Tadej Pogacar Wins 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège in Solo Attack

Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates won the 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège cycling race on Sunday with a decisive solo attack 35 km from the finish. The Slovenian rider crossed the line 1 minute and 39 seconds ahead of Romain Bardet (DSM Firmenich), with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) taking third place after being caught behind a massive crash at 95 km to go.

The 254.5 km race, known as "La Doyenne" (The Old Lady), is the oldest of cycling's five Monuments and featured 11 categorized climbs. Pogacar launched his winning move on the legendary Côte de la Redoute, building a lead of over 90 seconds that he maintained to the finish in Liège.

The victory was an emotional one for Pogacar, who dedicated the win to his fiancée's mother, who had passed away shortly before the 2022 edition of the race. "This one is for Urška's mom, who passed away two years ago the day before Liège," Pogacar said after the finish. "It was a big goal for me to win for her today."

The race was affected by a huge crash with just over 100 km to go that split the peloton and ended the chances of several pre-race favorites, including Van der Poel and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers). Van der Poel managed to chase back and claimed the final podium spot, but acknowledged he was no match for Pogacar.

Why this matters: Pogacar's dominant victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, his sixth career Monument win, cements his status as the sport's top stage racer and one-day rider. The 24-year-old Slovenian is now aiming for an unprecedented Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double this summer.

Bardet, who finished second, was pleased with his performance and the experience he gained from his previous podium finish in 2018. "I knew Pogacar would attack on La Redoute," Bardet said. "I thought about my 2018 experience in the finale and was determined to take advantage of any opportunities to get rid of my rivals. Being on the podium between Pogacar and Van der Poel makes for a beautiful photo I can frame for my son."

Key Takeaways

• Tadej Pogacar won the 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège with a solo attack 35 km from finish.
• Romain Bardet finished 2nd, Mathieu van der Poel 3rd after a massive crash.
• Pogacar dedicated the win to his fiancée's late mother, a personal goal.
• Pogacar's victory cements his status as top stage racer and one-day rider.
• Bardet pleased with 2nd place, gained experience from his 2018 podium finish.