The China Mail - Ruthless Pogacar wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege for third time

The 26-year-old road race world champion, who took off as expected on the Cote de la Redoute with 34km to go, finished a minute ahead of Italy's Giulio Ciccone and Ireland's Ben Healy.

His main rival, Belgian Remco Evenepoel, the winner in 2022 and 2023, was never in the hunt and finished more than three minutes behind the winner.

Pogacar has already done enough in his cycling career to be considered a legend but his third win, after 2021 and 2024, only underlines his remarkable record.

Sunday's win means the UAE leader becomes only the second rider after Eddy Merckx, still considered to be the greatest of all time, to win the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in the same year.

The reigning world champion, who wrote a note in felt-tip pen on his race number in memory of the mother of his partner who died three years ago, is even the first rider to finish on the podium of six consecutive Monuments.

The Slovenian now has nine Monument wins -- the five biggest classics on the calendar -- to his name, joining Fausto Coppi, Sean Kelly and Costante Giardengo in third place on the all-time list.

Merckx holds the record with 19 Monuments, including five Liege-Bastogne-Liege wins.

Pogacar's victory in Liege rounded off an intense classics campaign in which the Slovenian shone on all fronts.

His earlier wins in the Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders and Fleche Wallonne gives him four victories and he also had three other podiums, including Paris-Roubaix, in his seven races.

The 26-year-old will now take a break of over a month before returning to racing at the Criterium du Dauphine in June to prepare for his next major objective -- the Tour de France in July where he will be aiming for a fourth victory.

J.Liv--ThChM