Valverde wins Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won Liège-Bastogne-Liège for the fourth time in his career, topping Quick-Step Floors' Dan Martin and Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) with his signature late attack.

But the victory was shrouded in sorrow as the peloton mourned the loss of Italian Michele Scarponi, who was killed while training the day before the race. Valverde dedicated the victory to the fallen Astana rider, and promised to donate his prize money to Scarponi's family.

"This win is for Michele Scarponi. He was a good friend of mine," Valverde said, fighting back the tears. "It hurts to think he's gone, I'll miss him. I'll give all my prize money from this victory to his family. This win is also dedicated to him."

Valverde went into the race as the overwhelming favourite after winning Flèche Wallonne for the fifth time, but his victory was in doubt as Cannondale-Drapac's Davide Formolo put in a strong solo attack that lasted until 500m to go.

Martin jumped across to the Italian, who quickly faded back, but Valvede latched onto Martin's wheel at the final turn and from there was unstoppable.

"The team was fantastic, we worked excellently. We controlled the break because it was dangerous," Valverde said. "On the last climb Dan Martin attacked really hard but I managed to reach him at the right moment to then sprint to the finish line."

Revivez le dernier kilomètre ! / Relive the last kilometer! pic.twitter.com/hejWvfKzoE

How it happened

The race started following a minute's applause in memory of Michele Scarponi and with the eight riders from the Astana squad standing at the front of the bunch in the Place de Saint-Lambert. Then having re-donned their helmets and glasses following the homage to their fallen colleague, the 200-strong peloton was off.

The biggest difference to 2016 was, without a doubt, the weather. It was snowy and freezing cold in 2016, to the point where the race was shortened slightly. This time conditions, although chilly, were not nearly as hard. This allowed for a much more tactical event, rather than the race of survival that Liège-Bastogne-Liège became last year.

The early move formed almost as soon as the race had begun, with Tiago Machado (Katusha), Anthony Perez and Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis), Mekseb Debesay (Dimension Data), Bart De Clercq (Lotto Soudal), Nick Van Der Lijke (Roompot), Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) and Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue Sport) gaining a large early margin.

The tailwind on the outward leg helped somewhat, and their advantage rose quickly. By the time the eight reached the race's most southerly point at Bastogne and then turned north, their advantage was up to 13 minutes.

The rolling terrain on the approach to the Cote de Pont, the curtain-raiser at 168 kilometres from the final crucial segment of the race, saw Debesay fall off the pace. But the remaining seven forged on, steadily shedding minutes as they toiled over the steep Cote de la Ferme Libert and into the rolling terrain that followed.

In the peloton, a brief early dig by 2014 winner Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott) briefly shook up the peloton, but although Mikaël Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale) managed to catch him, it quickly fizzled out. The lead had shrunk to six minutes with 60 kilometres to go, but the mood in the peloton seemed relatively - and strangely - calm, with Movistar and Quick-Step Floors tapping out a steady rhythm.

48 kilometres from the finish, on the relatively benign slopes of the Cote de la Maquisard, the main race finally came alight, as Nathan Haas, who had ridden strongly in Amsel Gold, and Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC Racing Team) together with Pierre La Tour (AG2R La Mondiale) stomped out of the peloton. For Movistar, Carlos Alberto Betancur controlled the break.

On the Cote de la Redoute, Liège-Bastogne-Liège’s most emblematic climb, as the leading break disintegrated completely, Sebastian Henao (Team Sky) and Laurens de Plus (Quick-Step) stretched out the peloton and finally regained contact with the Haas group. But lone leader Anthony Perez (Cofidis) had a lead of just under four minutes with 31 kilometres left to race – higher than the top favourites would perhaps have liked. The size of the bunch as it wound over the unclassified climb of the Sprimont following La Redoute, was certainly higher than usual, with roughly 120 riders still in contention.

With all the breakaway riders, barring an exhausted Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue), still in the hunt for Perez, the Frenchman could not ease back, and the peloton, powered by Quick-Step Floors and BMC, relentlessly stripped away their advantage. By the foot of the Cote de la Roche-Aux-Faucons, just two minutes separated Perez from the bunch where Valverde remained comfortably in contention.

The second Cofidis rider, Rossetto, opted to give lone chase to his teammate on the second to last classified climb of the course, and finally joined forces with Perez, and then left him behind.

With 9km to go, the peloton was just a dozen seconds behind, and Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) launched a solo attack from the peloton to join Rossetto, but the peloton was closing in, and picked off the rest of the early breakawa.

Wellens' presence breathed some new life into the breakaway, and they reached the Saint Nicolas climb with 13 seconds on the Sky-led bunch. The leaders quickly faded rapidly on the climb and were caught back, and Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac) put in an attack that was marked by Sergio Henao (Sky) and reeled in. As they crested the climb, Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac) countered and opened up a solid lead.

Omar Fraile (Dimension Data) attacked from the chasing bunch to try to catch Formolo, but exploded and dropped back before 1km to go.

Formolo was suffering with just four seconds under the banner, as behind Dan Martin put in his move with 800m to go. But Valverde rode the Orica-Scott chase up to the two attackers, and then out-sprinted Martin to win La Doyenne for the fourth time.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team6:24:27
2Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step FloorsRow 1 - Cell 2
3Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky0:00:03
4Michael Matthews (Aus) Team SunwebRow 3 - Cell 2
5Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 5 - Cell 2
7Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-ScottRow 6 - Cell 2
8Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott0:00:07
9Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-DrapacRow 8 - Cell 2
10Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 9 - Cell 2
11Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 11 - Cell 2
13Sergio Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 12 - Cell 2
14Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates0:00:10
15Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:00:14
17Rudy Molard (Fra) FDJRow 16 - Cell 2
18Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 18 - Cell 2
20Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 19 - Cell 2
21Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-DrapacRow 20 - Cell 2
22Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team SunwebRow 21 - Cell 2
23Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 22 - Cell 2
24Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:24
25Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension Data0:00:28
26Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-SegafredoRow 25 - Cell 2
27Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-Scott0:00:34
28Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:51
29Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:54
30Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 29 - Cell 2
31Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Lawrence Warbasse (USA) Aqua Blue SportRow 31 - Cell 2
33Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-HansgroheRow 32 - Cell 2
34Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 33 - Cell 2
35Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 34 - Cell 2
36Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 35 - Cell 2
37Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 36 - Cell 2
38Warren Barguil (Fra) Team SunwebRow 37 - Cell 2
39Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 38 - Cell 2
40Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 40 - Cell 2
42Floris De Tier (Bel) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 41 - Cell 2
43Igor Anton (Spa) Dimension DataRow 42 - Cell 2
44Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-AlpecinRow 43 - Cell 2
45Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 44 - Cell 2
46Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 45 - Cell 2
47Sam Oomen (Ned) Team SunwebRow 46 - Cell 2
48Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team EmiratesRow 47 - Cell 2
49Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 48 - Cell 2
50Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data0:01:00
51José Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-AlpecinRow 50 - Cell 2
52Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Trek-SegafredoRow 52 - Cell 2
54Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team0:01:08
55Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:56
56Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 55 - Cell 2
57Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:02:13
58Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Jose Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60David De La Cruz (Spa) Quick-Step Floors0:03:22
61Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:03:29
62Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data0:03:38
63Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 62 - Cell 2
64Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha-Alpecin0:03:50
65Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 64 - Cell 2
66Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 65 - Cell 2
67Stefan Denifl (Aut) Aqua Blue SportRow 66 - Cell 2
68Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac0:04:42
69André Cardoso (Por) Trek-SegafredoRow 68 - Cell 2
70Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 69 - Cell 2
71Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij0:04:50
72Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida0:05:01
73Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:05:31
74Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
75Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 74 - Cell 2
76Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 75 - Cell 2
77Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 76 - Cell 2
78Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky0:05:35
79Diego Rosa (Ita) Team SkyRow 78 - Cell 2
80Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:05:41
82Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie0:06:14
83Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:07:27
84Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:07:40
85Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 84 - Cell 2
86Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJRow 85 - Cell 2
87Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 86 - Cell 2
88Rúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-SegafredoRow 87 - Cell 2
89Sebastian Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 88 - Cell 2
90Mark Christian (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 89 - Cell 2
91Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJRow 90 - Cell 2
92Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 91 - Cell 2
93Matej Mohoric (Slo) UAE Team EmiratesRow 92 - Cell 2
94Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 93 - Cell 2
95Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-MeridaRow 94 - Cell 2
96Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 95 - Cell 2
97Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 96 - Cell 2
98Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
99Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 98 - Cell 2
100José Mendes (Por) Bora-HansgroheRow 99 - Cell 2
101Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 100 - Cell 2
102Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team SkyRow 101 - Cell 2
103Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team SunwebRow 102 - Cell 2
104Michal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 103 - Cell 2
105Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-HansgroheRow 104 - Cell 2
106Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
107Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-DrapacRow 106 - Cell 2
108Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJRow 107 - Cell 2
109Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJRow 108 - Cell 2
110Kevin Reza (Fra) FDJRow 109 - Cell 2
111Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 111 - Cell 2
113Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 112 - Cell 2
114Alberto Losada (Spa) Katusha-AlpecinRow 113 - Cell 2
115Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-AlpecinRow 114 - Cell 2
116Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team0:07:52
117Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:08:41
118Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie0:09:15
119Antoine Warnier (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect0:10:39
120Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 119 - Cell 2
121Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 120 - Cell 2
122Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 121 - Cell 2
123Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 122 - Cell 2
124Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 123 - Cell 2
125Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 124 - Cell 2
126Matteo Bono (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 125 - Cell 2
127Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 126 - Cell 2
128Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJRow 127 - Cell 2
129Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 128 - Cell 2
130Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Bahrain-MeridaRow 129 - Cell 2
131Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 130 - Cell 2
132Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin0:10:44
133Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:11:32
134Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team0:13:11
135Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 134 - Cell 2
136Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue SportRow 135 - Cell 2
137Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 136 - Cell 2
138Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 137 - Cell 2
139Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 138 - Cell 2
140Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension DataRow 139 - Cell 2
141Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 140 - Cell 2
142Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 141 - Cell 2
143Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue SportRow 142 - Cell 2
144Romain Guillemois (Fra) Direct Energie0:13:32
145Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 144 - Cell 2
146Pierre Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:13:55
147Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 146 - Cell 2
148Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step Floors0:14:09
149Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:14:41
150Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 149 - Cell 2
151Rein Taaramäe (Est) Katusha-AlpecinRow 150 - Cell 2
152Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:15:35
153Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott0:16:39
DNFLudovic Robeet (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFMeiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-MeridaRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Budding (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFEtienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFSjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFTim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFSteven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFBert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFCedric Pineau (Fra) FDJRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Deruette (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFThomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFPreben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFLars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Aqua Blue SportRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFConor Dunne (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Pearson (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Kennaugh (GBr) Team SkyRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFDaryl Impey (RSA) Orica-ScottRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFDario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Soler Gimenez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFEros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Pardini (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFKenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Howson (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-ScottRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFOliviero Troia (Ita) Team UAE Abu DhabiRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFFloris Gerfs (Ned) BMC Racing TeamRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFSindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team SunwebRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Timmer (Ned) Team SunwebRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFSøren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team SunwebRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFGregory Daniel (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFEnric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Quick-Step FloorsRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFLuis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFNikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFFabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFXandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFAxel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFMekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension DataRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFBen O'Connor (Aus) Dimension DataRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFSean De Bie (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFFumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-SegafredoRow 199 - Cell 2

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