Rematch time
April 23 rd 2026 - 14:44
- Winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège three times in a row is an achievement accomplished by only a handful of riders. Tadej Pogacar will have only that objective in mind on Sunday, two weeks after suffering his first defeat of the season at Paris-Roubaix. He will find Remco Evenepoel on his path, a two-time winner here and eager for revenge against the Slovenian.
- Paul Seixas is gaining momentum, and he showed it by winning La Flèche Wallonne at the summit of the Mur de Huy. Can he counter the two main favorites of this 112th edition? The feat would be monumental for the young Frenchman, who keeps surprising from race to race.
- Runners-up in recent years, Tom Pidcock and Giulio Ciccone are among the outsiders ready to seize any opportunity. Others, like Mauro Schmid or Ben Tulett, hope to capitalize on their Ardennes form.
In sports language, the word “classic” can refer to the unmissable nature of a matchup, a race not to be missed under any circumstances. Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2026 more than ever deserves this designation. The anticipation surrounding La Doyenne is always immense. That for the 112th edition, this Sunday, April 26, has risen another notch in recent days, following the victories of Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) at the Amstel Gold Race, and Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) at La Flèche Wallonne. Two worthy winners crowned but in the absence of one man: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates XRG). The reigning two-time world champion was focused on his preparation for Liège-Bastogne-Liège after failing to win Paris-Roubaix (2nd). He is back for the third and final Ardennes classic, facing the winners of the previous two.
Winner in 2021, frustrated by a crash in 2023, Pogacar took his Liège revenge by winning the 2024 and 2025 editions. A year ago, Evenepoel did not have the legs to follow. The Belgian was also beaten by the Slovenian at the Tour of Flanders 2026, their only meeting this season. But his first podium in the race (3rd) showed his good form, on terrain that did not suit him. The Amstel suited him better and he did not miss his chance. Expected at La Flèche Wallonne, Remco skipped the only Ardennes classic missing from his record to prepare for a potential third title in Liège, after 2022 and 2023. The two rivals, who have won the last five editions of La Doyenne, were supposed to be the two favorites. But they are now three.
At 19, Seixas has just become the youngest winner in the history of La Flèche Wallonne by winning at the summit of the Mur de Huy. His victory, achieved as a confirmed puncheur, follows the one he secured as an all-terrain climber at the Tour of the Basque Country. “I am already focused on Liège-Bastogne-Liège,” he commented at the finish. And now? Like Evenepoel, the Frenchman was beaten by Pogacar in their only confrontation of the year at Strade Bianche. But once again like Evenepoel, Seixas nevertheless impressed in Italy (2nd). He says he has improved since then. Enough to contend for victory? We have to go back to Remco Evenepoel in 2022 to find a rider who won Liège-Bastogne-Liège on his first attempt. And to Bernard Hinault in 1980 to see a Frenchman win.
Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) is one of the few riders to have shaken Pogacar in 2026. It was at Milan-San Remo, where the Briton (2nd) pushed the Slovenian to his limits in the sprint. He had previously shown himself at Strade Bianche (7th) and at Milan-Turin (1st). A crash in Catalonia put a halt to his strong start to the season. He returned to competition 23 days later at the Tour of the Alps… and he has just won the 3rd stage. Pidcock can believe in a podium he already knows in Liège (2nd in 2023). The same position obtained by Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) last year. The Italian has not raised his arms since the Clasica San Sebastian 2025, but he can never be ruled out in these one-day hilly races. Just like his teammate Mattias Skjelmose, at the front in the recent Ardennes classics (2nd at the Amstel Gold Race, 5th at La Flèche Wallonne), and in contention to improve on his 9th place at La Doyenne in 2023.
Mauro Schmid is another in-form rider of the Belgian-Dutch triptych. The Jayco AlUla rider confirmed his recent victories (Muscat Classic, International Coppi and Bartali Week, a stage of the Tour of Oman) by recording his best results at the Amstel Gold Race (6th) and then La Flèche Wallonne (2nd). Never two without three for the Swiss rider, 22nd at Liège in 2025? At Visma-Lease a Bike, Ben Tulett took advantage of the absence of his usual leaders to shine at the Mur de Huy (3rd). “A great moment in my career,” he said emotionally. What if this very first podium in a World Tour race gives him wings for what comes next?
The energy of those seeking revenge will be on the side of some of the disappointed riders from the Ardennes races. Having crashed at the Amstel Gold Race (50th), Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers) experienced his first setback of the year, followed by another at La Flèche Wallonne (13th). He will not want a “never two without three,” but rather a reset. His compatriot Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) also hoped for better than the 8th place he achieved in Huy. The French climber finished just ahead of Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United), who was coming off a string of 4th places at Strade Bianche, La Flèche Brabançonne, and the Amstel Gold Race. The winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 would gladly take a similar result this Sunday. There is also hope for Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), who will want to move on from his crash at La Flèche Wallonne (44th), as will many other contenders for the top places.
25 teams, the main participants
Australia
Team Jayco AlUla : Mauro Schmid (CHE), Anders Foldager (DNK)
Bahrain
Bahrain Victorious : Lenny Martinez (FRA), Pello Bilbao (ESP)
Belgium
Soudal Quick-Step : Maximilian Schachmann (GER), Louis Vervaeke (BEL)
Alpecin-Premier Tech : Emiel Verstrynge (BEL)
Lotto Intermarché : Lennert Van Eetvelt (BEL), Georg Zimmermann (DEU)
France
Decathlon CMA CGM Team : Paul Seixas, Léo Bisiaux, Paul Lapeira (FRA)
Cofidis : Ion Izagirre, Alex Aranburu (ESP), Dylan Teuns (BEL)
Groupama-FDJ United : Romain Grégoire, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet (FRA)
TotalEnergies : Alexandre Delettre, Mathis Le Berre (FRA)
Germany
Lidl-Trek : Giulio Ciccone (ITA), Mattias Skjelmose (DNK)
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe : Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Daniel Martinez (COL)
Great Britain
Ineos Grenadiers : Kévin Vauquelin, Axel Laurance (FRA)
Kazakhstan
XDS Astana Team : Christian Scaroni, Diego Ulissi (ITA), Clément Champoussin (FRA)
Netherlands
Team Visma-Lease a Bike : Ben Tulett (GBR)
Team Picnic PostNL : Warren Barguil (FRA)
Norway
Uno-X Mobility : Tobias Johannessen (NOR)
Spain
Movistar Team : Cian Uijtdebroeks (BEL), Ivan Romeo (ESP)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA : Fernando Barcelo, Alex Molenaar (ESP)
Burgos-Burpellet-BH : Jesus Herrada (ESP), Lorenzo Quartucci (ITA), Eric Fagundez (URU)
Kern Pharma : Ivan Cobo (ESP), Mats Wenzel (LUX)
Switzerland
Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team : Tom Pidcock (GBR), Quinten Hermans (BEL)
Tudor Pro Cycling Team : Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
NSN Cycling Team : Alessandro Pinarello, Marco Frigo (ITA)
United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates XRG : Tadej Pogacar (SLO), Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA)
United States
EF Education - Easypost : Alex Baudin (FRA)