Liège (Belgium) (AFP)

The Dean to the winner of the Tour!

Liège-Bastogne-Liège was conquered on Sunday by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar who beat the world champion, the French Julian Alaphilippe, once again second.

At 22, Pogacar has become one of the youngest race winners in the modern era.

The youngest since Bernard Hinault (1977) who was also, during his memorable success of 1980, the last winner of the Tour to appear on the charts.

To win his third attempt in the Dean of Classics, the young Slovenian has set up a prestigious quartet.

With David Gaudu, who ensured a second French presence on the podium (3rd), the Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde, the quadruple winner of the race which celebrated his 41st birthday on Sunday, and the Canadian Michael Woods, at the initiative of the decisive breakaway.

"I knew that Alaphilippe had a long sprint, I stuck in his wheel and I was able to run over it," then explained Pogacar, already in evidence last year in the final.

But the Slovenian could not do better than third, after a sprint won by his compatriot Primoz Roglic but troubled by the gap of Alaphilippe.

- Two French people on the podium -

This time, the reigning world champion focused on the final, without trying to make the decision in the last of the eleven hills of the course, La Roche-aux-Faucons, 13 kilometers from the finish.

He reacted to Woods' attack, then controlled the leading group and forced Valverde to take the lead down the home stretch along the Ourthe.

All good ... but it was without counting on Pogacar who had already shown himself very comfortable in La Roche-aux-Faucons, the fatal rise to the representatives of the Ineos team until then very offensive ( Carapaz, then declassified for having adopted a position on the frame of the bicycle which is now prohibited).

"Tadej was smart, he launched as needed, from the back," admitted Alaphilippe.

Second in 2015, during his first participation, the French added a new place of honor to his series in the Doyenne, the classic that has continued to elude French riders since Hinault in 1980.

With two riders on the podium, however, French cycling has distinguished itself in one of the five most important and demanding classics of the season.

Almost seven hours of cycling ... and cramps for several riders, in particular for the last survivor of the breakaway launched from the start, the Belgian Loïc Vliegen, zigzagging in the penultimate hill (Les Forges).

- Roglic indented -

Having become the justice of the peace of the race, La Roche-aux-Faucons cleared the hierarchy of the day.

To the detriment of Roglic, the outgoing winner who did not have his level of the Flèche Wallonne (2nd last Wednesday) for his last appearance in the race before a long stop leading him to the Tour de France.

But Slovenia, present for the first time on the prize list last year, has another leader of the peloton with Pogacar.

Irresistible last year in the time trial of La Planche des Belles Filles which secured him victory in the Tour, the leader of the UAE team has shown impressive consistency since the start of the season.

Victories in the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico, third place in the Tour of the Basque Country following a strategic error of his formation ... Pogacar made an almost perfect copy in the stage races.

But he also stood out on the Strade Bianche (7th), his only other race of a day before the Doyenne.

Since he could not, because of health regulations linked to covid-19, take part last Wednesday in the Flèche Wallonne.

Furious, the Slovenian had compensated by an exit of more than 200 kilometers on the roads of the Dean.

To approach, even more motivated, its 259 kilometers.

© 2021 AFP