For the men, the 254.7-kilometre ride leads over eleven long steep sections, the so-called "Côtes". Côte is the French word for climb. The Ardennes classic was first held in 1892 and therefore also bears the honourable title of "La Doyenne", which translates as "oldest". It has been part of the most important UCI WorldTour racing series since 2011 and is known for its changeable weather conditions due to being held in April - in the past, the race has been held on snow-covered roads. The route with around 4,200 metres of climbing leads from Liège through the Ardennes south to the turning point in Bastogne and back. The route offers many opportunities for attacks, which is why the riders have to be alert from the Côte de Wanne at kilometre 170 at the latest. The route is significantly more difficult on the way back, as ten of the eleven designated climbs are on the second half of the route.
Over many mountains
The starting point in Liège this time is not Place Saint-Lambert as in previous years. The reason: the major tramway construction project. This year's start is at the Quai des Ardennes. From there, the men have to climb the Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne and the Côte de Saint-Roch. After the ride through the municipality of Vielsalm, nine climbs follow in less than 100 kilometres: first the Côte de Mont-le-Soie, Côte de Wanne, Côte de Stockeu and Côte de Haute-Levée, followed by the Col du Rosier. Although the Stockeu climb is the shortest at around one kilometre, it is also the steepest with a gradient of 12.5 percent. The longest is the Col du Rosier at 4.4 kilometres. The average gradient there is 5.9 per cent. The Côte de Desnié, Côte de la Redoute (up to 22 per cent steep), Côte de Sprimont and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, which climbs over 1.3 kilometres with an average gradient of 11 per cent, make up the finale. Since 2019, there has been a new, flat finale in the centre of Liège instead of the final climb in the suburb of Ans.
The route overview from the organiser is here viewable.
The women's race
Liège-Bastogne-Liège is the most recent women's race in the so-called Ardennes Classics, which also include the Amstel Gold Race (10.4.22) and the Flèche Wallonne (20.4.22). The female cyclists start their 142.1-kilometre route at the turning point of the men's race in Bastogne. From there, they will ride almost the same route. Saint-Roch and Stockeu are omitted for the women, but they also have to struggle over the remaining tough climbs. In 2017, Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen was the only one to win all three events in the Ardennes within one season - the world and Olympic champion ended her racing career last year. Last year, her Dutch compatriot and team-mate Demi Vollering (Team SD WORX) succeeded her as the winner.
For the women, the trident of Mont-le Soie, Wanne and Haute-Levée awaits right at the start, before the peloton approaches the Côte de la Redoute via the Côte de Desnié. After the final Roche-aux-Faucons climb, the finish will be at the Quai des Ardennes in Liège, just like for the men. The challenge on the final climb promises excitement right to the end.
The overview map for the women's race is available here.
Who are the top favourites for 2022?
Last year's men's winner Tadej Pogacar is once again one of the favourites this year. The preliminary decision was made a good 14 kilometres before the finish in 2021. On the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, the exquisite group around world champion Julian Alaphilippe opened up a large gap to the rest of the peloton. The 2020 winner, Primoz Roglic, had to let go, but is once again considered the top favourite alongside Pogacar and Alaphilippe in 2022. The last German victory by Didi Thurau was 43 years ago. There are 25 teams competing in the men's race.
Alongside last year's winner Demi Vollering, countrywoman Annemiek van Vleuten is also the top favourite in the women's peloton. The 2019 winner and last year's runner-up is regarded as the strongest climber in the women's peloton. The favourites also include Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma from the German racing team Canyon-SRAM and the young German Liane Lippert (Team DSM), third in the most recent Amstel Gold Race. A total of 24 teams will be at the start.
Information about Liège-Bastogne-Liège at a glance
Date: 24 April 2022
Location: Liège (Belgium)
Distance: 254.7 kilometres (men), 142.1 kilometres (women)
Edition: 108th men / 6th women
First race: 1892 (men), 2017 (women)
Record winner: Eddy Merckx (five times), Anna van der Breggen (twice)
German winners: Hermann Buse (1930), Dietrich Thurau (1979)
Result 2021:
Men
- 1. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia / UAE Team Emirates), 6:39:26
- 2nd Julian Alaphilippe (France / Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team)
- 3rd David Gaudu (France / Groupama-FDJ)
- 4th Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Moviestar Team)
- 5th Michael Woods (Canada / Israel Start-Up Nation), (all) same time
Women
- 1st Demi Vollering (Netherlands / SD Worx), 3:54:32
- 2nd Annemiet van Vleuten (Netherlands / Moviestar Team Women)
- 3rd Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy / Trek-Segafredo)
- 4th Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland / Canyon Sram Racing), (all) same time
- 5th Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands / SD Worx), + 0:02 minutes
Key points: the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, the last steep climb before the finish
Website: www.liege-bastogne-liege.be (men); www.liege-bastogne-liege-femmes.be (women)
TV: 11:15 - 12:45 (women), 13:30 - 17:00 (men) on Eurosport 1
Everyman race of the Liège-Bastogne-Liège
On the day before the professional race, amateur athletes can take part in the spring classic on various distances: There is a choice of 81, 147 or 255 kilometres. The longest distance corresponds to the route of the male pros; it meets the middle distance in Stavelot. From there, the cyclists will both tackle the triptych of the Rosier, the Haute-Levée and the Vecquée. The routes are characterised by beautiful landscapes and tough climbs. Info: www.sport.be/lblcyclo/en
