Poels wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege

The snow fell heavily in the Ardennes at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, invoking memories of Bernaud Hinault’s iconic 1980 victory and even causing the race to be re-routed, but Wout Poels rode through the blizzard to put an end to Team Sky’s long wait for a Monument victory.

The Dutchman followed Michael Albasini’s (Orica-GreenEdge) move up the Côte de la Rue Naniot, the new steep cobbled climb introduced to shake up the race’s finale, and held him off in the sprint. Former world champion Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) finished a close third having been part of the move, while Samuel Sanchez (BMC), the fourth member of the group, was unable to produce a sprint and finished a distant fourth.

"I still can't believe it," said Poels, who became only the fifth Dutchman to win La Doyenne, and the first since Adri Van Der Poel 28 years ago. "The conditions were really difficult today and at the end we were all really tired."

For all the talk of Alejandro Valverde’s overwhelming favourite status, and for all the work his Movistar teammates subjected themselves to on the front of the bunch, the defending champion couldn’t manage to make the top 10. It was a similar story for Etixx-QuickStep; they had strength in numbers and drove a fierce pace going into the final 25km, but last year’s runner up and Julian Alaphilippe finished in the main group with Valverde, while 2013 winner Dan Martin struggled on the final climb and ended up nearly two minutes down.

It was a trying day for the riders, who repeatedly encountered mini snow storms all along the route as the weather forecasts proved true to their word. The situation was at its worst halfway along the trip out from Liège to Bastogne, with many teams posting photos of the roads covered in a blanket of snow as their car made their way out to the feed zone. An hour into the race, the organisers made the decision to alter the route and took riders off the planned course after 45 kilometres, eventually linking back up with it at kilometre 75. Given that they were back on course ahead of the first of the day’s 10 climbs, the change did little to shape the complexion of the race, and only 5km were lost from the total distance, which became 248km.

A break of eight enjoyed a few hours out front, while a fairly contained race was ridden back in the bunch. There were eight climbs in the last 80km but it wasn’t until after the fourth one, the famous Côte de La Redoute, had been crested that the race was really ignited.

The utterly miserable conditions took their toll and while crashes took out Tony Gallopin and Rafal Majka, it was largely down to who kept themselves warm, well fed, and most comfortable. Poels’ relatively slow sprint and the fact that Albasini was unable to get near to coming round him demonstrated how exacting the day had been.

How it unfolded

The leaden drops of rain that fell as the peloton gathered at the Place Saint-Lambert for the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège prefigured what they would face on the long road south. Word had already reached Liege of early morning snowfall in the Ardennes, and shortly after rolling out of the City of the Prince-Bishops, it was announced that the race would be re-routed to avoid the most treacherous roads ahead of the day’s first climb, the Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne, knocking five kilometres off the overall distance.

By that point, the day’s early break had established itself, with Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff), Paolo Tiralongo (Astana), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC) and Jeremy Roy (FDJ) slipping off the front inside the opening 15 kilometres of racing. The seven combined well together to cover 42 kilometres in the first hour and build up a lead of 8:45 over a main peloton where most of the contenders were all but unrecognisable beneath capes, snoods and jackets.

Etixx-QuickStep was the first team to take matters in hand at the head of the bunch, working to stabilise the break’s advantage, and they were later joined on the front by Alejandro Valverde’s Movistar guard. Their combined efforts chipped away at the break’s lead over the Saint-Roch – the roadsides on the climb lighter of Luxembourg fans than during the Schleck brothers’ heyday – and by the Côte de Wanne with 84 kilometres remaining, the gap was less unwieldy 4 minutes.

The only real frisson on the Haut-Levée was a banal crash involving Chris Froome, but the Sky rider unclipped before falling into the verge and quickly re-joined the peloton. On reaching the second feed at Stavelot shortly afterwards, however, the race was again buffeted by driving snow. Though, mercifully, it was not sticking to the ground, the headwind and grim conditions underlined that this was to be a war of attrition.

Movistar’s pace-making brought the leaders back to within two minutes on the Col du Rosier, where the snow was replaced by steady rain and where Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie) decided to counter-attack from the peloton, and he was still giving chase alone over the Col du Rosier. At the front, meanwhile, De Marchi fragmented the unity of the leading group by attacking near the summit. 48.5 kilometres from home, De Marchi, De Gendt and Edet had a lead of 1:50 over the peloton.

The endgame

Race organisers introduced the Rue Naniot, a 600-metre cobbled climb with an average gradient of 11% in a bid to discourage riders from playing a waiting game, and it duly produced the race-winning attack. There was, however, the suggestion that its presence softened the impact of the previous climbs, with the favourites riding conservatively and sending teammates up the road instead.

There was next to no movement in the bunch on the Côte de La Redoute, once a key flashpoint of the race, but the race was ignited on the 15km run to the Côte de La Roche-aux-Faucons, the third last climb. Andriy Grivko (Astana) went on the attack while Etixx-QuickStep drove a fearsome pace on the downhill that saw Edet and De Marchi, the last remnants of the breakaway, swallowed up.

Carlos Betancur, amazingly opting for bare legs over leg warmers, then attacked on the approach to the Côte de Saint-Nicholas, before Grivko tried his luck again and Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) also got involved. When they hit the climb, Betancur made another move and the pace was such that Vincenzo Nibali and Simon Gerrans were both dropped.

Bardet attacked over the top of the climb, and then Diego Rosa and Ilnur Zakarin went on the offensive, but a group of around 25 riders would be together jotling for position as they hit the Rue Naniot. About halfway up the 600-metre climb, Albasini surged and the steep gradients took their toll, with gaps appearing among the main group.

Valverde was left in the middle of the group as Sanchez, Costa and Poels proved the only ones who could stay on terms with Albasini. With most riders shorn of teammates, a concerted chase never materialised and, as the road kicked up again into Ans, it became clear the group of four had done enough to earn the right to fight for the victory.

Poels was the first to go, and he led into the final left-hand bend. Albasini looked in a good position on the Dutchman’s wheel but Poels hung on impressively to seal the biggest win of his career.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky6:24:29
2Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 1 - Cell 2
3Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre - MeridaRow 2 - Cell 2
4Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team0:00:04
5Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha0:00:09
6Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin0:00:11
7Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team0:00:12
8Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team KatushaRow 7 - Cell 2
9Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 8 - Cell 2
10Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 11 - Cell 2
13Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 12 - Cell 2
14Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 14 - Cell 2
16Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 15 - Cell 2
17Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 17 - Cell 2
19Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 18 - Cell 2
20Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team SkyRow 19 - Cell 2
21Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 21 - Cell 2
23Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 22 - Cell 2
24Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida0:00:40
25Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 25 - Cell 2
27Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:47
30Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:18
31Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida0:01:29
32Huub Duyn (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 31 - Cell 2
33Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 32 - Cell 2
34Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 33 - Cell 2
35Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team SkyRow 35 - Cell 2
37Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:01:41
38Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:01:51
39Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:01:53
40Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 39 - Cell 2
41Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM CyclingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension DataRow 41 - Cell 2
43Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff Team0:01:56
44Ben Swift (GBr) Team SkyRow 43 - Cell 2
45Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 44 - Cell 2
46Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 45 - Cell 2
47Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 46 - Cell 2
48Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 47 - Cell 2
49Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 48 - Cell 2
50Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Movistar Team0:02:01
51Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:02:21
52Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 51 - Cell 2
53Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) Dimension Data0:02:22
54Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:02:35
55Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida0:02:40
56Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge0:02:49
57Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ0:02:51
58David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 57 - Cell 2
59Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 58 - Cell 2
60Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo0:03:00
61Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:03:11
62Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:03:39
63Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale0:04:02
64Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:04:17
65Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:04:33
66Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJRow 65 - Cell 2
67Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 66 - Cell 2
68Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Team Sky0:04:38
70Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida0:05:27
71Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 70 - Cell 2
72Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJRow 71 - Cell 2
73Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 72 - Cell 2
74Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJRow 73 - Cell 2
75Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJRow 74 - Cell 2
76Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 75 - Cell 2
77Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 76 - Cell 2
78Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 77 - Cell 2
79Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 78 - Cell 2
80Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 79 - Cell 2
81Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 80 - Cell 2
82Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 81 - Cell 2
83Michal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 82 - Cell 2
84Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 83 - Cell 2
85Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 84 - Cell 2
86José Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 18Row 85 - Cell 2
87Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 86 - Cell 2
88Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 87 - Cell 2
89Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie0:05:47
90Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 89 - Cell 2
91Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
92Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension DataRow 92 - Cell 2
94Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin0:06:11
95Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida0:06:49
96Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha0:06:50
97Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEdge0:07:18
98Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
99Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data0:07:24
100Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 99 - Cell 2
101Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Team KatushaRow 100 - Cell 2
102Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:07:49
103Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeRow 102 - Cell 2
104Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:08:01
105Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step0:08:17
106Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie0:08:19
107Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:08:31
108Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff Team0:08:42
109Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept0:09:07
110Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Bora-Argon 180:09:31
111Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:10:31
112Christopher Froome (GBr) Team SkyRow 111 - Cell 2
113Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 113 - Cell 2
115Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 114 - Cell 2
116Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM CyclingRow 115 - Cell 2
117Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 116 - Cell 2
118Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
119Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:11:35
120Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 119 - Cell 2
121Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:11:47
122Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin0:12:25
123Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team0:12:48
124Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 123 - Cell 2
125Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 124 - Cell 2
126Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:12:53
127Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:12:56
128Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 127 - Cell 2
129Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM CyclingRow 128 - Cell 2
130Reinier Honig (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:13:27
131Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:13:36
132Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-SegafredoRow 131 - Cell 2
133Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept0:14:06
134Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-SegafredoRow 133 - Cell 2
135Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 134 - Cell 2
136Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 135 - Cell 2
137Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 136 - Cell 2
138Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 137 - Cell 2
139Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 138 - Cell 2
140Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 139 - Cell 2
141Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 140 - Cell 2
142Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 141 - Cell 2
143Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 142 - Cell 2
144Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Team KatushaRow 143 - Cell 2
145Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Argon 18Row 144 - Cell 2
146Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 145 - Cell 2
147Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 146 - Cell 2
148Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 147 - Cell 2
149David Tanner (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 148 - Cell 2
150Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek-Segafredo0:14:42
151Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo0:14:44
152Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 151 - Cell 2
153Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 152 - Cell 2
154Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFImanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFPetr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFTiago Machado (Por) Team KatushaRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFRein Taaramae (Est) Team KatushaRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFValerio Conti (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFMario Jorge Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre - MeridaRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFPavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFDario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFOmar Fraile Matarranz (Spa) Dimension DataRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension DataRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFJack Haig (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFDaryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFMark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFMarinus Cornelis Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFTony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto SoudalRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFGregor Muhlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 173 - Cell 2
DNFDominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 174 - Cell 2
DNFJarlinson Pantano Gomez (Col) IAM CyclingRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFClement Chevrier (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) IAM CyclingRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFLilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFFabien Grellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFFabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFPerrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFTom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin King (USA) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Woods (Can) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFJack Bobridge (Aus) Trek-SegafredoRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFBram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFDennis Van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFAlexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFMichel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFNick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Vichot (Fra) FDJRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFKévin Reza (Fra) FDJRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFSander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFJens Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFArmindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Loubet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 199 - Cell 2

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is an NCTJ-trained journalist, and former deputy editor of Cyclingnews, who has seven years’ experience covering professional cycling. He has a modern languages degree from Durham University and has been able to put it to some use in what is a multi-lingual sport, with a particular focus on French and Spanish-speaking riders. Away from cycling, Patrick spends most of his time playing or watching other forms of sport - football, tennis, trail running, darts, to name a few, but he draws the line at rugby.


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