Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) proved again his current domination of professional road cycling by winning the 112th Liège-Bastogne-Liège, becoming the first rider in this century to get three straight victories in La Doyenne and completing an outstanding spring on which he was won all Monuments at stake but Paris-Roubaix (2nd, behind Wout van Aert) while wearing the rainbow jersey and being the Tour de France reigning champion – a feat only achieved before by Eddy Merckx in 1975. This Liège, though, had a different factor at play compared to the two previous ones. His name is Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM). At 19 years and 7 months old, the young Frenchman managed to resist Pogacar’s devastating accelerations up La Redoute and only kneeled down before the world champion at la Roche aux Faucons, crossing the finish line in 2nd position to further build on his promise of one day challenging the Slovenian rider for his throne as best rider of the moment. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) rounded out the podium after a gutsy, courageous performance that saw him go on the offensive from the start and be chased for 165 kilometres by the peloton.
(Source: press office A.S.O. – photo: © A.S.O./Billy Ceusters)
