Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: Everything you need to know about the great Ardennes classic
Thomas Goldmann
· 21.04.2023
The Ardennes Classics reach their climax on Sunday at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The race, which leads through the Walloon part of Belgium, was first held in 1892 and is therefore nicknamed "La Doyenne" (the oldest). The record winner is the Belgian Eddy Merckx, who won five times between 1969 and 1975. There have been two German victories in history: Hermann Buse (1930) and Dietrich Thurau (1979). Since 2017, Liège-Bastogne-Liège has also had a women's race, which is part of the UCI Women's World Tour and will take place on the same day as the men's competition in 2023. The day before the professionals, the amateur riders can also compete on the Liège-Bastogne-Liège course.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: The route - Across the Ardennes
Liège-Bastogne-Liège is known for its hilly course in the Ardennes, which is extremely demanding for the professional cyclists. The short, poisonous ramps are predestined for classic cyclists with a strong climbing ability. From the start in Liège, the route heads south to Bastogne, where the race turns around after just over 90 kilometres. Ten of the eleven Cotes (climbs) are tackled on the way back to Liège.
Things get really exciting on the last 90 kilometres or so, where Cote de Wanne, Cote de Stockeu and Cote de la Haute-Levee herald the finale.
The last 40 kilometres or so of Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023 have been changed slightly compared to last year. After the Redoute, where Remco Evenepoel launched his winning attack in 2022, there is another short, uncategorised hill, the Cote de Cornemont. The organisers have also included the Cote des Forges in the course again. Around one and a half kilometres of additional climbing before the final climb to the Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons, before the finish in Liège is reached around 13 kilometres later.
Timetable for the men's race
- Official start: 10:35 a.m.
- Finish: ~16:35 - 17:12
Climbs of the men's race
- 69.7 km - Cote de La Roche-en-Ardenne
- 2.8 km à 6.2% - 120.9 km - Cote de Saint-Roch
- 1 km at 11.2% - 164.8 km - Cote de Mont-le-Soie
- 1.7 km at 7.9% - Km 173.1 - Cote de Wanne
- 3.6 km à 5.1% - 179.6 km - Cote de Stockeu (stele Eddy Merckx)
- 1 km à 12.5% - 183.8 km - Cote de la Haute-Levee
- 2.2 km at 7.5% - 198.1 km - Col du Rosier
- 4.4 km at 5.9% - 211.4 km - Cote de Desnie
- 1.6 km à 8.1% - 224.2 km - Cote de La Redoute
- 1.6 km at 9.4% - 234.8 km - Cote des Forges
- 1.3 km. à 7.8% - 244.8 km - Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons
- 1.3 km à 11%
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: Women's race
The women's race of Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023 will be held on the same day as the men's race, but the women will start earlier (8:40 am) and finish earlier (probably between 12:20 and 12:43). Liège-Bastogne-Liège for women is part of the UCI Women's World Tour and is officially called Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes.
At 142.8 kilometres, the course is significantly shorter than that of the men's final, but still has a lot to offer. The course largely follows the route of the men's final. A total of nine cotes (climbs) are on the programme. Here too, the combination of Redoute, Forges and Roche-aux-Faucons forms the centrepiece of the final, where the decision can be expected.
Schedule of the women's race
- Official start: 08:40 am
- Finish: ~12:20 - 12:45 pm
Climbs of the women's race
- 51.7 km - Cote de Mont-le-Soie
- 1.7 km at 7.9% - Km 60 Cote de Wanne
- 3.6 km à 5.1% - 66.5 km - Cote de Stockeu (stele Eddy Merckx)
- 1 km à 12.5% - 70.8 km - Cote de la Haute-Levee
- 2.2 km at 7.5% - 84.9 km - Col du Rosier
- 4.4 km at 5.9% - 97.6 km - Col du Maquisard
- 2.5 km at 5% - 108.8 km - Cote de la Redoute
- 1.6 km at 9.4% - 119.5 km - Cote des Forges
- 1.3 km at 7.8% - 129.5 km - Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons
- 1.3 km at 11%
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: TV broadcast & live stream
The Men's and women's race of Liège-Bastogne-Liège are on television live with Eurosport 1 to watch. There is also a live stream on Discovery+ and GCN+ (both via paid subscription).
The transmission times at a glance
- Ladies | 11:15 - 13:00 Eurosport 1
- Men | 15:00 - 17:30 Eurosport 1
Everyman race Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023
One day before the professionals, amateur athletes can ride a cycling marathon on the Liège-Bastogne-Liège route in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Challenge. The distances on offer are 81, 155 and 251 kilometres. Those who ride the entire route will also cover the famous Cote de Saint-Roch, Cote de Wanne and Cote de Stockeu climbs. The LBL Challenge is not a race, but a cycling marathon. The start is possible in predetermined time slots.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2023: The most important information at a glance
Date: Sunday, 23 April 2023
Distance: 258.1 kilometres (men), 142.8 (women)
Start: Liège (men), Bastogne (women)
Target: Liège (men and women)
Edition: 109th men, 7th women
Premiere: 1892 men, 2017 women
Nickname: La Doyenne (The Oldest in German - it is the oldest of the five monuments of cycling; editor's note)
German winners: Hermann Buse (1930), Dietrich Thurau (1979)
Record winner: Eddy Merckx (Belgium - five victories)
Record winner: Annemiek van Vleuten, Anna van der Breggen (both Netherlands - two wins each)
Last year's winner: Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
Last year's winner: Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands)
Everyman race: 22 April
All the winners of Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- 2017 Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands)
- 2018 Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands)
- 2019 Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands)
- 2020 Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain)
- 2021 Demi Vollering (Netherlands)
- 2022 Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands)
All winners of Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- 1892 Leon Houa (Belgium)
- 1893 Leon Houa (Belgium)
- 1894 Leon Houa (Belgium)
- 1908 Andre Trousselier (France)
- 1909 Victor Fastre (Belgium)
- 1911 Joseph van Daele (Belgium)
- 1912 Omer Verschoore (Belgium)
- 1913 Maurice Moritz (Belgium)
- 1919 Leon Devos (Belgium)
- 1920 Leon Scieur (Belgium)
- 1921 Louis Mottiat (Belgium)
- 1922 Louis Mottiat (Belgium)
- 1923 Rene Vermandel (Belgium)
- 1924 Rene Vermandel (Belgium)
- 1925 Georges Ronsse (Belgium)
- 1926 Dieudonne Smets (Belgium)
- 1927 Maurits Raes (Belgium)
- 1928 Ernest Mottard (Belgium)
- 1929 Alfons Schepers (Belgium)
- 1930 Hermann Buse (Germany)
- 1931 Alfons Schepers (Belgium)
- 1932 Marcel Houyoux (Belgium)
- 1933 Francois Gardier (Belgium)
- 1934 Theo Herckenrath (Belgium)
- 1935 Alfons Schepers (Belgium)
- 1936 Albert Beckaert (Belgium)
- 1937 Eloi Meulenberg (Belgium)
- 1938 Alfons Deloor (Belgium)
- 1939 Albert Ritserveldt (Belgium)
- 1943 Richard Depoorter (Belgium)
- 1945 Jan Engels (Belgium)
- 1946 Prosper Depredomme (Belgium)
- 1947 Richard Depoorter (Belgium)
- 1948 Maurice Mollin (Belgium)
- 1949 Camille Danguillaume (France)
- 1950 Prosper Depredomme (Belgium)
- 1951 Ferdi Kübler (Switzerland)
- 1952 Ferdi Kübler (Switzerland)
- 1953 Alois De Hertog (Belgium)
- 1954 Marcel Ernzer (Netherlands)
- 1955 Stan Ockers (Belgium)
- 1956 Alfred De Bruyne (Belgium)
- 1957 Frans Schoubben (Belgium) and Germain Derijcke (Belgium) - scored ex aequo
- 1958 Alfred De Bruyne (Belgium)
- 1959 Alfred De Bruyne (Belgium)
- 1960 Albertus Geldermans (Netherlands)
- 1961 Rik van Looy (Belgium)
- 1962 Joseph Planckaert (Belgium)
- 1963 Frans Melckenbeeck (Belgium)
- 1964 Willy Bocklant (Belgium)
- 1965 Carmino Preziosi (Italy)
- 1966 Jacques Anquetil (France)
- 1967 Walter Godefroot (Belgium)
- 1968 Valere van Sweevelt (Belgium)
- 1969 Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
- 1970 Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium)
- 1971 Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
- 1972 Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
- 1973 Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
- 1974 Georges Pintens (Belgium)
- 1975 Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
- 1976 Joseph Bruyere (Belgium)
- 1977 Bernard Hinault (France)
- 1978 Joseph Bruyere (Belgium)
- 1979 Dietrich Thurau (Germany)
- 1980 Bernard Hinault (France)
- 1981 Josef Fuchs (Switzerland)
- 1982 Silvano Contini (Italy)
- 1983 Steven Rooks (Netherlands)
- 1984 Sean Kelly (Ireland)
- 1985 Moreno Argentin (Italy)
- 1986 Moreno Argentin (Italy)
- 1987 Moreno Argentin (Italy)
- 1988 Adrie van der Poel (Netherlands)
- 1989 Sean Kelly (Ireland)
- 1990 Eric van Lancker (Belgium)
- 1991 Moreno Argentin (Italy)
- 1992 Dirk De Wolf (Belgium)
- 1993 Rolf Sörensen (Denmark)
- 1994 Evgeni Berzin (Russia)
- 1995 Mauro Gianetti (Switzerland)
- 1996 Pascal Richard (Switzerland)
- 1997 Michele Bartoli (Italy)
- 1998 Michele Bartoli (Italy)
- 1999 Frank Vandenbroucke (Belgium)
- 2000 Paolo Bettini (Italy)
- 2001 Oscar Camenzind (Switzerland)
- 2002 Paolo Bettini (Italy)
- 2003 Tyler Hamilton (USA)
- 2004 Davide Rebellin (Italy)
- 2005 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan)
- 2006 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2007 Danilo Di Luca (Italy)
- 2008 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2009 Andy Schleck (Luxembourg)
- 2010 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan)
- 2011 Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
- 2012 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan)
- 2013 Daniel Martin (Ireland)
- 2014 Simon Gerrans (Australia)
- 2015 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2016 Wouter Poels (Netherlands)
- 2017 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2018 Bob Jungels (Luxembourg)
- 2019 Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark)
- 2020 Primoz Roglic (Slovenia)
- 2021 Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia)
- 2022 Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
