Tadej Pogačar's hat-trick, La Redoute, and Dutch delight: Five things to look out for at Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2025

Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Sunday 27 April
Distance: 252km
Start: 10:50 BST
Finish: 15:10 BST

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes
Sunday 27 April
Distance: 152.9km
Start: 12:45 BST
Finish: 16:40 BST

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2025 takes place on Sunday 27 April in Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium. Known as La Doyenne, or the Old Lady, Liège-Bastogne-Liège was first run in 1892 and is the oldest professional cycling race in the world.

Here are five things to look out for at the Monument, as well as everything else you need to know about this year's men's and women's editions.

Five things to look out for at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Wallonia’s time

After what must seem like weeks of Flemish dominance of the bike racing narrative, Liège finally gives the French-speaking part of Belgium something to shout about. The race takes place in the very east of the country, in the hilly Ardennes. It’s more Liège waffles than Flemish frites, and Orval and Chimay over Bolleke and Westvleteren in terms of beer.

Liège finish

Despite the name, for almost 30 years the race finished in Ans, a northern suburb of Liège, at the top of a steep climb; this discouraged solo attacks and encouraged a final, interminable sprint, like a slightly less vicious Flèche Wallonne. However, since 2019, the finish has been in the centre of town, with the final climb coming 13km from the finish - a lone attacker can certainly win now.

Dutch dominance

In the 10 year history of a women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège - I know, only 10 years?! - there have only been two non-Dutch winners: Lizzie Deignan in 2020, and Grace Brown last year. With Demi Vollering and Anna van der Breggen among the favourites, this record might continue. What is it about Wallonia that makes the Oranje pedal so hard?

Pogačar v Evenepoel

The last four years of Liège have seen two wins apiece for Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, although intriguingly, both have never finished the same race. On the one occasion they were both on the same start list, 2023, Pogačar crashed out early. Is a genuine duel between the pair too much to ask for?

Battle of the Bulge

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, which was fought around a lot of the route of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, most famously with the Siege of Bastogne. Nazi Germany counter-attacked through American lines in the Ardennes, with the offensive ultimately coming to nothing, but costing many lives.

Focus on: La Redoute

At just over 30km from the finish, the Côte de la Redoute might not always be where the race is won, but it is where the winning group is formed.

The 2km climb at an average of 8.8% might not sound too extreme, but it comes 220km into the men's race, and 119km into the women's.

Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar have used it as a launch pad for victory, either attacking on it, or just after it. With many riders already out of contention by this point, It acts as the perfect place to shred what remains of the peloton.

Where can I watch Liège-Bastogne-Liège?

It is on TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, accessible via a TV package or a Discovery+ subscription. Peacock has the rights in the US, SBS On Demand has free coverage in Australia, and you can watch your usual services while abroad with a VPN such as NordVPN.

Last year's Liège-Bastogne-Liège podiums

Men's

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)
2. Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Women’s

1. Grace Brown (UAE Team ADQ)
2. Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
3. Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Riders to watch at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

A third Liège-Bastogne-Liège would take the world champion to joint-fourth on the all-time list for wins at La Doyenne, not bad for a man aged just 26, it would also mean a ninth Monument. Pogačar will be the out and out favourite for the men’s race - how far out will the attack come this time?

Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)

The Dutchwoman didn’t race between San Remo Women and the Amstel Gold Race, instead spending time training at altitude ahead of the busy part of her season. Two years ago she won all three of the Ardennes Classics, and one more Liège would take her to three and the outright record.

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)

We all know about Lotte Kopecky’s punch and power, but does the world champion have the climbing prowess to win a Monument as hilly as Liège? She has only raced it once, finishing 38th last year, but if she is the Tour de France Femmes contender she claims to be, then she will need to start performing on climbs like these.

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)

A two-time winner just like Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel could make history by being the first reigning male Olympic champion to win Liège. Normally, he would be one of the two favourites, but little is known about his condition after he was knocked off his bike and seriously injured late last year. He is certainly one to watch.

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto)

The defending Tour de France Femmes champion has always been near the front at Liège, never finishing outside the top 20 in eight attempts, but has only once finished on the podium - her debut. The Pole is yet to win a race this year, and a year on from her drought-breaking Flèche Wallonne victory, it’s time for another statement performance.