2022 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Photo galleries, Racing -

Gallery: Two solo wins, two emphatic statements at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Gallery: Two solo wins, two emphatic statements at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

In winning Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, both Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) made a statement.

In Van Vleuten’s case, there’s been a feeling in recent months that maybe the Dutchwoman’s lost the edge that once put her so far above most of the peloton; that the level within that peloton has risen to meet her lofty standards. On Sunday she showed that, on her day, she’s still a class above. And she did it in true Van Vleuten style too – attacking alone with 15 km to go and ultimately riding to yet another solo victory.

For Evenepoel, winning on Sunday, in his Liège-Bastogne-Liège debut, was a chance to silence some of his critics. Only someone of Evenepoel’s potential could have taken 25 pro wins by age 22 and still have people questioning whether he’s lived up to his potential. But at Liège, the young Belgian punched away with 30 km to go and rode to a comprehensive victory – his first in a Monument.

It’s not clear whether Evenepoel will ever be able to live up to the pressure and expectation heaped on him by the Belgian cycling fans (and the Belgian cycling press); if anything less than a truly Merckxian career will do. Regardless, Sunday was a true demonstration of power from a rider who’s surely going to win plenty more races in the years to come.

Join us as we relive the weekend’s racing, courtesy of some great photos from Kristof Ramon and Ashley and Jered Gruber. The Grubers’ photos from the women’s race kick things off, followed by Kristof and the Grubers’ shots from the men’s race.

Pastry, anyone?
Soggy conditions at the sixth women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
We see you there, Ashley!
Liège-Bastogne-Liège mightn’t have the mystique of Flanders or Roubaix, but it’s a beautiful race nonetheless.
Grace Brown led the race solo in the closing kilometres. But an attack with 15 km to go saw Van Vleuten leave the chase group, bridge to Brown …
… then ride clear to win solo with no one else in shot.
Grace Brown was a popular second-placed finisher, for the second time in her career.
Viktor Verschaeve warms up ahead of the men’s race.
Rigo doing Rigo things.
Just a young Alaphilippe fan.
And there’s the man himself. ‘LouLou’ started as one of the favourites, but left the race in an ambulance with multiple fractures after hitting a tree in a massive pile-up.
Caption contest: what are these two saying to each other? Maybe something about riding through dirt next to a cobbled sector for Tour de France recon?
Former winner Philippe Gilbert was starting Liège for the last time.
And there’s Evenepoel, signing a jersey for a fan. TIL Evenepoel is left-handed.
Up the iconic Côte de Saint-Roche.
The breakaway plies its trade ahead of the peloton.
Gilbert was given a hearty send-off by roadside fans …
… and on the road itself. All up, there were 700 “PHIL”s painted on the Côte de la Redoute.
Mikel Landa had a dig in the closing kilometres.
But it was Evenepoel (right) who made the most decisive attack. He burst clear atop the Redoute …
… before catching then passing Bruno Amirail.
Evenepoel TT his way to victory …
… which he took solo, apart from one protester who joined Evenepoel in the finishing straight.
Evenepoel gets a hug from his mum and his girlfriend Oumii at the finish.
In some ways it’s surprising that this is Evenepoel’s first Monument victory. More will surely follow.
Quinten Hermans (left) won the sprint for second in the chase group, ahead of Wout van Aert. It was the first all-Belgian podium at Liège since 1976.
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