Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: Duel of giants cancelled: Evenepoel the dominator after Pogacar crash
Sebastian Lindner
· 23.04.2023
The race was still a long way from the hot phase when the battle for victory in the "Doyenne", the oldest one-day race still being held in the world. Unobserved by the TV cameras, the Dane Mikkel Honore burst a tyre on a descent. He crashed and also cleared Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), who then had to abandon the race and has already undergone wrist surgery in Genk. An examination revealed two broken bones.
UAE team boss Mauro Gianetti, who reported the accident, did not yet want to comment on the downtime of his top star. The Tour de France in July, Pogacar's main goal for the season, should not be jeopardised. In any case, the Slovenian would have taken a longer break after Liège and would not have wanted to return to racing until the Tour of Slovenia through his home country in mid-June.
Evenepoel first title defender in 25 years
"I wish him and the other riders who crashed all the best," said Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step), who heard the crash behind him ("A terrible noise"), at the finish. During his solo ride, which he started with an attack on the Cote de la Redoute, the third-last climb of the day 34 kilometres before the finish, he had to demonstrate his steering skills and control of his racing machine several times on the now wet and greasy roads in Belgium in order to reach the finish safely.
Last year's winner achieved this in a decidedly relaxed manner and, although he only rolled out the final kilometres, with a lead of more than a minute, which has not happened in Liège for more than ten years and was last achieved by Andy Schleck in 2009. Even longer ago was the last title defence at the last cycling monument of the spring, which the 23-year-old Belgian has now successfully defended - in two starts, mind you. The last time was the Italian Michele Bartoli, who repeated his victory from the previous year in 1998.
Rare opportunities for duels between Pogacar and Evenepoel
With the aplomb that Evenepoel showed in the world champion's jersey, the question also arises as to whether even Pogacar could have kept up. At least, that much is clear, unlike at the Amstel Gold Race and the Fleche Wallonne, he would have had to push himself to his limits in order to hold his own. The two top stars have not yet met in the season so far.
And there won't be too many more opportunities, even though the season is still young. While Pogacar wants to win the Tour for the third time, Evenepoel is foregoing France and instead wants to attack at the Giro d'Italia in a fortnight' time in order to win his second Grand Tour there after winning the Vuelta a Espana in 2022.
Evenepoel's Giro rivals with mixed results at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Some of the rivals who want to fight for overall victory with Evenepoel in Italy were also present in Liège. For example, Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) and Ben Healy (EF Education EasyPost), who finished the classic in third and fourth place. While Buitrago is travelling to the Giro as co-captain, Healy is only expected to play the role of helper.
Aleksandr Vlasov, who will lead Bora-hansgrohe from 6th May, only managed 46th place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège after a crash. The Russian, who was even given the Tour of the Alps had finished early, lacked the strength to keep up with the competition in the final. His team-mate Patrick Konrad, who will also ride the Giro, finished eighth.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023 results
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) 6:15:49
- Thomas Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) +1:06
- Santiago Buitragi (Bahrain-Victorious) +1:06
- Ben Healy (EF Education EasyPost) +1:08
- Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ +1:24
- Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) +1:25
- Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma) +1:37
- Patrick Konrad (Bora-hansgrohe) +1:48
- Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) +1:48
- Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) +1:48
