Côte de la Haute-Levée, the Col du Rosier and the Côte de Desnié. The same as every year. After the Desnié, the peloton has a fast descent and the road they came out on towards Bastogne. Next is Côte de la Redoute, which is just 1.6 kilometres long, with an average gradient of 9,4%. The riders turn right about 300 metres before the top to hit the Côte de Cornémone.
2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège profile
La Rédoute is where Liège-Bastogne-Liège should split and the final be decided, as there are 30 kilometres to the finish. The Côte des Forges comes after 11 kilometres and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons at a further 10 kilometres. This final climb is also known as the Valkenrock and its summit is about 13 kilometres from the finish line. The climbing isn’t over yet. After a short descent, there is still some steep ramps of up to 10% on not the best of concrete roads. The finish is on a wide road in the Quai des Ardennes.
The Climbs
Côte de Bonnerue (2,4km at 5,7%) – 76,2 kilometres
Côte de Saint-Roch (1km at 11,2%) – 117,3 kilometres
Côte de Mont-le-Soie (1,7km at 7,9%) – 161,2 kilometres
Côte de Wanne (3,6km at 5,1%) – 169,5 kilometres
Côte de Stockeu (1km at 12,5%) – 176 kilometres
Côte de la Haute-Levée (2,2km at 7,5%) – 180,2 kilometres
Col du Rosier (4,4km at 5,9%) – 194,4 kilometres
Côte de Desnié (1,6km at 8,1%) – 197,8 kilometres
Côte de la Redoute (1,6km at 9,4%) – 220,5 kilometres
Côte des Forges (1,3km at 7,8%) – 231,2 kilometres
Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (1,3km at 11%) – 241,2 kilometres.
The two top favourites – Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel
In the region around Spa it was particularly cold and there was even some snow in the air. It was similar to last Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne, but the day did get better toward the finish. There nine riders who made up the break: Enzo Leijnse (dsm-firmenich POST NL), Gil Gelders (Soudal Quick-Step), Loïc Vliegen (Bingoal WB), Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ), Christian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan), Lilian Calmejane (Intermaché-Wanty), Iván Romeo (Movistar), Fabien Doubey & Paul Ourselin (TotalEnergies). Danny van der Tuuk tried to join them, but was stuck between break and peloton.
The peloton leave town for a wet start
It didn’t take long for the break to go up the road, including: Vliegen, Gelders, Rochas, Leijnse, Doubey, Scaroni and Romeo
The nine-man escape had formed soon after the start. Tadej Pogacar’s men went to the front to control the lead and keep it manageable. They never let it get near 4 minutes. Other teams occasionally helped, but it was mostly down to the team of the top favourite to set the pace.
It’s meant to be spring!
A day to try to keep warm
Just under 100 kilometres from the finish, there were two crashes in the peloton. The first was small, but the second was much bigger with many riders involved. Van der Poel was behind both crashes, but didn’t fall. The World champion was in a group at more than a minute down and so his team had to chase. The peloton were not waiting as UAE Team Emirates and Israel-Premier Tech kept the pace going. The early escapees were caught on the Côte de Wanne. At the top of the climb, the Van der Poel group, which also included Tom Pidcock, Aleksandr Vlasov and Mauri Vansevenant, was still around a minute.
Damp and cold conditions – 7ºC, but feels like 3ºC
On the Côte de Stockeu, tried to cross to the peloton on his own. He was joined by Mauri Vansevenant and Romain Grégoire and they got very close to the peloton. This looked bad for Van der Poel, but his group got back to the front group about 70 kilometres from the finish. Although they did have help from the team cars, which were behind what was the peloton.
The peloton climbs the Côte de Saint-Roch
After rejoining, Van der Poel moved to the front of the peloton as the important part of the race was coming up. The Col du Rosier was quiet, but the peloton was his by a wintery storm. Next was the Côte de Desnié, but nothing happened there either. Everyone was waiting for La Redoute.
The peloton didn’t let the break take more than 3 minutes
Domen Novak had been on the front all day, was the first to start climbing La Redoute. The Slovenian did a lot of work for Pogačar, who then put in his expected attack. The top favourite jumped a kilometre from the top and soon had a good gap. Richard Carapaz tried to go after Pogačar, but like everyone else, couldn’t get near the Solvenian champion.
Mathieu van der Poel keeping out of the wind
Pogačar came over the top of La Redoute on his own. His lead over a chasing group was 18 seconds at that point. The second group included Maxim Van Gils, Ben Healy, Egan Bernal, Alexey Lutsenko and Mauri Vansevenant. After the summit the two groups behind came together. Mattias Skjelmose, Romain Bardet, Tiesj Benoot with some others were in the chase group. Van der Poel was at 15 seconds in the next group.
Flèche Wallonne winner, Stephen Williams keeping an eye on Bauke Mollema
The second group was now quite large, but there was no collaboration. The pace dropped and Pogačar soon had a minute on the chasers. There wasn’t much they could do anyway as Pogačar was flying, With 20 kilometres to go he had a lead of 1 minute and 15 seconds.
A stupid crash split the peloton and the World champ had to make up over a minute
Healy got the chase going again. The Irishman attacked on the Côte de Forges and took Bardet, Benoît Cosnefroy and Romain Grégoire with him. Behind; Van der Poel had joined the large chase group, which was now racing for a podium place. INEOS Grenadiers and Bahrain-Victorious were now working on the front of this group.
UAE Team Emirates’ Domen Novak kept the pace high for Pogačar
Tadej Pogačar made his move on La Redoute
The race for the win was over
Bardet led a chase group
Tadej Pogačar took his second win in Liège
Second for Romain Bardet
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2024 podium: Romain Bardet, Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel
Liège-Bastonge-Liège Result:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates in 6:13:48
2. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL at 1:39
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin – Deceuninck at 2:02
4. Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Dstny
5. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
6. Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
7. Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
8. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan
9. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious
10. Thomas Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers.
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