Pogačar scores Liège-Bastogne-Liège hat trick, his ninth Monument win

Tadej Pogačar continued his dominance on Sunday at the 111th Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the fourth Monument of 2025, winning a La Doyenne hat trick. It was his second Monument triumph of the year after the Tour of Flanders, the ninth Monument win of his career and his seventh victory of the season.

Last Season

The much-anticipated showdown between Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel resulted in a 35-km solo victory for the Slovenian the year after he crashed out of La Doyenne with a broken wrist. Would Pogačar cross swords with Amstel Gold Race chums Remco Evenepoel and Mattias Skjelmose again?

The Course

Eleven climbs were spread over a relentless 252-km course, the first two in the first half and the final three sure to elicit attacks. The Côte de La Redoute, 1.6 km of 8.8 percent, crested at the 217.5-km mark. Next came Côte des Forges, 1.3 km of 7.6 percent. The last ascent was Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, a nasty challenge at 1.3 km of 10 percent, peaking 11.5 km from the finish line in Liège.

By the midway point, a dozen breakaway riders–mostly ProTeam chaps–were 3:30 ahead of the peloton and a two-man Ineos chase was on its way. The third climb, where they really began to pile up, was Col de Haussire at the 119.5-km mark, and the two colonies had been brought 30 seconds closer.

Côte de Stockeu is a kilometer of 12 percent. By then the Ineos chase had been swallowed up and the breakaway’s lead was just outside a minute. UAE-Emirates led the way up. The fugitives were all sopped up on the Col du Rosier with 61 km remaining. Lidl-Trek was massed behind UAE-Emirates, who kept the pace high. Remco Evenepoel was positioned far back.

Côte de La Redoute

Marco Brenner led the peloton onto the Redoute for his captain Tom Pidcock. EF Education took a pull before UAE-Emirates grabbed the reins again. Pogačar hit it.

At first Pidcock and Alaphilippe were the closest chasers, but they received reinforcements on the way to Côte des Forges. Pidcock and Irishman Ben Healy lit out after the Slovenian and Alaphilippe and Giulio Ciccone linked up with them.

Côte des Forges

Pogačar reached the next climb 46 seconds ahead of the Pidcock quartet. Alaphilippe struggled to stay in contact.

Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons

On the Falcon Climb, the world champion was 1:20 ahead of the Pidcock gang. With a 40-strong group closing in, Ciccone tried to fly the coop and Healy found his wheel. The Slovenian had plenty of time to savour the victory. The Irishman and the Italian would not be denied the podium.

For the next four months, the WorldTour turns its attention to stage races and Grand Tours.

2025 Liège-Bastogne-Liège
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 6:00:19
2) Giulio Ciccone (Italy/Lidl-Trek) +1:03
3) Ben Healy (Ireland/EF Education-Easypost) s.t.