Liège Bastogne Liège 2018 FULL RACE

you're watching what is a beautiful day for a bike race it is of course the age Bastogne yeesh and it is ladder Yin the oldest classic our books are a sunny afternoon in a hilly part of ellonija in Belgium finish line in arms is waiting for the final time changes next year to the center of is it gonna be a record equaling time for alejandro valverde we'll see for now though it's time to go and have a look what happened exactly a year ago today he is passed on year 2017 all seven riders were in the early break Tiago Machado there Anthony Perez was there as well resettled relegated to click and vonda Lake riders attacking all the time good group of riders behind them pursuing to it all kicked off in the bunch Demark he was a man to follow he a lot or having a go as well and 44 kilometers to go and the gray skies and quite a cold day there were plenty of riders trying to take what will be an historic win in their careers [Music] second are having a go on the horse trough for court sky who had won the race of course the year before with whirlpools medication in the snow and miserable conditions on Tony Perez and Stefan at horse it all would be thirty seconds ahead Paris too tired then well ins will have a goat but with nine kilometres remaining the Italian riders would have a go once they're on to that finale and ons Dan Martin trying to sprint out and repeat the victory he pulled off just a few years before look behind though alejandro valverde making the move up to the Irishman right on his will and then the valvert of the procession was complete he's the man everybody had talked about in the build-up and the man who won it for a fourth time so wild better there with a victory hands in the air and Mavi star with their Spaniard taking yet another win and the hardest classic and the books a happy man and of course it was an emotional time with Michaela Scott a pony having died just the day before but a good friends are the late Italians dedicating his win to his good mate so forth time for wild weather they remember he'd already won it against Ana Philippe got three guests towards the end of his career what about better they think of all this one of my favorite races on the international calendar I've won it four times I intend to win it again but it's not going to be easy rivals are very strong it's going to be complicated flash was more difficult of course ala Philippe's very good and I'm here to have a good race well better than mentioning that flesh on Wednesday was more difficult I wonder why this man is the answer Julia Anna Philippe you'd only ever finished second in that race now he's at the top ala Philippe coming in to the edge hoping to be the first French hope to win this race in a staggering 38 years the wind was perfect timing for me at flesh one on I've been begging for a big win for a long time having succeeded especially in flesh as well in front of other that's really special for me it was a beautiful reward looked at win a second time in as many four days I think other riders would like that as well so it's hard but that's why we're all here talking of wins Vincenzo Nibali pulled a very special one off at Milano San Remo can he be the first Italian to win this for over ten years the shark in good shape he showed that already on Wednesday on the attack how's he feeling about this race now the race is going to run through of course I'm an attacker I intend to make the race harder in La Douce if my teammates are in good shape a race that fits my ability I think terrain is very good and of course I'm gonna try and remain calm on that terrain and focused on my own race well talking of that route this is how it looks 11 climbs on the map plus that finale into ours itself the final time as they go from the edge to Bastogne you back to the edge well not quite eh also the outskirts famous Italian neighborhood and there the hills San Nicola this time the last climb but of course that famous three climbs towards the end I love dirt a rush off for Conte and then San Nicola on which the final attacks can go before the rise into Oz itself well look over into the beautiful hilly landscape of Vilonia it's in the industrial suburbs of Oz where we will finish however and it's quite a beautiful day for it 25 26 degrees even very very warm for April and lots of different riders lots of different teams looking to make it very difficult one of those riders rights for lotto sued all his tim wellens the Sena class really important I think like I do it is a little bit too early in the race but [Music] San Nicola and pull-downs the two most important I think we will not wait - I could beat Allah Philippines prints a bit for van in spent I have never bitten it's still a long ways to go and I think it will be hard enough and if you really have two good legs in the final it's possible possible to going the way in the final says tim wellens lets out look at who's done what in the last few years of course domination from one man in the last ten to eleven years alejandro valverde winner twice in the last three four times overall the man who today could equal the great cannibal himself eddy merckx on five victories former winners here as well Simon guarantees riding Dan Martin as well Felipe's you'll be a winner in 2011 hopes to repeat that feat today for quickstep in terms of Nations this is what it looks like domination from Belgium as you'd expect as a Belgian race but the Italians next up with 12 victories Spain's four wins all going to the same man three Irish wins we looked at the one from Dan Martin as a man along so I mean the kondu box who has two of them as well Sean Kelly with a couple of wins in the 1980s so what happened at the start toss mantis under maxi mole for yellow phone ender to all in demand that was teach but notes as well man that's not being talked about too much but very capable with his characteristics in the future of winning these sorts of races tim wellens is informed he looked so so good as he won a bike race for the 20th time in his career of Brabant appeal a couple of weeks ago Dan Martin hasn't looked good this season he's with a new team in UAE Emirates hoping to polite is best formed today and look out for Michael Matthews a sprinter but a sprinter who can climb better than most Dylan turns has been going well for BMC Racing and localized on Phillips you'll bear the local lad from just down the road in valve v8 and a former winner of this race what is it seven years ago now his teammate Junior Aleph elite might be better placed than he to pick up a victory today but not all the pressure of the team as it's the way with the Wolfpack on one man all eyes on one man know and that was Alejandro Valverde of movie star hoping to become the joint record man at this race at the end of the day Tony you've records 38 years since a Frenchman won the race Roman Baldy there as well and Vincenzo Nibali hoping to do it for the Italians nice sunny weather will suit alejandro valverde one thing he doesn't like it's the rain and the cold unseasonally warm at the end of spring after it been unseasonally bitterly cold for most of it twenty-five teams of seven riders setting out 175 riders on the course and the first attacks would come pretty quickly at the start of the day [Music] nine riders in the end would get away nine riders getting an advantage of about six and a half minutes the first couple hours written at an average pace 38.4 km/h to two hours first hour at just under 40 not the quickest and most aggressive starts who's seen aqua-blue getting to riders up in the breakaway tie that most of these smaller invited professional continental teams are represented not too many big names up there big day for like fleeting at the back as well just 40 days after breaking his scaphoid in the breakaway and enjoying himself on a good tough day out important week for BMC after they very sadly lost their team owner Andy Reiss at the age of 75 earlier in the week and no surprise to see them represented at the front of the race peloton on behind with a mixture of teams working you a Emirates riding for Dan Martin quick set doing a lot of work lotto sudol doing a lot of work but nobody forcing neither Bahrain a strong team or the team everybody was looking at Bobby Starr to do any work earlier in the day tactical questions that will be asked throughout the race as we go live to the final 100 and 7.4 kilometers right now let's tell you straight away who's in the break then with a four minute and 16 seconds Vantage there are nine riders there and from the top division of cycling from the Walter there's Lloyd flag and the Belgian as they're coming on to the cut the monoliths wha four kilometers long it's 6.1% the man in the white jersey and black shirt there on your screen is flurry on rationale frenchman rider from coffee dis another french from one of three Frenchmen in this break on Tom Perez he's in the red jersey we've got two riders wearing the navy blue of aqua blue sport the Irish team they are mark Christian the Manxman and Kasper Peterson riding tract rider from Denmark is your home born years therefore want a Google bow the Belgian team as we take a look at our profile yet again Paul or Sula Mathias van compal on Antoine warn ye making up the top nine riders 258 kilometers to take on and they're on the third of 11 climbs that caught the monoliths were heading up to the highest point in this particular race this year well above 500 meters 106 kilometers to go alongside May 8 time winner of this race in the Kandra box a very good sunny and warm afternoon to Sean Kelly yes well lovely weather maybe a little bit too harsh for the final of this one some of the Royals will no feel the heat that out today but you know better this way than in the cold WESH sleazy snowy weather we had two years ago when whirlpools when it was horrible conditions so I think everybody will be happy but it's just one way you have to be careful with the warm conditions but a great day for for a boy raised here and it's it's going to be the expect after a spectacular final and when you look at the start list and you know I think there's a lot of riders thinking with the with the better weather conditions I think there's more the guys who maybe not the top top favorite sport you know just a bit wrong - they will be thinking well with the better conditions I can be in there was a short for victory today allow no Alberta's been dominant in the last few years his armor shone on Wednesday when the rest of the peloton managed to work down the Mavi star team put them under pressure he was isolated on that final climb after landed work so well he was still only beaten in the second place it's not like he was nowhere out of the way but again a ray of light at the end of a long difficult tunnel for who I'm trying to take on Valverde who's already won 19 times this season yes well I think when you look at you know what the Patrick horse he has here look at where his riding is where of recent you know the races he is in top shape flesh fell on the mood of high is a special one if you just get to the mood of high you're not just at your best your best form was then you can get caught out a little bit but he's still my father big favor here well we're gonna look at the end of the the women's race here these Yosh bass Tanya's women and of course it's Paul's dolmens again dominating this race they were so strong last week with Chantal black ooze out there and doing her best to absolutely destroy everybody else at Amstel Gold and Ana thunder Breggin who was so good in flesh well on on Wednesday again looks as though she's going to do the double double Anna found a black and leading the UCI Women's World Tour nobody can live with Paul's dolmens at the moment in the racing nobody can live with Anna Fonda bragging in our den week it is three races out of three four balls dolmens it's tuna two again for fond of Regan and well we talked about valve that they're dominating father bragging is there one small she one flesh for a fourth time the other day she wins the age passed only Asia game and Bulls dolmens on top of the world and holding on to that jersey with honor father bragging there's Ashley more moon chasing on the South African star for Cervelo Bigler anammox and flirtin has been racing pretty well yet again as well in Chilton Scott are in there Anna Fonda bragging wall complete dominance and and I suppose balls dolmens is it's the quick step of the peloton at the moment here well ladies best all the age if you have the riders with the form well then you can do do a lot a year and it's an easy race I think Phillip Joubert was talking he said the age Buster only age there's not forty ways to win this one if you're gold well then it's a simple race you just follow for all comes to the point and then you just you know do your business and that going the tack if you if you need to or otherwise just wait for the Sprint well spring for second place here looks as the Ashley moment is about to be picked at the post it's been a brilliant effort from anammox and Luton to finish here in second place from flirting makes it a Dutch one too and of course Ashley Mormon rounding out the podium as well three riders who've been strong all week long Shawn was saying it's an honest race this one team some Webb having riders up the road there's a couple of riders from wild deals and I let Cipollini as well not use Bastogne huge fan comes to an end with yet another victory for Anna me for Anna Fonda bragging part of me 104.1 kilometers to go in the men's race there four minutes 15 is the gap between [Music] nine riders up the road and those chasing interesting to CUA a Emirates chasing year nobody's making Movistar doing any work and for me as a very much a layperson who doesn't understand this stuff anywhere near as much as the likes of you sure and I look at that and I think what are they playing at well you're exactly right you would expect more we start the team that would be made do the chasing here because if you take more beasts out with a number of Royals into the final then it's going to be very difficult cuz they will controllers all the way and just release Valverde in the final kill a minute if that's the case he's almost impossible to beat so it's all about numbers and if you look at some of the teams where there may be two three riders they're going to try some defines they have to because but if Valverde right arrives with teammates in the very final well then it's going to be a really difficult one a complicated one for the other teams to try and take the victory here well just hearing in the years past only a swimming race we didn't see a man to Spratt coming across in second place so it's actually two riders on the podium for Mitch Upton Scott with on them a disservice Ashleigh movement bumped out down in the fourth place for Spratt second from the flirt and third of course the winner Anna Fonda bragging we'll be back after this break with the rest of the men's race the last hundred kilometers in just a couple of moments time Lata stood out on the front of the race trying to make things hard and you guessed a lot of people are gonna have to make things hard descending at the moment we've got quite a few climbs still become 11 categorized climb in total plus little our eyes towards the end in ass there's the former world champion hurry cost her his mitchelton Scott with a McMaster for quick step as well while better than Lander towards the front they hug their costs key racing for sky there's a lot of big names and plenty of potential winners and you look down at the list of teams riding today Shawn there's a few teams that stand out I've got quick step 26 wins this year they've won I think 11 different one-day races with seven different riders already this year but you're looking away from movie starring bunkbed of a look at Bahrain Merida I'm gonna list the seven riders Nibali gas pedal tour both is a gear is bellied zotti pots or vive all dear I'm gonna come back to that in a minute because we've got a rider on the ground rider from BMC Racing it sells better thought Betty old it looks as though he's hit the ground quite hard unfortunately helped to his feet and it's good to see him on his feet Alberto Betty Olly Italian one-day specialist truly the right height in state races but he's come into his own in races such as these and that's one man for BMC who didn't look like he would be in a good position the meantime this is the rhythm back in the peloton now we've got it's not a spectator he may have had a collision with now the good news is that the medics are on the scene until we say replay we we won't speculate any further as to what's happened there but just say it didn't look great I'm afraid for our better thought Betty Oh lor I think it was a member of the public who was down there as well I'm being attended to Bahrain we saw they had a really good strong strong squad with pots of even Visconti as well Sean they have the ability to try and blow this race apart if they can there's lots of teams with two or three different riders who could have a go one of those is you a riding here at the front they have Martin Rakata Alesi not any particular riders who are in great form behind lato sutala riding they of course have the notes they have the manuals on the podium for an end ed the other day and it seemed Welland's as well how do people try and stop well better than here today well I think they have to train goal from a bit for the Roush and make the race difficult in the final 60 70 kilometres and that's where really kicks off I suppose that of you know hundreds where we are when you get inside the home the kilometres to go well then it does start a kickoff and the hills come you know pretty quickly then and there's a lot of times in that final hundred kilometres which were going into at the moment and you have to wait and see and you know read the race and well what the other teams are doing and if there's an opportunity maybe to go from a long ways out there is a number of teams who will try that as I mentioned you know a lot of suit I'll they have riders who can do that and you have to try and you know take the race or perpetrator if you wait for the very very final with a Valverde in this final rolling and the Filipe of course well you know very very explosive those riders they're so difficult to beat if you take him down to the final sprint so I think the tactic will be Barry Murray as you mentioned also Rob you know they have the nibbly of course you know Jean is degree who's been up there last year he was was a fifth he was in the in this race so he's you know able to do he know the race and and there's a lot of teams like that and I think that's what we'll see in the final the good weather of course will make it that much easier and when you get good weather in a race like this you get more capable of going into the final so we could see you know a big number of riders are going to the very final kilometres here and that's not the best thing for some of the riders that are not really explosive or want to make the race difficult but you have to you know just get on with it and you know walk to your tactic and they all with had their so old tactics out here today lots of different tactics as we approach the cote de Paul yet again the organizers have tweaked the route slightly three different climbs who have gone there's no stalker and he makes his playground we haven't had that for two or three years now but one or two available so disappeared this year as well this caught the point where we're approaching now is a kilometer long 10.5% it's the fourth of 11 climbs we started today with the cooked of Bonner who which replaced the first climb the last few years which has been worn out then we then went to be cooked the Sun Hawk Mongoose why we've just seen as well that was the second longest climb in the whole race at four kilometres long the longest by the way is the seventh of eleven climbs the Calder was yet that's four and a half kilometers long comes up after almost 200 kilometers and maybe a good time to mention the distance we've just gone into the last hundred kilometers and we talked about the different tactics there Sean and everybody trying to beat the manda is the big favorite of course while they're there and after winning on Wednesday how do they be ala Philippe looked in remarkable form well one thing that we haven't talked about yet is the distance 260 kilometers as opposed to the 200 on Wednesday makes it a very different race yes well it is an interesting one you know that's the extra kilometres you know what some words have difficulty in management - and when you get a final like this you know this this this final 90 kilometers there's you know does it certain categories trying's but the run off the finish is well you could really call that a time as while it's not raised deep but when you're riding up there the final 1500 meters in your writing at 40 miles per hour after tuned to fifty eight kilometres it was fought a lot so the distance the kilometres with all count here and yeah we can see there lot of are starting to push on they want to make the race a bit more difficult but the surprising thing is once again we can see more we start getting a free ride here for the moment and that's not going to be a good thing for some of the riders who want to go in the attack because if Valverde has two or three good riders with them they can control they can make the pace on the front of that peloton if it's going to be maybe sixty or eight heroes in the final that's the perfect scenario for del del t like they do yeah it's actually really scenic area I want to get out of the industrial type towns does remind me quite a lot of the north of England lots of beautiful hills industrial post-industrial towns as well around that that give a lot of well only a bit of a bit of a bad rap but it's beautiful once you're in the countryside around here head of the race for minutes 11 seconds up the road they will not be worried about this breakaway back in the peloton there's Paul Ocelot in the black jersey on 76 there is Kasper Peterson the track rider from Denmark running for blue sport the Irish team were back right after this on the court dude bomb 91 km/h when I'm riding out in the road if you're just joining us I tell you those Nine Riders are there are four Belgians Anton Wang Yi is there alongside participant compal a new approach of 22 years of age right at the back here riding for sport Landrum as an amateur actually he won a race called la Pheebs you'll bear and he's going to go past the place where the finish line was the question is will he still be at the front of the race because the finish line on that day was on that'll do it towards the end of this race and if that breakaway still there and they get to level dudes I'd be very surprised we'll see what happens and and how the race happens behind they've only got four minutes and five seconds in the red jersey of coffee this here it's on Tony Perez French rider mock Christians they're from the Isle of Man riding for aqua-blue sport his teammate Kasper Patterson the Dane is there as well as is flowing on national Jihan porn is another of the for Belgians Paul asana is the man they're representing 14-ounce am sick and the only rider from the wall to her in this break Luke flagon BMC Racing team and of course just 40 days ago he was in hospital with a fractured scaphoid he actually broke it the end of the nor ket of course coming back from the anti-doping control he was riding away from the race I think he was hit went down and he was off the bike for a good month and it's been a sad week hasn't it Sean for BMC because they lost their benefactor and the man who made BMC bikes Andy Reese at 75 yes well it has been a difficult week for them and of course under Reese so he's a he's been a big supporter and a huge follower of cycling and he's been there for many years he's been sick for a while but sadly he passed away during the week push yeah the team you know they just get on with it and I suppose the interesting thing is people already asking where the team want to go because there was a lot of talk of those at BMC were talking not continuing sponsorship and will this have an effect we have to wait and see for the moment you know it it would be a disappoint you want to see the team disappearing both again which was it away for a bit more to see what happened there I'll have to say what happens with BMC Racing in the meantime we send all of our best to Andy Reese family and friends and of course all everybody in the team not an easy few days to cope with I'm tanking fans are on the road he was in the break a week ago and still gold as the first man to stop suffering it's the 24 year old while on rider on Tuan Wang ye of WB could protect Veyron classic could does the aqua blue book sport pata me getting a couple of riders in the break and I know you were looking forward to watching Eddie Dunbar hang around in the peloton this week as opposed to riding in the break and seeing what you can do towards the end yes very much so you know we did see him in the answer where you went to that breakaway very early and it's you know almost guarantee the breakaway is not going to survive here and we can see here today you know 353 the moment with no 80 kilometres to go and this race still has to come so the breakaway always you know very very difficult to see if succeeding go to see Eddie you know in the main peloton now we will see what he can do in the end and how far he can go in this race because I think he has the talent and he needs to know to hold back a bit and because you know our viewers of course will not really into Boykin if you go into the break where you're putting so much walk in here on the front with knowing riders we're back in the peloton if you see sit back 20 plays you get carried along the amount of energy can conserve in the 450 Kilmer's is enormous and that's why you know the big favorites we never seem in the earlier path or a stayfree into action you know 50 60 cameras the finish that's the time they will assess start really appearing on their screens here so for Eddie that's what he's got to do he's gotta learn how to ride the final of a race and you know he's only 21 so he's got a lot of years of headroom but he still has to start to miss one point the man at the front of the race on the right hand side his job hasn't changed really has it he's changed teams from movi start to UAE emirates rory sutherland used to ride for alejandro valverde now rides for Dan Martin this is a something we put cross on Wednesday when when flesh well on was on Shawn and interesting that Dan Martin has a bit of more of an insight into how are they handled whether they're rides now having rory sutherland on his team well i think dan has experience in health unveiled a right he knows exactly why still the tactic will be but again no it's always confident when you have a team if ability for so many years in your ranks you know for this race and for the race to come this season so it's a good thing but i think dan he knows what he has to do here in this final and we can see more for as well who is a local here maximum move for he's setting the pace on the front they are so you know lotto they are interested in this race and as we mentioned they have a number of riders who they will you know what to try and use in the final kilometers meaning the final 25 30 kills we could see some of them riders from Laurel trying to break up this peloton and go in the attack and form form a breakaway maybe a five or six stronger riders in the final and see what they can do because valve air he is deal the the one it's going to be the difficult one to manage if you take him if you take him mister finally kill him it was very difficult to shake him that he talked about being pulled along in the pallet and that's exactly what's happening at the minute he's in about 15th to 20th position he's with Mikkel Lander who looked like he was on some fine form on Wednesday as well emptying his tank for the team more for the local man you talked at the front just while you were putting that point across there was Reuben get a door the Portuguese champion in trouble at the back same was flourish to tear who you'd expect to be up there a little bit further at this point in the race he was struggling off the back the lotta NL young Bo man a lot to any ombo who come by the way with Robert hazing today the Dutchman bets on Linderman riding two there's number 16 second wheel there is Rory Sutherland number 14 just behind him is Manuel amore rider who's written for a long long time in Italian setups and of course you a being an Emirati based team still managed by a group of Italians breakaways star geo organized again after a few riders were struggling on the last climb but they come thick and fast now this is the court of Belleville just 1.1 kilometers long 6.8% averages on the right hand side in the the wanti navy blue yellow and white you can see Sharon buoy [Applause] [Music] succession of climbs here in liege bastogne gauge is torture on the legs almost 5000 meters of climbing in this race compared to the other classic Sean of course you won for the five monuments multiple occasions as well where does this one right for you how do you see the ocean based on the ocean well it's a lovely race to ride and you know people ask me the classics you talk about - or Flanders and Paris Roubaix I say to them well you know they're not the noiseless races right sometimes I say that pretty harbour race is right with a great race to win and if you look if you're a toilet royal that can win a Paris Roubaix or a cheer-off long as well then you know it's great to have it run on your primaries because you dream about it you know when you're amateur and especially may become profession if you feel that you know you're that type of royalty can do well in the early years you can you if you can't finish you're pretty good in your fourth years and you know this room for improvement well then you focus on that and that's what I did you're my career and push latest only aged Lombardi two of them bad at the end of the season noise races if you're in good shape if you're not in good shape and you're going to them they're horrible because you know we suffer so much people do not realize here in the Ardennes they're Belgium how difficult it is the universe climbs you know the God for a number of kilometres quite difficult there's a lot of difficult terrain and people are surprised you know there's that much hilly ground hilly roads here in in Belgium but this is a difficult one and I have written the Sean Kelly classic which is going on for many years here my digital number of times and you have the classifier it climbs here which we have in this Lee as best only age but there's so many other times there that you know they don't they don't talk about it's just you know open down most of the day and it's a very very difficult country here this part of Belgium - racing not too much easy terrain and the weather conditions not making it too easy either who's got an attack we have movement from one of the aqua blue riders it's Casper Peterson who's going to the top of the climb here because there are the mini prizes for the king of the mountains as well placed at the podium at the end of the day which is important for the sponsors but it's all breaking this group up we did have nine riders we've lost a couple on the way up there and and just when we were talking as well you saw the riders move there was a strong wind blowing across the road then yes well you can get this as well of course you know you get into an area where it can be blowing and when you're going at the all the fast rate from the race will be really on that will have an effect as it does you know you do not need a lot of wind but when you're really racing as they call it full gas well then a little bit of windy conditions if you get out into a place an open section that can cause problems and can you know make you can see the electrons where they're where they arise when they're really going full-on and we did see there for the mountain classification of course you know there's 11 there's 11 points where there's 500 euros available for you know force over the top so the guys in the break we're thinking I'm in the wake where I'm getting the near the exposure for my team here on TV all around the world it was nice to pick up a few euros on the way all the day you rose for the end of the classic season for a few guys this will be the end of the first part of their season won't it'll be holiday time after this week yes well there's a lot arrivals and you know who have been doing a lot of the classics they will take a break now and rest off was not a lot of rest really a puppy week maybe where they could possibly take a week off course maybe right that way two or three times during the week and then back again with Lloyd training and stuff build-up for the rest of the season and the interesting warnings I was looking at you know the the the the traffic's we've had the Milan's re-mose Roubaix Flanders only to Roy those host afters or four which is Joslyn indem and Phillip silver she'll bear up at the pointy end in many of them fan Endon is attacked a few times he's not finished up towards the top but yeah for Phillip she'll bear especially I think it will be already time he's been riding for a lot of the year one man who's had to take a bit of an enforced holiday in inverted commas at start of the year due to injuries his Michael Matthews who's back yeah he's really got me back into into some sort of shape where I can try and contest in a race we've been doing a lot of work on my shoulder and also my back to be able to get the the strength again and I'm starting to feel a bit more strength so it's a good feeling what kind of price would be good for you a fun race where we can all just go out there and just enjoy ourselves I think it's meant to be beautiful weather again tomorrow so I'm just enjoying every every part of this classics I'm just yeah happy to be back racing again and to be in some sort of shape where I can try and contest that's nice to hear somebody wanted to enjoy their time on the bike Michael Matthews potential winner of this race in the next few years isn't he well he would really love to see a group of tortured riders want to finish here and he's not going to say that because if we'll get out pretty quickly he's not keeping anything away which the Royals are known for before the race but see I fit comes to the finish with a group of twenty five twenty five riders 40 riders that would be the perfect scenario for Michael matches because in the sprint depending what you've got away from that is the thing here a sprinter you know can get to the finish but you have to you know really dig deep and a lot of those climbs and by the time he gets the finish he'll announce you can be pretty much you know emptied out of all your energies and if that is the case well then it's a difficult one because it's an open sprint and you know they put the final roll up to the finish is it's a difficult one as we talked about should be earlier so if you haven't got the forum well then you're going to pay the price couple of riders paying the price in the breakaway Michael Matthews though as we see Pettersen on the attack still out on his own at the front rest of the break still trying to catch him but Matthews came here for the first time in four seasons last year on his debut back in 2013 he finished 128 when he came back for the second time last year he finished fourth he was fifth in flesh well on on Wednesday despite not having raced much this year he doesn't a platform for a man who hasn't been riding too many kilometers not at all I think he's he's coming back and you know he's in good shape but the the race today depending on what we have now in this final 80 kilometres how difficult it will be if they continue on riding on front we can see lotto and the other teams controlling here if if it continues in that way was then he could you know go along go a long way since the point he will be in the final bush if they start attacking each other and somebody or the the teams who have a number of riders capable of winning here if they start attacking a long ways out meeting 60 kilometres from the finish well then that will make it difficult for him but we know Matthew sees you know he's a good sprinter but he's a great climber is why we see the cheer of France last year the way he broke her up went in the break ways and that's the way he won the green jersey it's a warm day a beautiful day for a bike race at the old lady of the classics this is Casper Patterson leader of the race three minutes and 49 seconds ahead of those chasing him he could just see his navy blue jersey aqua blue sport full of salt rocks a lot of sweating going along a lot of fluids needing to be replaced it it's more like a jeer or a Tour de France day today yes well it's it is very warm conditions and foreign foreign ladies best in all the years it's exceptionally well and we've had it a number of times I remember back in my day as well we had some days where it was quite warm but on in general you know it's cool are more horrible conditions west cold weather conditions but yeah this one today that will also be that you have to you know keep on eating and keep on drinking more so you have to be very careful because of you know 260 kilometres over such a difficult terrain that you have to be careful to know hydration is very very important hydration important and poorly keep the legs turning as well for Antoine Wang yeh and company you see that this breakaway is breaking up so much that we've now got from groups one to five their group five the peloton at three minutes and 46 seconds they're all over the road light now it's not going to do the brake any favors isn't the fact that they're splitting up like this no and I think the brake you know the air allows for quite a long time that this is not going to go anywhere into the final and they're just thinking about getting maximum exposure and that's what we have with aqua blue here in front and they're also you know going to try and take as many of the mounts and classification Prem's as possible we did see that on the previous climb there and that's the reason the weaker ones are starting to struggle they're starting to lose contracts contact sorry I was the breakaway be getting contracts rather new contracts as well Philippe certainly Kasper Bella's is 22 years of age he's got another year after this one at aqua blue sport he's a strong track rider as well as we see the Cataldo Sam Pierre on the screen right now but yeah just one win in his career so far Kasper Feddersen but he's only 22 strong on the track as I mentioned he won a stage of the Tour of last year and of course is the European under-23 champion in the road race so he knows how to race a bike Etta a lovely position over the bike there as well very Aero technically if he's gonna come from the track he's gonna be very good anyway and well I caught blue getting young riders on board in the meantime at the front of the race the pace is pretty high at the minute we saw Maxime morph are working hard not so long ago I was told that the fourth hour is the fastest hour we've written so far in the race so a lot of teams try to make this aggressive early on and we've seen Lotto trying to do that I think you can see the result of it on the screen with people fighting for places we haven't seen one big bunch at the front of the peloton for quite a while now interesting to see how it goes a lot of Road furniture to take on here a few more V Star riders bunnyhopping those well better be on the right-hand side in fact in Chen's on liebelei not too far away everywhere as you go through the smaller towns villages that is something we see more and more of where you know these speed for chassis cars in boy in biking and it can be as you know quite dangerous you know there's nobody there signal and when you're writing now at this pace not not too difficult but in the finals if they're really pushing on full-on that is the danger and it's it's a world where you have to be careful you have to know people after all the time and although we talked about the big favors they can sit back there in the peloton but still you have to you know concentrate all the time is not that you can totally you're torn off because at any time you can get into problems in a crash can occur this is the cote de la film LaBelle Kasper Paterson leading what's left of the breakaway behinds on to it family about 1.2 kilometers there a steep 12.1 percent and it's a pretty constant horrible gradient all the way up and see how pronounced the gradient is if you look on the right-hand side there the angle at which people are stuck to the road where the cars are parked there the fact that the riders many of them out of the saddle 23 seconds behind Pettersen at the moment the mean time back to go to the interview microphone to start the race today I think an aggressive race today [Music] maybe maybe for most also we have to anticipate and then try to isolate the alejandro valverde and he's the big favorite so we'll try to see if we can have numbers in the final and and do a good job for the team and while they're writing for Jakob full Sun Astana today they've had a very good week in terms of wins of course three-stage wins at the two of the ups vulgar and himself the man we heard from there the day Michael varam was the winner of Amstel Gold last weekend same year he won omelet news blood as well as Edison his compatriot here running for aqua-blue goes on to the 15% section remember 12.1 percent is the average gradient for this claim and well Jakob for sang is he the right man that should be riding for today while we think I think that's focus on is in good shape we did say man Amstel he was very active and he was the one who opened up the race and then of course bargain he just you know made the move and I think that they they walked it perfectly for my estándar because they could see that with Saigon he wants to just kind of follow what secret he can calm down to a sprint in the end that very was really the marked man and you know [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] and three and a half minutes the gap approaching the final 75 kilometers now a very warm welcome back seventy three point six kilometers to go three and a half minutes is the gap I gather that some of you experienced a few sound issue so we apologize for that hopefully you're hearing is nice and clear now in Chen's on nibbly seeing the race nice and clear there's rifle micro as well for Bora Hans Groos winner and a corner in the blue jersey makes his way around him and we're approaching the meaty end of the race now the breakaway started out as nine during the day again we've lost four now down to just five riders at the front but three and a half minutes Shaun they're not going to be a factor realistically other no not at all I think they know that were a long time because they were never allowed to you know pulled out the big advantage I think last week we did see I'm so close 15 minutes if I remember rightly twice at that one when I saw it for the first time yes so that's what you need and you know you need that 15 15 minute advantage 120 kilometres before the finish and then you see it I said well we can go a long ways this one you never know how far we can go with a little bit of rivalry between the big teams behind but today it's not going to the case just one two three and a half minutes in the moment with steel 72.5 killer mr. go and 72.5 very difficult terrain yeah what's to come then seventy two point five kilometers to go of course we've had five of the climbs are already next climb up is is the longest in the race that's the cold who was he after that we have the Mackey's are and of course the names just started real off the tongue then don't maybe big well known traditional climbs the likes of the LaHood route of course we've got the horseshoe for car and then San Nicola or big names key names in the history of this great sport yes well there are there are different lines and the racing is going to be really full-on and a lot of those times because positioning it will be important and everybody wants to be in a good position we can see a bit more clearly now the favourites we've seen some of them appearing on our screens that means tension is building journalist after floor at more and everybody's getting a little bit concerned they want to stay closer to the front in case some team tries something on some of those times and you know we've just we've just been going through at the feeds on as we can Steve was stealing the feeds on here and looked at some of the break where right as I looked at Florian Bosch on there I was wondering was he going to you know I put on the indicator from Costa Chica you take his Moses actually continued on Oh chapeau to him because he is pretty shake and I think energy levels are gone quite low we did seem on that on that previous climb where he did suffer a loss Kota left firmly bail he's was a difficult one you know it was 12 percent is one of the more steeper ones and you could see the guys on the breakaway that were starting you want to feel the fatigue setting in they are the ones who really went backwards on that time that's a professional in terms of finishing races you now recite here two weeks ago Roubaix there's a velodrome at the end of it there's the prestige of having got over the hell of the North finishing is a badge of honor in itself is it the same with the age or any of the other classics well I think in in a race like powerful bay you know it's the flash race you can lose quite a lot on the copper sections when you're really tired in the end but nothing like you can lose in an age that's the only age when you have those those steep climbs and you know so many I'm still to be to feed on in this race today well then you lose you know a stack of times the Ministry just click away so quickly and you know you're going to you're going to pretty much arrive outside the time limit if you're really really you know starting to fatigue at this moment so you have to make a decision do you go on it depends on the rider as well if you're a new rider you're a young rider you know you're very keen and get with the finish but if you're Knowles if you're an old one and you've been in there for a number of years well then you say what's the point horrible racist 38 years ago and then when this hour because I don't think you finished that digit I think a lot of time a French Frenchman one yeah and I know Bernardino and I would think I got to about 12 t kill most of the physics and decided that I couldn't go any for that was just totally frozen and just not able to change gears not able to break walk the brakes and the bike and you know there was there was you know a very few Royals finished on that occasion and I remember starting out of the age in the force 10 or 50 kilometres it started see snow and the law I was turning around and going back in direction of liege after 15-20 killings of the race yeah I was listening to some anecdotes about that race on the brilliant cycling podcast this week they've got a French special art and they talk about the history of this race and and they were saying I think that ban I know himself wanted to abandon the race at one point but he was he was going faster to try and stay warm he found himself ahead and he won it and amazing that it's been so long since a Frenchman won realistically today you're looking at hormone ba all day and a Julianne feely point you for a French win yes well I think certainly not this man no certainly not shy think there's a guarantee it's going to be an interesting one I think either Philippe is the one yes you know he's in real good form he's managed to win the flesh after being open the classics a number of years and he's coming of age you know he's 26 years of age and you know some of the pros talks about that a number of weeks ago bit teen and Patti niet he could was he mentioned that's you know it's time for fella Philippe to win some of the big moves now he's done that on Wednesday past and you know that will die think given that that conference that when you get the force win you you go on from there interesting to see and I think for a French victory I think gala Philippe is the wound that he would be able to do for the fringe today if if anybody's capable of doing for a French victory if any second on his debut back in in 2015 same as what happened on his flesh well on David we knew it was a special talent but he's had bad injuries at this time of year in the last couple years has knee and he's only 25 so he hasn't gone too far wrong yeah as he I mean winning flesh one on at the age of 25 and there have been later developments in careers yes well I apologies are maybe I was given 26 cash you know he's 25 26 that is the time when you are right your strongest I think in cycling when you get to me or 25 24 25 26 if you've got the talent you've been shown over a number of years is to trying to start win the big ones and no a la Phillipe as we said he's been knocking on the door then he's been under States a number of times and the Horta Gators are on place Fallone on wednesday and now you know will he be able to do the big big one again today he's definitely one of the he's in there with the top favorites well talking of the big naughties French hoodoos that have been falling in recent years with damar winning some rim or a couple years ago for the first time in a long long time that victory on Wednesday you'd have to say the biggest of a Lafitte's career was the first French rider to win at flesh well on since 1997 so that was a 21 year who do that disappeared a 38 year one wow that's a long long time in coming and well overdue for a country like France you'd say well if he does manage to pull it off today I think the French you know they will be talking him up and God knows they probably win the Tour France that gets the victory here non-systemic good help it walk down the street tomorrow anyway it'd certainly be huge news back in France I mean this is again for them the the history around this race is the oldest classic in the book the old lady'll a Dorian 104 perdition by the way for liege bastogne yesterday a very special when it would be as antoine rotten ye looks like he's going to be the next man to be caught the meantime Steve Cummings is been Steve Cummings back at the peloton waiting comfortable enough see what he can produce if anything later on today 68 case to go it's a hard day if you'd be riding out there in the break flowing on that shot all alone and struggling this is the main group now and the favorites starting to appear movie star for the first time with her faces in the wind as their former teammate at the front of the race now with a black and white UAE Jersey on we'll be stubborn and on the right-hand side meanwhile mitchelton Scott appear for the first time on the left as well Christopher you're Jensen with plenty of work to do lotto should I've been riding most of the day and Daryl Impey on the left-hand side now national champion reigning national champion of South Africa meanwhile at the back it's been a very difficult day for young Casper Peterson he's in the navy blue in the break early on now at the back of the main group just less than 65 kilometers to go some still shining on a beautiful day to watch the old lady of the classics it's gonna be pretty hard racing towards the end here there are almost 200 kilometers in now and we're a marching that moment when you start to dig into monument distance and there a lot of a difference between a 200 kilometer race and the 260 case almost 5000 meters of climbing here for those of you work in old money that's 15,000 feet on to the longest of the climbs today was here 4.4 kilometer long 5.9% it's the Coupe de wises you on me or as eared if you're talking in Flemish mr. Flemish the other half of Belgian also have their own name for this race it's look Pasternak and look four and a half days of a climb comes a bit later in the race this year as well I feel the climbs have been moved forward by moved later in the race rather by around four five even six and seven kilometers certainly in the case of a hotshot for con la routes as well coming after two hundred and twenty two point five case I said two climbs time after this we go to the Mackey's art this is what's left at the breakaway by the way five men are there and the five men are like fleeing at the front in the black and red least the BMC ride up return to racing on Wednesday after a long time out forty days out in fact following a broken bone second is Mark Christian man from the Isle of Man riding for the Irish team aqua blue sport third wheel there with the fluorescent yellow and navy blue rides for wanted group go down it's a rider at home a while on rider from the french-speaking part of Belgium and Sharon bunny he still with a Frenchman Pole running for the i-10 Oh sheep and all Tony Perez as well for coffee this this in the meantime is Florrie on that shot running for the Brett on team Brett on team fought to nail Sam sick changed the name of their second sponsor this year was their second sponsored gone to form a new team detail concept who haven't been invited of this race seven teams invited the eighteen World Tour teams as well sixty three point nine case to go their shops there three minutes 15 seconds narrow roads these as well of course let's not forget that poem of the classic a lot of the the fight is for the corners for positioning and and maybe that's the interesting part of seeing sort of GC style riders general classification riders who ride the big two is coming to race this which is the classic let's face it that suits them but they're not used to that battle for position Shawn that's what can make it difficult for a lot of the GC riders in the classics yes well it is this is a bit more difficult as bit more hectic when you go to the big tours of course you know you get onto the times and if you're anywhere and you know talked it far to position if you're a good time you can move up on the client's because you have maybe 10 15 20 K minute lines these ones are shorter so positioning is more important you have to get into a good position at the beginning of the time moving into that line and you know because you're over pretty quickly it's only on kilometres and I have two kilometres most of those clients we have here today so that is is important the roles are pretty narrow but not major if you look at your florals you know a lot of the rules are half the size of what we got here so I think the general classification men most of them who are good boy cameras um maybe not the best boy and those don't like this pushing and shoving for positions and that's where they need people take to the knee team a shield to take them along keep in a good position when we were getting to the vital point of this race remember the race finishes in arts this year it's gonna be the final finishing anse we've been here since the 1990s the talk is that the finish is going to go back to the the center of the city of liège itself if you imagine us it's a satellite town over city of liège very big in Italian immigrant district lots of Italian flags around you were telling me about the the pizzeria is near the finish line plenty of them about and lots of passion for bike riding and the fact that we haven't had an Italian victory for 11 years here since Danny lovely Luca won it gave it an extra bit of motivation to Vincenzo Nibali and I was reading the Italian paper on the way over to do this commentary with you yesterday big full-page spread knee bully I want to be the pride of the Italians in Belgium yes well of course in this area called a sonic law we will see as we get into the point of this one the attendant flags will be everywhere on the hanging of the windows of the of the of the houses on the street side and yeah it is it is a world where I suppose when you see your national flag you know flying there and it gives it that peace of more motivation and if you've got any foyer left in your belly well then you will have a golfer there's always firing me buddies belly isn't there saving money was attacking and it was looking like a no-hoper on Wednesday was having a riot all go and they've got the team behalf ago as well they've got plenty of matches to burn the like I said almost each and every one of the seven riders there is a potential winner of this race it's absolutely crazy gasps Balto who's been up here before previously he's there as well both his Akira is looking for Pelle exhaust all right probably past his sell-by date but he's still a very good domestique at this period in his career and probably better on the longer climbs pops of Evil's got good form as me going into the Giro d'Italia Visconti he can always attack from anywhere out and Nibali still yet after thinks the main man yes well nibbly of course he can read the race so violence you know he just when he goes in the attack you ask yourself sometimes no boy does not people react boss he's just about choosing the right moment when the racing is very very difficult before and being able to know when you have to know what's in your attack when everybody is feeling under pressure and you can you can read that and you just need that your second two seconds when there's a bit of hesitation you attack they look at each other then you get it you get the gap you get the advantage and we did see in Lance and Remo of course you know the way he did it it's you know tactically he just did it so well and he is that type of ROI that we did see him in the two off loans as well you know he went in the attack but he just hadn't got it in the end I think he was suffering a bit he was starting to tie up big time but he did try and you know with the team he is God has you mentioned Rob I think you know he could you know put some of the Royals off the road and that's always a danger one because if there's a rider up the road and nibble ego goes in attack gets across too in the finals that has major importance yes if you have somebody who can carry along for any little distance at all in the final number of kilometres this is what's left at the front of the race Christian hanging on well big education for him thanks Ryder Watson eyes the man from the eighth energy just in front of him from cofidis of course Tony Perez Cofidis who've had a bit of a change this year different management a couple of colleagues from television box Sedgwick Vassar all being one of them and of course Robert Adam Yanni the Italian they've started to win was doesn't augur well for NASA everyone who seems to have been sidelined but Christoph Laporte has picked up a few wins almost 200 kilometers written now in this the fourth of the five monuments of the Year last of the Big Spring Classics the ish past only Asian after this well we're going to Grand Tour mode in less than two weeks time we'll be talking to you about the Giro d'Italia three minutes and 18 seconds now movie star for the first time have committed a rider to the front second wheel one of their riders now as Luke phlegon has lost control no surprise I suppose after being off the bike competitively for more than a month he's done a good job for BMC he's got the jersey on show and what's been a an emotive difficult week and and in terms of doing something towards the end their leader here is Dylan turns Dylan turns to last year one state race in the Tour of Poland he had a very strong tour of the Basque Country this year look good in brav Anza pale best result here is when he was 17 a couple of years ago where he was riding for Craig Phenom at he says he feels exciting he's been preparing for this blocker racing for a long time Dylan turns I think would still be a surprise winner given the fact that he didn't have the format the an on Wednesday though Shawn well it would be a little bit of a surprise winner person you know he's a Roy that I think he's improving big-time last year he made a big step up and you never know what he could do here today in the final and it'll all depend on what way you know the bigger Roy is the bigger favors races final kilometres they could be royally there they could you know be a little bit of looking each other we've seen this you know in the in the big classics in the monuments we've seen in the past and this year is a lot of the time it's been about hesitation by and isn't it this year it certainly hasn't you know that's what the the Royals like Dylan Tunes will be trying to take advantage of and you know if he goes away in the final 10 or 15 kilometres and there's a bit of you know looking and marking and tactics being played by the other but it but the big favorites for this race well then you could you know manage to get away in a Google stay out there in front and that will depend how many teammates the big big favors have got here looking good for the big favors the moment because they all have quite a few in here the way the racing is going but we still have got 61 kilometres it's a long way to go on this one and if to know if somebody really opens it up with somebody start attacking well we could see this the main peloton off a versus could explore big time and we're on the longest climb of the race right now called who was he Ellison following up behind and look at all those teammates for Val's better than in the blue for Dylan turns the man we were talking about a minute ago he's got a former winner to help him out Simon Gerrans now rides for BMC Racing that's not forgetting there's also the likes of Daniel Caruso alessandro de marchi guys are going to be in good form as the stage race season approaches look out for them the man at the front for movie star by the way is winner down a corner Colombian one of the top trusted domestics in movie star there's Jose quacking Barajas who seems to be a lehand about that his guardian angel on the road at times they're both from the same region in Murcia this is short for drives him around he's done a great job over the last few years because if you think back five to ten years ago Rojas at the start of his career was a sprinter wasn't he was a guy who could sprint well on a hard day one day old bike race himself but the way he's converted to being able to climb and look after all that there's been quite astonishing yes it has well he's he's turned around from being a sprinter really in the paddock in his earlier days to be you know a great all-round or he sprints is not anything like it was I think in the earlier part of career and because he's just riding on the front opened down climbs and he's improved majorly in the climbs and that's the reason like he's one of Valverde Roy hands a mane and you know you can see their Valverde he's just put him in front of him he had confidence in him as well because he knows that he can guide him if something go wrong he can trust him he's not going to do anything crazy and that's something you need as well that you have a rider from the team that do not panic and if there is something going wrong if there's a crash in front of the ambush it's difficult to see a crash because we can see Valverde he's very much of the front of the main peloton thermometer always kept towards the front when it matters Mikell Landa let's not forget how good he's been in the last couple of races as well he's another guy's been racing every way was brought over to race on the cobbles was Mikkel Lander heard in a couple of the Flemish races he was involved actually in the big crash that decided the direction of a dirty huddle Becker there they called it the the massive Aldon there in Flanders the mass for the mass crash that left about two-thirds of the peloton behind that wasn't wasn't a great introduction to cobbled racing for him but he's he's tried all sorts of different stuff out in the last few weeks and look out for ma B start this year's Tour de France because if you're not aware yet the talk is that it's gonna be bad weather they lambda and Nidal Quintana all together at the tour and that could be either a bit of a hiccup and a bit of a mess up on that ball or it could be terrorizing for the other teams yes well I think it would be an interesting one but in looking at today when you're when you've rather like me calendar there in the final if he's in that final today when you go to you know sandy Cola or maybe you know Roche or for some of those climbs if there's all the Reuters going the attack nibbly for example and some de Ruyter some teams coy like and McHale Koski those riders well then then there could be the one that they could use their push him up the road he will just map the others he's not going to you know contribution the pooling and Valverde will you hopefully get it free right from behind that the others will have to do the chasing so the the teams who have maybe you know only one rider capable of winning they have to be really careful because that's the way the race could be wound today it could be a group of riders that are really protecting their favor in the team and they could be the ones who come out the windows at the end of the day all the tactical combinations possibilities absolutely fascinating as this one starts to build up with 57.8 kilometers to go still just over three minutes it's almost as if there's a bit of a stalemate at the moment but the weaker riders from behind with every climb that passes are going out the back of the peloton we're starting to see a shawarma saying a minute ago those favourites just appeared Awards the front at the right time now we're getting towards well for the the peloton it's the end of the was he next will be the Mackey's our that will top out with forty seven point five kilometers to go in ten K's time then it's LaHood's then inside the final 20 kilometers Porsche forecourt and Coupe de San Nicola with less than six case to go and I'm guilty of this as well Shawn that final climb into a sigh always forget about it I don't consider it a climb but it is another client yes well it can be it can be advantaged for some riders that can be the de killing off of all the ones if you're hanging in there and if you're you know a pity boo rather fast man in the Sprint's a better you know better than some of the other big favors here you know you you just tried hanging hang in and this final run up into ends that can be the the killer for you because it is it's a long one you know goes up for well over kilometres or 1,200 meters and geez it is a real difficult one to manage a for such a distance and such a difficult race and that race is getting more and more difficult the group is getting smaller behind the favourites are becoming more visible there's our first sighting of Bob jungles as well Robert hazing rig Alberto ran s rather they're all there they're all waiting 56 case to go just four remain from the breakaway with 54-kilometer go on the oldest of the great one-day classics it's the age passed on leash one hundred and fourth edition of the race at the moment it's Jean bonne use just at the bottom of your shot there a little further out than everybody else Loic flagon is stuck in the middle he's lost contact with the group still racing away getting that BMC Jersey on the television after what's been a very difficult week for the team with the loss of their founder and benefactor Therese who very sadly passed away at the age of 75 just over three minutes back to the peloton in the meantime from the lead of the race Mandira if you're just joining us the initial break was of nine riders Manuel de l'épée Ola not that place if you can get it my views might be a bit obscured though the woods around it's a beautiful part of the world this though it's one that I know that the man sitting next to me knows very very well from from racing and it's done living in Belgium as well although I think you'll it's quite a long time in in Flanders rather than the Moloney a short yes well I did all my all my years in Belgium was in yeah in the flatter regions of Belgium let's say Porsche you know I did a lot of races here and it's it's it's a totally different compared to the floor the wall ani you know you have this difficult terrain a lot of you know a hilly area but a you know a great place to ride your bike and when you get the read nice conditions as we're getting today it's a spectacular place to go on some white rice it's almost like the the geography helps form the different characters of the two sides of Belgium as well that there's the two completely different languages of course this the old industrial heartland as well Flanders traditionally more farming now that let's go and speak to the new French hero winner of flesh while on his really strong team with Phillips your bare jungle shock man as well he was in very good shape during flesh we've got a strong group but it's gonna be our strength I think in this race so sandy cross that'd be good for me it's an important difficulties crucial for the finish I love this race because it's really difficult of course from the start to the finish it's gonna be a beautiful one I think you'll only still be saying that Sean if he wins it at the end of the day because it won't be so beautiful if he's he's beaten down into 2nd or 3rd again and and it's the same old man that wins it in alejandro valverde there is you al Phillip he's no kidding anyone he's in this to win it we know it don't we yes well he's definitely in here and you know theory the conference has to be rock at high after his performance midweek and yeah he will be hoping that he be really good in the finals that's something in bike racing you know you're out there for five and a half five and three-quarter hours maybe six hours depending on what way they're right in the early part of the race and sometimes you can go through a moment where you're not you know really at your best and you're hoping that's not hinder very fine and hopefully you get that maybe bit for the route but if Halla Philippe is really in his best shape well then he is going to be another one difficult to beat here but who comes out to a straight-out sprint I think Valverde is a little bit faster one approaching fifty kilometers to go what's to come we've got the Macky Sall llaha doot rostral San Nicola and for the final time the final climb to us still not too clear about where the new finish is going to be somewhere in Liege were told maybe the old finish goes down by the river where there she is cut in half there's spa sweeping past the Formula one circuit close to here as well head of the race with 50 case to go 200 kilometers into it and the gap continues to come down to just over 3 minutes this is the Mac user 2.5 kilometres long 5% this is all that's left at the front also now not for the first time this season in a break bring one of the other two of the the semi classics we've watched this year he's been up there what Christians riding a really good race the Manx men in the navy blue for aqua blue and coffee this while they continue their improvement this year with an Tony Perez up towards the front in the red this year homeboy yi is running for wanting Gugu Baron memory serves me right he used to be with the local one on development team that was at a continental team it was well only blue Cassell it's now a pro Conti team and the riding this race actually WB aqua protective air on classic local rider was good for the home crowd I have local riders in and and we talked about Julianne Philippe what's your opinion on Philippe shield there because I think he stops a monument for the 50th time today Shawn yes I think it's he's 50 he's 50 at Monument riding and it's it's an interesting one because he did ride in this race I think he did it maybe 15 times or something then he say Phillip jillybear he skipped out two years of course last year he was in top shape we did seem in the Amstel then he had an injury did not take part a couple years ago at that broken finger as well he when he had the altercation when he was still at BMC I think with the motor driver yes yes that's justice I was wondering why the reason was but now as you mentioned it comes back and so it's an interesting one but they are talking about Phillip Jill where I think he again he's the one who was going to try something with quickstep floors they will try and put him into a move with us something happening a bit for the Roush we've seen the last in the last recent races he suffer a little bit in the final am so I was a bit surprised that he did get this is on wound the climbs in the final in the final kilometer so I think his shape maybe it's just gone a little bit all that happened that something is so important you know if you're if you're focusing on mile and sorry more than you're on the Tour of Flanders this stuff that's a little bit too early it's very difficult to hold that top shape right through to the year to the latest only age and the Ardennes classic so I think that will be the tactic they will try and just and he moves any attacks from the other teams with some of the other riders Jill Bell with the wool puppy market and Philippe will find they will try and play that card as well so that you know that tactic is going to be worked in a quite a number of teams here in the final or quick step added yet another one to their hefty 2018 collection on Wednesday and I think it managing to beat well better this we said on the model we 10 wins in one-day races this year 7 different riders 26 victories in total as we see more Christian and an aqua blue and of course there from a level a little further down Pro continental team but just in the second year of their existence it's not forgetting a quick step finger over 20 years now then what's happened here Christoph masam of WB Aqua protect their own classic I'm not quite sure what the problem is yet isn't the peloton he's watching the race go by only imagine he's had enough for he's got mechanical I was starting to worry when you see the barbed wire the iron even and the cameraman focus is in yes it looked so it looks as though he just have any marks no no it looks like I was forced of all initially I was thinking that he had a flat tire but it looks like that's not not the problem you see is he waiting up for a team if there's a bit further down so just we will see in a moment hopefully Christophe massan's is one of the two French riders by the way riding for WB Viren pratik aqua protect this is the peloton now he's on the right-hand side here I wonder if he's taking the wrong turn you know because he wasn't in the original breakaway I don't know if he's taking the wrong turn and earlier pot on the race or give me the shortcut by the way if you're listening Christoph that was Sean Kelly you said luck well we've we've seen a reasons in their Croatia we see some of the riders from Accra blue sport of course after the stage stages caught totally last and there were not the only ones it was quite a number of riders who and you know got lost in the mountain and were out there for a number of kilometres and it's difficult to make their way back to the team cars well there's so many twists and turns in these races particularly in this part of the world all the small roads and you might you might be off the back of the peloton going back to the car for something and on your own you take the wrong turn or you're following wheels and suddenly you find yourself on the wrong road yes and of course some of the some of the riders here especially the riders from the Belgium teams they will maybe be being here first of all they've been here you know Ricky on the course but also a lot of the belgium teams they would come here to do some training the Royals are several dudes in the BG maybe we to us two or three the teammates not necessary mate some other teams as well they were just hop in the car just come here for the day and write some of the claims so maybe he knows the shortcuts where you don't have to go up there off the claves Winitana corner on the front for Movistar 47.9 kilometers to go and Steve Cummings and his familiar position at the back 163 just in front of the rider from group a knife Daisy Valentin a mad watt hey by the way here have David goryl riding Fordham Rudy Mohr now as well as been going very well on a stage in fairness go - who will go to Roma D this week but they've had a good week happily with the keyboard penal winning in the tour of the Alps no pressure tee ball for the Giro d'Italia then a I'll be right behind him the French going into the Giro d'Italia after he won the Tour the Alps now people yes well of course thibaut pinot he seems to perform well in Giro half past that's where he is you know very performant and last year we did see he was excellent and it's looking good he's coming to shape at the right time so that's an interesting one and yeah it's nice to see and of course the French they will they will be looking forward to that and if team of you know starts doing well in the in the Giro if you have an excellent year oh well then they will start talking about the tour France very quickly and we all know that he hope you know he doesn't support that pressure well anytime they have been building more for the tour France and seems to be talking oh dear dear dear riders down number 2 - 2 verse Fabian coolly who must manage to stay up on his feet problem for the rider from could finish that is Danny Navarro and that's a real disappointment because he's one of the guys who could be one of the outsiders yes well he is the one for cottages that could be very much in the foyer he's a good climber and that this sort of terrain the final would be something that would suit him now this is what happened looking at the pictures we do and it's happened just in the second half for the peloton then it looks as though there are two riders who've gone down if you're this caught up Nevada the last to his feet it looks as though he's both frustrated and a little hurt Spaniard who is a good climber as Shaun was saying good finisher as well needs his bike looking at briefly I'm think that might be the last we see her done in Nevada today I'm afraid not looking good look like he's going to sit on the road side there and yeah wondering what the yeah the problem is and yeah it's it's a disappointing one because for coverage he would be the one who should be able you know to flow the team chorus up there in the final bush it doesn't look like that he's going to be in today's one I still got another Spaniard of course we mention him right the star it's hard to avoid alejandro valverde is the only spanish of one this race is won it four times he has an astonishing record here and as well as his four wins Sean he's been on the podium more times than anybody else today could be a very special day if he wins here he's level with the man that we only talked about in mythical terms nowadays Eddie Maddox one of the greatest riders in the history of the sport you'd have to say Alejandro well better it would be if he's up no over the likes of Mex yes well I think first of all when you know they are not really thinking of records they're just thinking about win the race but afterwards I think Valverde if he managed to win this one this evening here well then you know he will be up there in - in that record with moccasins that is that is an achievement to me on to be in the record books matching eddy merckx it's it's it's a huge thing and it's something when you're a tire I think the achievements and the records that you that you achieve when you're racing it's when you really finish open the sport then you start looking back in you know you start appreciating they're much more well if he can equal Eddy Merckx he's got two more seasons potentially to even add another victory to his name because he said this week again we knew that this was his intention but he's publicly said it to the Spanish radio that he wants to retire after the Olympic Games in Tokyo the minute he has a contract until the end of next year he carries on winning movie star obviously gonna give him a contract the year after as well if he does at least equal Eddy Merckx he already holds the outright record at flesh well on is Alejandro Valverde the greatest Ardenne rider that's ever lived well I think yes when you look at the the amount of victories he has undermount of top place finishers definitely is and if he actually or does not achieve the victory today but he has you know another two years possibly and when you look at Valverde last year and the two friends that Harbor crash he adds why he definitely thought it was going to be difficult for him to get back to the level that he had been you know in the previous years but what an amazing staff to the season the way he's come back and it just goes to show the guy you know he he walked out of so hard last year we did see in the Vuelta last year he joined the team on rest days during the well time he went out training wisdom that shows how we know how focused he is because you know to go along to ride with the team that ring the race it's always difficult to do when you're not part of the team but he went along and rode with him on the rest day very very key to get back in there and has walked out as you know big time because if you do not really walk out as a hundred percent you're not going to get back to the level and he's definitely not back to where he was before that be crashing the prologue of the tour last year Alejandro Valverde we realized talking about him here that he's not gonna be everybody's cup of tea we know that everybody has different moral stances of as to what happened certainly during the the late 90s and and most of the noughties in cycling and he's one of those guys who is tainted by that era as well but it'll be 38 on Tuesday the dominant rider in these classics in the last few years and you talk about that long road back I have to admit that when I start talking about that crash last year during the the Tour de France I thought that his career was done and dusted but the strength you could see him two or three days later exercising that leg and knee straight after the operation in the hospital bed the determination was there from day one there wasn't let's go home and think about this and see how I feel it has been a remarkable remarkable recovery you talked about how good he's been already this year Sean here are some stats 9 wins already this year and to put it into context the team has 13 so 3/4 of the wins have been brought home by the handle valve weather and the latest coming just a couple of weeks ago at the GP Andorian in Spain so while there they again in fantastic form and whatever you think of him the stats say he is one of the top riders certainly at this time of year so approaching the final 40 kilometers now Mackey's are out the way they got down to 238 and look at the shape and size of that peloton it's calmed down a little we're waiting for a bit of action behind because it's just two and a half minutes now the gap we're hearing that Dany Nevada by the way has abandoned he's abandoned certainly got a bit of a gash on his knee so best wishes to coffee listen Danny Nevada the man who we saw crashed there a moment ago Spanish rider so what's to come Lajo don't rush off for San Nicola all famous names in cycling and it's a bit like the calm before the storm here at the moment everybody looking around were off for a quick break won it all continues to build up fireworks coming after this now it's a fight for position at the front and Bobby Starr are at the front of it quick-step is where we've Phillips your bet Astana appear on the left hand side we've all got older as well Garin Thomas is in a really good job here for me how quick off ski the race is on we're into the final 40 kilometers and suddenly somebody has turned the accelerator right up Sean Kelly yes well we can see welcome into a very important climb here the quarter reduced which is a difficult one two kilometres long 8.9% and then lead into it's very technical very tight role narrow road as well and the climb itself as you go for the rope it is you know and a real difficult one because the gradient is there but again position is important we can see the reason why they're really pushing on here approaching the entry to LaHood just two minutes and 12 seconds behind 40 kilometers from the line the peloton 39 case from the line the break and that fight for position is becoming pretty savage now he's seen Garrett Thomas putting me I'll create cost ski into the right place we've seen Vincenzo Nibali escorted by several riders movie star doing the job Amador was up there for Valverde in the meantime this is what it looks like in onset the finish line all calm all quiet we've already had the end of the women's race that yet again balls diamonds have dominated Anna Fonda bragging the winner there who is going to take success in the 104th edition of the men's years passed on yesh this is what's left at the breakaway and they've had a good day out so for more than 200 kilometres led by Mark Christian at the moment he's the man in the navy blue for aqua blue sports and they're approaching a pretty legendary stretch of road llaha dirt comes quite a bit further from the finish than it used to do not as important as it used to be but LaBute is still a hobbit it's been in the race since 1974 an important spot for the crowd and the iconic photographs all come from here don't they Sean yes well it's one of the it's one of the you know bit on all claims of the Liege Bastion only age and this has been in for you know so many years because back a long long time and it's it's a claim where there's a lot of the years the race have been decided on this one and you can see that the ROI does know that they're being pushed by the directors 40s the radio they're all getting the call okay we're getting to quarter Ahdoot is an important one guys keep our man in front whoever it may be you know keep in C&C nibbly in front whoever they want to keep up there they're onto the domestiques to keep them in the good position to get onto this line big big job them for the support riders here as you see movement from the front and of course so iconic this stretch of road that the local man has got the road he wants to be the first across the top Jerome Bowie for want eagle goober who's in search of pride prestige and of course a prima five hundred euros I think you said at the top of each climb Sean there's a king of the mountains prize at the end of the day of course this is lack of duty you can steal the camping cars parked up in the field on the right-hand side everybody has turned up here whether it's to be at the bottom of the climb to wave your flag to be in position in the same spot you might have been coming year after year to watch this race you want to be there everybody wants to be at the front of the group was one look how strong out everybody is now it's one long line in the meantime further up the climb a little karma as boingy has gone out on the attack look at what all that fighting for position is done for the gap we're at one minute and 45 seconds now yes and that will come down very quickly because we can see the main peloton it's really a go at a fast rate here they're going to just charge onto the climb and that will mean a 49 I think that was dropped down very very quickly and we can see quarter reduces the worn where is so many people even the mortar where they park the side and they have a look at the race as it goes by that tells you how important it is and we can see here be charged on in the peloton of my favorites and wreak mass with a big job to do the man who recently pulled off his first professional victory in cycling the man from the northeast of my York eyes from the area of a Tatar an area that's famous for being down the road from where the great tennis player Rafael Nadal comes from he's there after that win in the Basque Country doing a job now for junior a la fille boosts its second wheel there were number 51 in the blue jersey third wheel wearing number 25 is me Hulk off ski just behind him Karen Thomas then you have Mikkel lander after that you've got Johnny Visconti who's there for Bahrain Merida Phillips your bear in the other dark blue jersey Vincenzo Nibali not far away and then a whole host of other favorites for the minute quick-step sky movie star winning the positioning battle this is what's happening up the front of the roads and we talked all about the atmosphere look at this there's several deep on each side is it something you felt back at your day as well the the importance of this climb with the fans yes well I think the importance build for a number of kilometres for the back the road and we've seen in the main peloton you know 15 certainly 10 km is further down the road if what's getting more nervous positioning was very important and when you get onto the climb here if you get on a good position you can have a moment where you take a couple deep breaths and relax you say now when I've done the fourth part of it here I've got on to the climb in the position I need to be but as you go further up the climb when the gravy really kicks opens when it kicks off with at 11% then it's the real test to see how you're feeling and the difficult thing is here you can be feeling pretty gold but they can be three or four five of the other riders here who can be feeling better and that is the deal the interesting thing about boy racing you feel confident commands decline but the other riders see if we that much better when you get into green the real important part over and that's when your self intercept or just somebody you're going really good here because I feel ok but they are better and you know what that's the unknown thing and that's the great thing about point racing but you just have to keep on fighting as we can see now there's a little bit of a downtime here and the break we are forced to be hanging out there for quite a long time I think they could have swore off the break we're talked to five kilometres further down back the rolls but they'll just allow them to hang out there to cam things down on that that suits a lot of teams it's it seems to like it more we stay just to load the brakes be out there that cams are fails back in the peloton here oh man well day being protective and helped by Mukesh a man who helped him out when he had a mechanical in the first 20 kilometers of the rice today said he only so now the Colombian champion little further back in the group for Skye yeah right Thomas still looking good up at the front with me huh coughs Keigo there's Ralph our microwave I'm at 91 for Bora in the green black Laurie war bust the national champion of the United States of America there as well as Hesh powers for Dimension Data Tom yield to slag that here is Thomas on the left-hand side there is muss on the right right in the middle of you shot the winner on Wednesday Julia ala Philippe and Vincenzo Nibali at the back in the red jersey has just gone past one of those flags you were talking about sure it is very own Sicilian Island flag just about a hundred meters further back from where he is they've hit the 12% gradient up to 17% there that's how the hill snakes up for two kilometers it averages at eight point nine percent and it's probably the most iconic climb in the wild on region this one [Applause] [Music] [Applause] as I motor where you mentioned Sean behind as they seem to go a little slower to look now then number 21 while tools towards the back alongside interrogated heart no surprise that pulls might be struggling a little here we're into monument territory were well over 220 kilometers into this race and this is only his third day back on a bike after that broken collarbone at Perry nice so the champion a couple years ago skies first monument winner at the time just losing contact yes well it's understandable if you have been old from number of weeks and you haven't been you know racing consistently well then you're going to get caught over a moment and when you get all that's 200 kilometres that's when it really starts to kick in and not surprising that world pose and difficulty we see bleeding as well from BMC Racing another rider who normally would be able to here with his breakaway companions he should be the strongest wound really but because he's come back from injury also suffering a bit further down the road a medic mass doing a good job here Spaniard blue jersey for Julian awfully now Bob jungles on the left hand side making its way up Bob jungles in the future could be a very good rider for this sort of race you'd say that it's one of the types of race that's made for him as you see this was rather their Spanish champion welcome Oliver towards the back in the red jersey but his ink as well a couple of riders from education first draft back struggling towards the back they have a really good team on paper for this race by the way not just wriggle veteran but also Mike woods Piero lon Alex house and Lawson cranek who was top ten last year and Steve Cummings just losing contact as well yes well he is on the rear as we've seen him earlier on in the day and he's a position that he sits in quite a large push he's looking smooth there the Royals are getting into difficulty he's just riding by them but if you're really going for this one well then to be in the position where Steve Cummings is is not the place to be because you're going to have to make so much efforts Roy is losing contact all the time you have to come around those riders and know close down little gas being left by them and in front of you Sharon Bagni on his own now struck out the bottom of Vallejo duped there'll be a moment this replayed on the television at his family home for a few years to come when he attacked there and The Wanted group call bellman taking in what fluid he has left mass peddling away young girls has just slotted in into second place so there's more firepower to back up but ala Philippe and it seems that quick step of flicks the switch now and it's game on for them yes well it's it's a position now that's a quick step I want to try and continue on setting the pace here they would be hoping that some of the other teams will take off the walk on the front of the main group of favors here as well but this is quite a big group and nobody going in the attack for the moments that tells I think the play is be the pace being set sorry by masses you know quite strong here nobody thinking of going in the attack but it's still thirty four point nine to go it's a long ways you know to control with your team so they'll be hoping that they will get some help from the other teams of the favorites is the race too hard nowadays that why we're seeing everybody waiting no I don't think it's too hard when you look at the final is the day they took out that hill after yes after sandy killer which was I think a good move because it made us a bit too much too difficult in the very final but the weather conditions I think you know that would suit a lot of riders if you had very cold wet conditions here well then it would be a totally different race and with a different number of riders in the main peloton done and dusted Jones again in a minute for the next welcome back everybody we're waiting for those fireworks to go off another year passed another year without an attack on this group it looked to be motoring on about 20 kilometers ago it's still strong out here and quickstep have gone to work but it's still a large group with 34.5 kilometers to go in the one hundred and fourth years based on you Liege approaching the cote de la rochelle full court now coming around fifteen kilometres time to classified Hills still to go the whole show for Court and then sandy Cora [Music] Shakuni the rider from the french-speaking part of Belgium where we're having this race is at the front of it riding for wanted Gruber he's just a minute ahead of the chasing peloton now chasing peloton that's strung out but I still yet to see those big attacks to the classified climbs live or short for cars the next one doesn't come for another 15 kilometres however and again if you're one of those riders who wants to make it hard for the likes of a la Filipe and Valverde time is running out but of course you've still got two big attacks and ramps on which to attack and if you're thinking of Vincenzo Nibali next climb Sean he's worries how'd it go before 2012 he went out on the attack he was caught in the final kilometer by Maxime at glinsky on the day I wonder if he's thinking of the same launchpad well I think there's a lot of Roy was thinking of the launchpad Bush you know can't you put a launch pad into motion that is the question because quick SEPA you're pushing on big time here but will they be capable of you know continues we can see more quickstep riders coming to the front and the interesting one here is between the quarter Redoute and the next one quarter or show fashion there's that's almost 15 kilometers that is the danger point because if you knock down your pace knock down your speed in the front of the peloton as many riders will try and go on the attack then so it's it's a difficult one you have to keep the pace quite high that way you will stop those attacks from coming from the Royals who have you know numbers here and they will put try and put Royals up the road to make a difficult position if quickstep can't continue on saying the pea see we can see there at the moment but that is it difficult task because there boy you're first we talking of all things difficult that's not good news Larry war bus is down the champion of the United States and NAT Nell Bert Hana who came all the way from the tour of the Alps just to ride this race could climb a former Eritrean champion he's down and hurt and you talked about the road furniture sure I'm afraid it's claimed two victims there yes and we did see a moment ago our so leave that open for one year he had to make a correction as he came into that corridor so this was a one where you know we could see problems in the peloton and here we have us some riders going down and you know at this point in the race they are pushing on it such a race we can see here somebody just making the correction and taking some riders action oh and it was before they got to the bit of the road furniture there he was just losing the back wheel it's Larry war bass who's gone down and he's taken not nailed but Hani with him and of course with that little mark there it could have been so much worse for the Hani yes well of course when you arrive into the corner you see the line you're going it's the destroy bail and then you're trying to correct it you go on the brakes a little bit you're on the voice the voice line as well and if you go a little bit too heavy on the bond the brakes well then that's what happens you can slide ours and I think that was the problem for the aqua blue rider yeah and Larry wall bus and I could blue one of the teams on this brakes as well so maybe an example of the different bits of braking power as well going into corners though too good that was suggested wasn't it when the disc brakes came into the pout and no it's not a rough cut and dried example there because they're going around a corner and anybody whether you're on caliper brakes or Dick's breaks you can you can make a braking error there yes but of course disc brakes are the power arrives much quicker yeah well it's not that the you know the disc brakes are so good if you go a little bit too heavy well then you're going to block your rear and or possibly your front if you do that and you're going to start sliding so the disc brakes is something that you have to you know be Lloyd's on them they are very good they're exceptionally goes when sometimes they can be too good if you get into a panic situation mark Christian is gonna be the next to be caught the gat just 33 seconds from born G to the peloton chasing behind quick stop have just added another man into second wheeler it still Henrique masse the Spaniard controlling things at the front as he wasn't the last climb but max Shakman young German writer who had injury problems at the end of his first professional seasons last year scored a maiden top-10 in the classic on Wednesday he just slotted into second place there and he looked really strong in flesh well on quickstep certainly have a train at the front yes well they have riders here in reserve we can see also and the other riders am from quickstep city he's also a Peter sorry he's you know a specialist in this English final - is the trade that he is really performant on and they are continuing on to your set a strong pace they have to know because as I said this is this is the area this is the part of the route where Theo if they do dress you knock down the pace well then they're going to be wide open to you know many attacks um different teams different riders all your tears they have commissioned that continue on with us by the way in the car for them today the very colorful Davide Baramati Italian who's known for wearing his heart on his sleeve he said before the race that everybody's motivated for the final challenge of the spring confidence and enthusiasm er flowing through the team flesh well art was good they said they're ready to let their legs do the talking again here and this is what's left into the final 30 kilometers of years passed on yesh 37 seconds behind the leader the race just one rider leading the race at the moment this is the next man to be caught Mark Christian just over ten kilometers now until the next climb the penultimate of the classified climbs it will be the cook than a hostile food court and Mark Christian part of an original nine man breakaway man from the Isle of Man riding for aqua-blue the Irish team is going to be the next rider to be taken back by the peloton I could Lou did well to get two riders into the breakaway today they'll be disappointed that one of their leaders has just crashed however in Larry war bus just back up on his bike quick enough as we see movement on the right-hand side coughs ki just had the hand on the back there from junior Philippe on the left-hand side of ala Philippe you can see Tim Whelan's I gather there was a bit of a grow in the the Belgian press this week between Wellington maybe fun n dirt they sure were and I think Marcel jaunt was trying to camp things in the in the past day as he said it was just a reaction after the finish from from Wellons and I can't I can understand you know yell van and dirt he was on the front and you've stopped yourself setting a pace on the mood of Hui it's a difficult one to make the pace not I don't have to look around to see what your teammates are sitting and you know I can go around for them and I think he was he was thinking he was doing a good job with then he probably realized that where this was a bit for the RAF and decided to go off you know for his own glory and yeah I don't think there's anything wrong with that for sure they are talking and we did hear some of the pre-race interviews that there you know go to play a number of oils in the team so that's easy understanding for today 28 percent the grading on them although we it's ridiculous it gets to a point where the gradient is so difficult that it's almost impossible to keep looking after teammates when everybody's sprinting around you when there's movement it's every man for themself isn't it on that it was the end yes well on the run into the end of the place for low on the mood ahoy it's just hectic it's it's more hectic than being in the sprint to the alone in the in a normal teen or flat stage and it's all a fight to get onto the climb and if you're teammates that you're walking for cannot keep your wheel you know that is I think the mistake from your from your leader and if he's your protective man he has to make sure that he can do that but sometimes that's a bit easier said and on because there's so much pushing is so much fighting for position but as I said Rob it's such a difficult one to have a look around because when you get on to the mood ahoy the gradients is so difficult you just you just can I build focus on Ross out front well this teach but not add into the equation for water sudol as well and they've got a really strong team for these races another strong team we talked about at the start gawd katisa giri at the front on the left hand side for behind Morita behind him Giovanni Visconti there as well there's a line of four riders now teaspoon re we mentioned a moment ago just on the left hand side in the gutter they're trying to move up for lotto with the red jersey on through the middle team's Sun Webb with Tom du Moulin winner the giro d'italia last year hoping to try and defend his crowd is looking after Michael Matthews little bit for Iran he's moving up as well for EF Drabek 1 7 2 there for aqua blue sport is the rider who has just caught a moment ago that's Mark Christian 55 in the blue jersey we saw him working on the front of a group for quickstep Emrick mass is there as well as a BMC jersey on the right-hand side but there are plenty of BMC jerseys at the front of the peloton as well now yes and we can see there this you know for Tunes the protected man of course and we can see Simon Gerrans just a moment he was writing in the front keep in there there'll either in a really good position we can see it's really pushing on here at the moment there's a lot of into that corner just a moment ago we could see there was a lot of competition for places competition for places that had existed since this first first began back in 1892 it was started by the l-sit piss on club leash hua Lian what a member of a club that organized that first race was a Belgian he was the very first winner yes he went on to win the opening three editions of the is passed on yesh open to professionals two years later in 1894 and here we are in 2018 who's gonna be the winner of a one hundred and fourth edition this is Jung born yet and if he would have win it would be some story it's not gonna happen he's been in the break all day long he's enjoying his last few moments at the front of his home race goes through his own territory in the french-speaking part of Belgian here area Vilonia ten seconds is all he has on the group behind it's been some ride by this man hasn't it it has been a strong right because you know he's been out there for a long time in the breakaway and know the way the peloton have been going in the last 15 plus kilometres had to hold on he separately in a really strong riot he we did see he was doing well over 50 kilobits parallel moments ago and to be able to do that at this point in the race and taking into consideration the kilometres they've done the amount of time the mirror in front he's put me in a real strong performance well Eddy Merckx has won this race on five occasions Moreno Argentine and alejandro valverde of each one on four occasions Leon why we just mentioned one three times Alphonse lepers won three times as well as did Fred the burner back in the 1950s a record could be called today if Alberta wins he could join Eddy Merckx with five star Liege performances Julianne Philippe the other big favorite could be Frances first winner for thirty-eight years Ben I know in very different conditions to the beautiful sunny day we had today was the last winner for that great cycling nation almost four decades ago now back in nineteen eighty six seconds for Bernie who stretches out the last few meters of his ride and I think that's the last shot we'll see of him from behind he's about to be caught one long line 23 kilometers to go were approaching the penultimate climb of the day we're approaching the port were Andy Schleck won this race nine seasons back when he attacked on the cooked and a hostile four car were approaching the part where Vincenzo Nibali had his previous on this hill in 2012 he went solo on the descent from the climb only to be caught in the final kilometer and it's knee Bunny's team who's taken over from quick step to ride at the front does the shark plan on fighting Giovanni

Channel: Milan Reznicek

Views: 22,423

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Id: QBWSce9OdpA

Length: 119min 58sec (7198 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 19 2019