Top favorite Tadej Pogacar will miss Remco Evenepoel in Liège-Bastogne-Liège: “Sometimes cycling sucks”

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“I’m looking forward to racing against Mathieu,” said Pogacar at a press moment in the run-up to La Doyenne. “Liège is in principle a bit more for the climbers than for the slightly heavier riders like him, but everyone knows that he can do everything. It is one of the longest races of the year with many climbs. If he chooses a course, he will perform.”

The defending champion is not there this year because Remco Evenepoel is currently recovering from a crash in the Tour of the Basque Country. Last year Pogacar itself fell early in Liège.

“I miss Remco on the starting list. He won the two previous editions when I was not there in the final. I was hoping to compete against him this year. We both love this match. It would have been interesting to compete against each other, but sometimes cycling sucks.”

His great rival Jonas Vingegaard is also currently in hospital. “I know from my own experience that your body needs time to recover, even if you think in your head that you are ready again. Such a heavy fall disrupts your preparation. I hope that everyone can start training at altitude as soon as possible to prepare for the Tour. It’s still a while away, but the clock is ticking. With hard work, they can certainly still make it.”

READ ALSO. Mathieu van der Poel has no doubts about opportunities in Liège-Bastogne-Liège: “But everything will have to fall into the right shape just a little more”