Editor’s picks for Liège–Bastogne–Liège who aren’t Alejandro Valverde

La Doyonne, the final one day classic of the spring season is on Sunday. It’s a race for the climbers with 12 categorized obstacles and not a flat stretch of road over its 258 km. The 2018 edition looks to be wide open after Julian Alaphilippe exposed Alejandro Valverde’s vulnerability at Wednesday La Flèche Wallonne. Valverde remains the overwhelming favourite having won here four times and twice in the last three years. That means our editors were forbidden from picking the ageless Spaniard.

Rob Sturney – Web contributor

After his runner-up spot at Amstel Gold and fourth in La Flèche Wallonne, Mitchelton-Scott’s Czech Roman Kreuziger has made me a believer. Kreuziger has finished in the top-10 of La Doyenne four times. He has won Amstel Gold and the Clasica San Sebastian (albeit because the winner had his results scrubbed from the record) and looks on good form this spring. On Sunday he’ll be part of a group also containing teammates Jack Haig and Michael Albasini that makes it over the Saint-Nicolas and hits the foot of the climb into Ans. It will be a surprise win with everyone looking at the favourites.

Philippe Tremblay – Web editor

Michael Matthews has been quietly building some really nice form ahead of Sunday’s LBL. The Australian’s long-awaited Monument victory will come in La Doyenne. While spectators will dearly hope for an exciting finale with lots of attacks, most of the favourites including Alejandro Valverde know the best way to win is to wait for the final gradual ascent up to the faithful left-hand turn and the flat couple hundred meters to the finish line in Ans. Matthews was fifth at La Flèche Wallonne showing his climbing legs are exactly where they need to be while a late puncture at Amstel took him out of contention in that race. On Sunday, Matthews will make the final section and be well positioned to contest the win ending a dry spell that stretches back to last year’s Tour de France.

Matthew Pioro – Editor

I’m going with my heart on this one: Ottawa’s Michael Woods. He’s had bad luck with LBL in the past. In 2016, he crashed with about 25 km to the finish. In 2017, he was struggling with allergies. I’m hoping the third time is a charm. Sure, his recent result at Flèche (33rd) wasn’t as good as last year’s (11th) or 2016’s (12th). But, he’s been building his one-day race repertoire. I’m thinking of his second place at Milano-Torino in 2016 and second at Gran Premio Miguel Indurain in 2017. I hope it all comes together on Sunday. Just imagine: a Monument win by a Canadian. That would be monumental.

Terry McKall – MTB web editor

I want to see Tiesj Benoot get another big win this spring. It may be far fetched, but here’s how he does it. Quick-Step Floors decides they have to power to win any race they want to and attacks all day, forcing Valverde’s Movistar team to work hard in the chase. It works. Valverde ends up alone well before he wants to be and is on the ropes but so is Quick-Step Floors. Benoot smells their weakness, finds an opportune moment and takes advantage of their day’s labour. What happens after that is unclear, but the key to his success is a surprise. If we knew what was coming, so would Valverde. No one will see it coming but Benoot will find a way.

Andre Cheuk – Associate Editor

Ever since he broke through with a pair of second-place finishes to the evergreen Valverde, in Flèche and Liège in 2015, Julian Alaphilippe has been tipped for greatness. It was obvious that the Frenchman has the skills and talent to win, perhaps lacking just a bit of experience against seasoned veterans like Valverde. Though Alaphilippe has had a quiet build-up this spring, it appears he has gathered the necessary experience and timed his peak for just the right time. On Wednesday’s Flèche Wallone, it was Alaphilippe who timed his acceleration to perfection up the Mur de Huy, leaving all others—including Valverde—in his wake. It appears the student is about to become the master.

Dan Walker – Social media editor

Who’s that guy in the background of Alejandro Valverde’s celebration last year? Oh, it’s Daniel Martin. What about in 2016? Martin was up on the podium then too. Normally I’d say the 2013 winner of LBL is a safe bet to finish second, but Ssenor Valverde looked vulnerable just a few days ago at Flèche. While Martin crashed out of contention, he says he’s in good health and raring to go on Sunday. He’s got the experience and I say he’s primed to once again put himself on the top step of the podium like he did in 2013.