Liège-Bastogne-Liège Men LIVE: Tadej Pogačar misses early split as race explodes early and Evenepoel takes advantage

2026-04-26T08:26:45.761Z

2026-04-26T08:22:42.370Z

There are also attacks off the front to try to join the early breakaway. There is no such thing as an easy start to a modern-day Monument.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-26T08:21:00.537Z

With Liege in the valley, the climb up to Beaufays has sparked the intense start to the day.

2026-04-26T08:19:22.289Z

UAE have Tim Wellens and Vegard Stake Laengen in the front group but they have been told to sit on as the peloton tries to close the gap.

2026-04-26T08:15:42.747Z

Big-name riders in the front group include Remco Evenepoel and Egan Bernal.

Tadej Pogačar was at the back of the peloton for the roll out and so might be in the second group. That could explain the split and the growing gap.

Race on!

2026-04-26T08:13:39.540Z

The front group is pushing on, the gap is up to 35 seconds.

2026-04-26T08:09:54.673Z

The crash has raised the tension in the early kilometres, with 60 riders off the front and the others chasing at 20 seconds. It’s going to be a long, hard day for every rider.

2026-04-26T08:08:28.955Z

When the race directors flag is dropped there are attacks! There’s also an early crash, involving Ion Izagirre (Cofidis).

The crash has split the peloton.

2026-04-26T08:07:02.737Z

173 riders in the race today. James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost) and Alexandre Delettre (TotalEnergies) didnot sign on and so didn’t start.

2026-04-26T08:06:01.272Z

2026-04-26T07:59:04.006Z

All eyes are on this man today.

2026-04-26T07:56:10.913Z

3-2-1 C’est Parti! They’re off!

The riders roll out of the start area. The 2026 Liege-Bastohne-Liege is underway.

2026-04-26T07:55:22.296Z

The riders face 259.5km of racing today, with a short ride out of the city centre before the flag drops.

2026-04-26T07:53:45.264Z

One minute to the start!

2026-04-26T07:52:41.273Z

The riders are now on the start line, with Evenepoel, Belgian national champion Tim Wellens, Tadej Pogačar on the front of the grid.

2026-04-26T07:51:01.784Z

Tadej Pogačar and his UAE team are the last to sign on. The Slovenian races in the rainbow jersey as world champion and with race number 1 as the 2025 winner.

“It will come down to who is less tired, who has the strongest team around him. We’ll see in a few hours….” he said on the sign-on podium.

2026-04-26T07:48:54.409Z

Evenepoel spoke about the race and his rivals on Friday after his final recon ride on the route.

2026-04-26T07:46:17.591Z

Remco Evenepoel is next to sign on with his Red Bull teammates. He is, of course, a two-time winner, in 2022 and 2023.

“The legs and a strong team will make the difference today,” he said when asked how he can win Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

“We’ll give the maximum to try to win. The final is so long and so hard, that whoever wins is the strongest in the race.”

2026-04-26T07:42:37.355Z

The race announcer lists Paul Seixas’ results and he waves to the crowd with a smile. He is only 19 but has a poise and maturity beyond his years.

“It’s emotional to start my first Liege-Bastogne-Liege and I hope to do well and if I can, to be up there,” Seixas said.

“It’s true I won the Junior Liege-Bastogne-Liege, so I’ve done it once, but that race ended on La Redoute climb, so its a different race.

“We’ll see how it goes. If I can stay with Pogacar, it will already be a success.”

2026-04-26T07:37:37.798Z

Get ready to hear the crowd cheer. Paul Seixas and his Decathlon CMA CGM are about to sign on.

2026-04-26T07:36:02.994Z

Visma are the next team to sign on. They lost Matteo Jorgenson after his crash at last week’s Amstel Gold Race but still have a solid team. Ben Tullett was strong at La Fleche Wallonne and could be part of the race today.

2026-04-26T07:33:36.589Z

Tom Pidcock signs on as leader of Pinarello-Q36.5. He has played down his chances after his crash and knee injury but impressed at the Tour of the Alps.

If he isn’t able to take on the big three, he is still likely to perform and score a haul of UCI points for his team, which is also important.

2026-04-26T07:32:00.237Z

To understand the big favourites and the outsiders, read our analysis of the contenders.

The big four and the rest – Analysing the contenders at the men’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

2026-04-26T07:28:46.470Z

Ben O’Conor signs on with his Jayco AlUla teammates. The Australia ids one of several riders to travel to Belgium after riding the Tour of the Alps during the week.

Tom Pidcock, Egan Bernal also face a last hard day out of a long, hard week.

2026-04-26T07:26:46.359Z

The best WorldTour teams and several wild card teams are in the peloton but the expected narrative is all about a three-rider clash: Tadej Pogačar versus Remco Evenepoel versus Paul Siexas.

Tom Pidcock represents the outsiders, who could take advantage of the three favourites watch each other too much.

2026-04-26T07:22:51.260Z

Kévin Vauquelin of Ineos has just signed on, with the race organisers playing a happy boirhtdat tune for his 25th birthday. The French rider faces a birthday of suffering but could be a contender today.

2026-04-26T07:21:29.000Z

Liège-Bastogne-Liège closes out the Ardennes Classics week with a tough race over 250km, 10 classified climbs and many, many others in the rolling hills of south-eastern Belgium.

The climbs of the Saint-Roch, Wanne, Stockeu, La Redoute, and Roche-aux-Faucons are among those which pepper the route, making the race the toughest of Ardennes week and perhaps the whole season.

2026-04-26T07:17:29.064Z

The riders are currently signing on in the centre of Liege before the start. The sun is out, everyone is ready to race hard in what should be a spectacular race.

2026-04-26T07:16:35.351Z

Hello, Bonjour and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the 2026 men’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

We will have full coverage of the race and all the best post-race reaction and photographs.

Check back all day to understands what happens in the final Classic of the spring.