emirates7 - UAE Team Emirates-XRG has revealed its full lineup for the prestigious Liège-Bastogne-Liège race, one of cycling's most revered classics, set to take place next week in Belgium. The team will be represented by Felix Großschartner (Austria), Vegard Stake Laengen (Norway), Brandon McNulty (USA), Domen Novak (Slovenia), Pavel Sivakov (France), and Florian Vermeersch (Belgium).
Tadej Pogačar, fresh off his eighth Monument victory three weeks ago, will lead the team at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. This iconic race marks the conclusion of the spring Classics season and will see top cyclists compete fiercely before the Grand Tours take center stage. Pogačar's second-place finish at the Amstel Gold Race last weekend showcased his readiness for the tough climbs of the Ardennes, with the challenges of La Flèche Wallonne and La Doyenne still ahead.
Meanwhile, in Spain, UAE Team Emirates-XRG will also compete in the Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo, aiming to defend the title won by Isaac del Toro last year.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège, at 133 years old, is the oldest of cycling's five Monuments and is widely anticipated this year. Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG have won the race twice, with victories in 2021 and 2024, following a third-place finish in 2020 and a crash in 2023 that impacted their season. This year, Pogačar has enjoyed a successful Classics campaign, securing wins at Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders, as well as podium finishes at Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, and the Amstel Gold Race. Pogačar, who stunned the cycling world with a second-place finish at Paris-Roubaix on his debut, will now return to more familiar territory in Liège.
The Liège-Bastogne-Liège route features 4,400m of climbing over 251.8km, with nine out of eleven categorised climbs in the final 100km. The famous Côte de Stockeu, once feared by many, was the site of multiple victories for Eddy Merckx during his career. Pogačar, with eight Monument wins to his name, is now focusing on his final one-day races before preparing for the Tour de France this summer.
Pogačar expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I’ve had a great Classics season so far. I came in with many goals, and there are still two races left, with the biggest one next Sunday. Liège is probably the race that suits me best, so I’m really looking forward to it, but every race is important.”
Tadej Pogačar, fresh off his eighth Monument victory three weeks ago, will lead the team at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. This iconic race marks the conclusion of the spring Classics season and will see top cyclists compete fiercely before the Grand Tours take center stage. Pogačar's second-place finish at the Amstel Gold Race last weekend showcased his readiness for the tough climbs of the Ardennes, with the challenges of La Flèche Wallonne and La Doyenne still ahead.
Meanwhile, in Spain, UAE Team Emirates-XRG will also compete in the Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo, aiming to defend the title won by Isaac del Toro last year.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège, at 133 years old, is the oldest of cycling's five Monuments and is widely anticipated this year. Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG have won the race twice, with victories in 2021 and 2024, following a third-place finish in 2020 and a crash in 2023 that impacted their season. This year, Pogačar has enjoyed a successful Classics campaign, securing wins at Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders, as well as podium finishes at Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, and the Amstel Gold Race. Pogačar, who stunned the cycling world with a second-place finish at Paris-Roubaix on his debut, will now return to more familiar territory in Liège.
The Liège-Bastogne-Liège route features 4,400m of climbing over 251.8km, with nine out of eleven categorised climbs in the final 100km. The famous Côte de Stockeu, once feared by many, was the site of multiple victories for Eddy Merckx during his career. Pogačar, with eight Monument wins to his name, is now focusing on his final one-day races before preparing for the Tour de France this summer.
Pogačar expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I’ve had a great Classics season so far. I came in with many goals, and there are still two races left, with the biggest one next Sunday. Liège is probably the race that suits me best, so I’m really looking forward to it, but every race is important.”