Liège-Bastogne-Liège | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | 4/23/2023 | Cycling on NBC Sports

[Music] this final run-in to the end of the Arden's races thank you it is the grandom LA Dwayne the oldest classic in the world the 109th edition of liege best only age started way back in 1892 and the final piece of the Arden's triple it is the last Monument of the spring and the last big one day race of the early season hi everybody I am Bob roll joined by Christian vandeveld the entire cycling world was looking forward to the showdown between the two biggest stars amongst a few others Remco Ava Nepal and tari pogacha but that will not happen in this year's race today after about 55 miles of racing has crashed out of liaise best only age and we are all heartbroken about this whole entire cycling world we were looking forward to this for so much time this is The Clash of the Titans the last time that they were together was at the World Championships where Remco obviously took that win here but Teddy being on an absolute Terror this season when he Perry niece to her Flanders obviously amslo gold race and going for the Triple Crown as he won Celestial alone on Wednesday this was his for the taking here and especially going against Remco so unfortunately that's not gonna happen here today Bobby but we still have an incredible race one of the hardest races on the calendar if not the hardest race in the calendar incredibly arduous final classic of the Race season liaise best only age pretty straightforward course Christian well known to all the Riders but it's the climbs in the finale and the closing 100 kilometers or 60 miles that really defined liaise best on liaison make it so difficult it's a distance it's a climbing it's a change of Direction it's really everything that goes in like you said everyone knows these climbs everyone's been out on these climbs half the field is more or less racist rate if not more but when they hit best stone halfway through this race right around 60 miles into it they'll be going back up north right here and they'll be actually getting a Tailwind this year so the wind's coming straight from the south at 25 kilometers per hour 50 miles an hour and then they start hitting the climbs in succession one after another on the way out to bestow and it's more or less flat but on the way back they hit every climb they could possibly hit it's really when they hit this Trifecta and the the stock Eddie mercs the poker Rosie and then just like last year when they hit the lottery climb or later dude this is where the pig crit attacks happened last year from Remco Evan pole and he went from way out 30 kilometers to go all by himself to the line most likely he's going to try to do the same thing but everyone will be waiting in anticipation for that same move and they should be on his wheel it's better if they could handle the pace of Remco people this year and Remco indeed won last year's Edition after a stinging attack on the Cote de Laura do Christian and soloing all the way to the Finish Line pretty spectacular Edition also it was Julian ala Felipe in a high-speed pilot that's really effective ever since but this is that attack by Remco Ava Nepal they saw the Nielsen Palace almost able to match the acceleration but from that kind of distant spot we haven't seen this in decades with the rider going off that far away in yellow the previous winners that are returning a number of riders not coming back roguelitch fugle Saint jungle's not here but even uphold the defending Champion sadly tari pagacha as we mentioned not in the race having crashed out earlier looking down on liege absolutely stunning shot at the Basilica from the ancient days and the brand new train station this is the start of today's station mikhailanda on good form Christian third in flesho alone and this team got beat down this morning had two clouds of tests so teaspoon not gonna have so much help very strong and absolute Bill race in third place and this is the story of the day thus far Teddy pagacha is already in the team car making his way back to Leia's best only is licking his wounds Splendid all white that's a definite strong fashion statement going with the white shorts with the rainbow bands but he is ready to play here today first race in Belgium for Remco this year in the rainbow Stripes that was vlas off in the green some of the invited teams balwa Bingo on the front order of the day for those Riders getting the brake weight and they've done so 11 men off the front almost forgot about them in the the drama with Teddy pagacha earlier No cameras or images thus far of what exactly caused that crash we are dependent on the race organizers to bring us the images and that happened before the cameras came up after just over 50 miles Christian Prudhomme drop in the flag now we probably see some live images hitting the second climb here four minutes to the good in front of the Peloton 55 degrees pretty high humidity 74 percent chance of rain in the finale these are some of the names in the brickway Vandenberg or Salon Georg Zimmerman in the Breakaway and flesh alone on Wednesday No Rest for the intermarche rider Palmer at pears Velasco he's a writer from Astana and means also from the Bingo Squad back in the Breakaway as he was in fleshwal on Wednesday Christian pretty impressive by those two riders in the Arden's week to be in the Breakaway both days in in Belgium wow impressive I guess they didn't have enough on Wednesday jeez I mean that was obviously a doom attack out there completely different racing whereas flush alone is 60 kilometers less than five or six thousand feet less of climbing as well you always have a small very small chance of making it in the Breakaway lies I just don't see that there could be a counter move that comes but one different aspect of this race is that UAE had been pulling for the entirety of this race until Teddy crashed so now you most likely is not going to be there with any assistance whatsoever it's going to be most likely up to the the team of Remco Evan pull and maybe a little bit of EF education as Ben Healy has been on a terror as of late as well from EF Education First Team UAE has informed the worldwide media that today has indeed withdrawn abandoned liaise best only age and we are waiting further details on his condition from the team and after you're absolutely right Christian sudall Quick Step the team of Remco avanapol in that very distinct all white Kit with the rainbow bands and now you got to consider him because the absolute favorite or the remainder of this race with the abandon of tari pogacho sudo what a difference a few days makes especially with the turn of events this morning with today out yeah the team in flesh will own for sudal you know the Belgian Superstar Squad and they were out maneuvered and outgunned in every single portion of Flesh alone and they bring a very different Squad however to liege best only age with ala Philippe returning oh crash in the field here ag2r Rider going down in that corner didn't look like it was anybody except his own fault going down there number 143. 82 are moving slowly oh wow that must have been pretty high-speed crash cushion I did not expect to see that Bob to be honest with you on the outside yeah we're trying to move up a little bit too many places too quickly it looked like Christian and sliding out right on the hip ouch it's actually increased their average speed in the last 20 30 kilometers up and over 40. oh we're expecting this Bob you know never even took his leg armors off one time going back to get water bottles he is just not right and just hasn't been healthy it's a it's a shame honestly to think of what he did when we just showed that flashback just a few years ago getting third place here at La toyen and then and how good he was in Pyrenees second place there and really one of the only Riders be able to to go with Ted gotcha in March early March and and uh got the better of Jonas vingego and Perry nice yeah I mean it that is bad luck it's milosevic the 20 year old from Bahrain having a tough day also wow hard racing long ways from the Finish you're going back to the UAE writers and George Bennett I mean that has to be mentality as well you know coming to a big race where you're so excited for you have a great chance of winning the Triple Crown aldar dens with your teammates and he crashes out I think that a lot of that really is really just the mindset of George Bennett just thinking you know our chances now winning are very slim oh off the road I mean I tried to come back in the field I wouldn't I thought that was Mark hirsche that was trying to move up at the same moment teach me nude wow that's not great he's gonna leave the jumbo Squad oh he's gonna pay for that isn't he about you know coming so close to the front one false move or pushing the envelope just a little bit too far and having to re-accelerate just like we spoke about with Roman barde and cholesterolone it's almost impossible to do that yet again you waste so much energy silly move there by teach there and that is yeah Mark Hershey like you said Bob a little shoulder touch going off the road and there's a van looking right and a fan as well yes coming to us it might not he'll have to wait for the whole Peloton to get back going again ala Philippe similar expression to Velazquez a minute and seven behind the three riders in front I think trotnik actually might be stronger than Ella Felipe at this point in time so I wouldn't expect I would expect that the Gap is going to start to increase a little bit without her vodka pull in and so I thought yeah this might be the finish line for Julian Philippe everything you got Julian considering the amount of pressure he is being put on the bay this is all he's got and there he goes so I think that's day done and it's back to vervaca yet again like I said he has to be the MVP where vodka is flying today in Elon van vilder this is only a couple of teammates left long ways to go from the finish a bit worrying to my eyes for sudall Christian but who else has anyone else Bob look at me we've seen Ben Healy pretty much by himself I would say Yambo visma has more privacy they have one Rider up front and they have three riders in the back there's really not so many numbers concerned there's only about 45 Riders left in the entire Peloton might I mean if van vilder doesn't do a number of miles we could see a long long range attack that's exactly what I'm expecting a pole there's Olive on the shoulder of Lawrence de plus but that's at the back of the Peloton might not be there much longer it was in a similar spot the previous climb was able to collect himself but could be the end of the story for Julian out of sleep today but he has done his teamwork now it's up to his teammate Remke wave in a poll to finish off those efforts and it certainly has it would seem like Christian the form and the fitness to do so very strong so far and like you said man look at look at the roads here really slippery anything Cannon will happen you have to be on your game at all times and tratnick doesn't have a chance he has to take some risk here he's already put in such a massive effort take some risks on The Descent try to extend that Gap a little bit because you know the big attacks are coming he does have that nice Advantage which could be perfect for him if for example Remco does come up to him on Lower dude and he has a still enough Advantage going into the climb that it's enough to get caught at the top of the climb as opposed to in the middle just a small Advantage now for the two leaders as mentioned crashing out earlier no images of that that K that happened before the cameras came online [Applause] suspected injury to the wrist for pagacha and he's been taken to hospital to get that checked out and we'll update that as we have a chance to from the team and the race liaise liaise Elon van vilder at the front of the Peloton on his wheel the current world champion and defending champion of liaise best only age Remco Ava Nepal Ben Healy in the pink of EF right on the shoulder of Remco avanapol Tom Pitcock right behind him it looked like Ben Healy was not content to sit on the wheel Tom Peacock not really really trusting the wheel of Tom piccock but now we had to come back a little bit so the ride in the pink jersey sitting on the wheel of Tom Peacock world champion and cycloth cross and Olympic champion and mountain bike but here we go this is what we've been looking forward to see what the Quick Step Team can do on this club can it be like last year where he goes from long range Remco Evan pulled world champion that's been an incredibly difficult day throughout this is the damage being done to the front Group which is small already the rider's getting dropped immediately at the beginning of La redo Elon vanville are making the tempo for Remco Ava to pull second wheel at the moment I have to think that everyone is expecting a massive attack just like last year from Remco Evan Paul here Bob I can't think that he'd be waiting any longer especially considering only has one teammate left and look at the damage that's already been done in this Peloton and how fast they've gone through all the climbs coming back from Bastone they have to be anticipating a big attack here second wheel and just about to catch the Breakaway is even a pole maybe he waits till the catch before he makes his attack Healy on his wheel Roman barde is there Tom pidcock as well and Mattea shellmos also there for the Trek team Elon vanville are still making the tempo and Remco he looks incredibly powerful and dangerous there's my horse in trouble being dropped a long ways from the top of this and two more climbs still to come after this one you know at this point in time Remco had already attacked last year Bob so I think most of the steeper Parts have already gone by look at Ben Wilder easily taking back the Breakaway still on the front there Tom piccock being able to sit on the wheels along with Bilbao and his shoulder and Ben healing the pink beat Chago is the rider from Bahrain having a good day Roman bardet in the black and blue Elon van Viller still stopping on the pedals having a pole looking getting set maybe this should become a Christian oh a little slip of the gears there by Remco [Applause] maybe just laying down too much horsepower and sliding the tire a little bit there things boots it's hard to say there with with Remco whether or not he has in the legs or just he's thinking that everyone's anticipating what he's gonna do here maybe hold him back and thinking about going on Russia Falcon's bargiel dropped now a long ways from the top then Builder let's see how long van Gilda can keep this Tempo up let's put a lot of riders in difficulty but still quite a few Riders left in the front Christian I'm surprised to see that agreed I mean more than Newton or less than usual still but let's be honest here you usually have 50 60 Riders going over this right apart from last year of course but the punishment that's been put down by the Quick Step Squad here and look at Tom Peacock looks well within himself to konyson has Wheel bar days behind him Ben Healy and skelmos as well second place in flush alone also teach bennu trying to hang tough with Yan Izzy there goes evinopol now the attack is coming pigcock responding Remco avanapol now he's putting the hammer down he's got the traction that he needs and he's gone off the front it's Tom pidcock struggling to stay on terms with Remco I mean look at chicone's just glued on the wheel of peacock as well let him do the work if he had the legs respond afterwards but right now you cannot give Remco Evan pole a meter because we know exactly what will happen just like last year because he has the potential to be able to time trial his way all the way to the Finish Line Tom pickack fighting back over the top there's a false flat here before this descent begins in Earnest and that's some of the toughest miles in professional cycling right here let's see if pigcock doesn't know the danger that if even pull has a slight Advantage could go all the way to the Finish Line solo so Pitcock trying to do damage control at the moment Pitcock may be a little bit better on The Descent but he wants to get as close as possible to the Flying Remco Ava Nepal before that next Ascent begins pitcock using his descending to get back on the wheel of Remco still two climbs to come and the two Trek Riders chicone and skelmos trying to get back on terms impressive riding by the two Young Riders on the Trek Squad now this is good right now for Tom pidcock come back up to the wheel REM coming pull don't give him any turns do not assist in the pacemaking whatsoever if he's that strong he's already put him to the sword one time just wait and sit on his wheel as much as you can try to recover this is the attack everybody's was expecting Remco Ava Nepal going on the offensive just before the top of laurado and now just caught by Tom piccock on The Descent this is the chase group now trying to do their best to get back on terms there is the two leaders in the excuse me this is the two truck riders trying to get back up to the two leaders even a pole in pigcock impressive Climb by Pitcock Christian and like you said don't take a single turret at the front that would be a disaster so big might have overheard you sitting on the wheel so far I don't think they need any assistance whatsoever in that strategy what's you know thinking about the the prowess of Remco evanpool but at least someone was able to go with him they knew exactly what was going to happen they didn't have any Riders left Ben will did a great job dwindling the Peloton soften them up and then Remco finished the job off two strong Riders here the biggest question mark is if these guys could come back up to the front riders in the with Remco doing all the work by himself peacock's not gonna assist him at all or at least he shouldn't help you out a Remco if he eases up because Pitcock has found the wheel it might give a chance for schemos and chicone to catch how long they can stay on the wheel with just 20 miles of racing to go remains to be seen two more hard climbs before the Finish and Remco I don't feel like he started rampaging as hard as he can just yet Christian but it was definitely in a bit of a tricky tactical situation with pigcock on his wheel this is the remnants of the Peloton a very small group trying to get back on terms with the two Chasers chicone and skelmo skelmos continuing to impress and ride well from Denmark had a great ride on Wednesday in the flesh of alone next up is code to four is actually the next categorized climb they're actually going up uncategorized climb right now it's nonetheless quite hard but not as hard as the code to forge 1.3 kilometers at 7.8 percent and then of course the Falcons Rock that's going to be the place where Evan pool needs to drop pigcock because he doesn't want to have the chance that he outsprings him at the line [Applause] this is the chase group there's two riders in between this group and the two leaders pigcock and Ava napole in that chase group Ben Healy riding well continuing to oppress in the Ardennes and Roman bardet having a good day out we trago maybe the surprise Rider in that chase group but Remco avanapol hasn't had any assistance whatsoever from Todd pigcock and that's prudent riding from pigcock but he still has to get over two climbs with Ava napol to have a chance at the win if you can do that though stands to have a much better chance there's the chase group ionizakidi is there and teach benoot from the from the jumbo Squad and a bigger group catching this group of five we travel 64 riding well but a big group about to make contact with this Chase group not that far behind about 37 seconds behind the two leaders even a pole and pidcock it just shows you how fast Evan pulls riding right now and if you're Tom Peacock or you know you're thinking that you have to stay in the wheel and he obviously can't do it and look at that that's just incredible he is I mean Evan pulls just heads and shoulders Above the Rest of course we're always going to play the game but Coulda Woulda Shoulda what would have happened if Ted If it gotcha would have been out here today would he be able to match the temple that Evan Paul is doing but have to take your head off this man right now and I know she needs to stay upright Bob he still has some big climbs that get up and over but considering the the gaps he's already put in in the last three miles this man is on a mission yet again slippery conditions for Ava to pull the lone leader and maybe a crash would slow him down that could be the only thing between himself and the win the power to time trialing The Limited miles left oh no there's a rider Over the Hedge Christian wow just a foot number 42 that is Andreas Crone from the sudall squad you can see his bicycle there oh wow Touch of Wheels a slow motion fall Over the Hedge looked like depending on what's on the other side if he hits the fence though that's made out of metal that's a different story cushion I mean if the hedges don't shred you enough the fence oh poor guy and six and a half hours of race and 15 000 feet of climbing your Sprint usually is not up to Snuff and it's really the rider who's the freshest coming to the line [Music] aramco continuing to increase his Advantage as the pursuers continue to struggle even a pole Big Stretch of roadway minute 30 advantage and just six miles of racing to go and just going about 32 miles an hour no problem for the world champion on this false flat wow this is flying Christian yeah that's this is great news for the sudall team 2.8 kilometers just a mile and a half racing left for the current world champion the leader of the sudall squad about to reverse their flagging fortunes no big wins for sudall throughout the spring campaign that's about to change even to pull just a couple of Corners between himself and a glorious win number two in liaise best only age the fourth Monument of the season and the last classic of the spring well he's not gonna have to get on the train and recover after this and really he's pretty much relaxed the whole way down the hill it's incredible how easy he's been able to ride here I mean it seems like he's on a Sunday stroll now obviously that wasn't the case when he was going flat out on lover Duke but yeah Bob what you're mentioning earlier about him ruining the fact that his biggest competitor coming into this race tedipe gotcha crashed out like you said you always want to win against the best I think it always makes it count for a lot more than it was here today if you think back there's always gonna be an asterisk oh yeah but remember the teddy crashed out of that race he wasn't against you he didn't have any competition on the day but nonetheless not often it's been 25 years since a Rider's gone back to back wins here it lives and move Fredo Peters in the suit all team car the last few moments of encouragement from the car to their 23 year old world champion leader in the final one kilometer in a moment for Remco on the radio the minute 20 advantage I would imagine saying thanks to the team car for agreeing and his teammates who can hear him occasionally if they're but within radio range that's nice that's maybe only one guy maybe the team is still there maybe Ben Wilder could hear that but you're so right though I mean let's not forget about what the team did here today incredible job yes you have to think about the change in situation when UAE with Ted if it got you crashing out relinquish their spot at the front of the Peloton it was all this squad this quick step Squad getting to the front and doing some serious damage as well for vodka what he did by himself 31 miles on the front now it's just this man by himself last kilometer unfortunately not as big as crowd as usual considering the rain but what a champion here truly the mark of a champion marking your spot and going forward current world champion defending champion of liege best only Asia's first day of racing in Belgium and delivering to the home crowds a massive win Monument number two in his career Remco avanapol [Music] scores issues [Applause] and a win for the ages for Remco to The Thrill of the home crowds the podium up for grabs but no one could beat Remco avanapol today the attack there by Ben hilly the pink jersey that the Irishman he knows that he doesn't have the quickest Sprint there to really try to put much on the back foot Drago about to catch the draft of Pitcock Pitcock perfectly queued up for second that's an impressive result for pitcock even though they're a long ways behind Remco even a poll Ben Healy gambled didn't look to work out but he had to do that Christian right to at least try for a Podium spot yeah it's a try he has to try it I would have liked to see him swing off the front immediately and try to get on the wheels of gutraga try to come around him he's definitely Opening way up there but he comes down the Lakes pitrago going for the line now pigcock on his wheel let's see if petrado isn't the strongest peacock trying to get around he's got a few meters to do so Tom pitcock will get second in liaise bass only age Santiago Buick Drago third Healy fourth great Sprint for the podium there Christian but back to back wins for the world champion or emko winning this race one of his first big wins in his career last year and it's been nothing but success since then coming in fifth it looked like teach benude a little bit ahead of the chase let's see if here she doesn't win the field spread there's vlasov and Patrick Conrad from the Borah Squad wow that is a huge gap to brimco waving to pull though through the the Chasers sprinting for a top 10 spot looks like chicone might just get behind Patrick Conrad there it looked like to me Christian but like you mentioned one minute and 50 seconds to the big group there that's incredible considering that gremko is freewheeling all the way back home foreign or the Belgian press very critical of sudal when they're not successful but they are also glowing in their praise when a Panache and dominance of one of the Belgian Riders this will be starting about maybe half an hour ago Christian the biggest news in Belgium for the entire country Remco delivering for the Belgian team and the Belgian race as world champion impressive ride so true so many times we've seen incredible Belgium talents you know always putting them up against the great Eddie Merks and it's so unfair to do but with Remco he's been able to go push through that especially with the world champion like I said many times you could have the curse the rainbow jersey obviously not the case for Remco it's already had a handful of successes this year this year coming close the Primos Road glitch in Catalunya where he got second place but this means so much more than catalunia being able to win a monument on home soil as well but the the frothy Belgian press needs to be supported for once and continue to be supportive even when he's not doing as good as he is today we will have to wait until next year for the showdown between Teddy pogacho and Remco Ava Nicole that everybody expected today crashing out after about 50 miles Remco absolutely demolished his Rivals one by one Christian I mean his teammates had already done so much damage that when Remco went it was lights out a minute and six over Tom pidcock no doubt about the winner in a dominant performance [Music] got to be absolutely thrilled with the pressure with the expectation with the negative comments from the Belgian press even his own team manager not looking very happy this week Christian but Remco oblitering all of those distractions and acrimony spectacular win to the Delight of the crowd

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Keywords: sports, cycling, cycling on nbc sports, cycling race, women's cycling race, cycling videos, cycling race highlights, cycling highlights, cycling highlights 2023, cycling extended highlights, cycling best moments, cycle racing, cycling 2023, cycling 2023 races, cycling highlights today, liège-bastogne-liège 2023, liège-bastogne-liège 2023 highlights, liege bastogne liege challenge 2023, liège-bastogne-liège belgium, liège-bastogne-liège, best moments from liège-bastogne-liège

Id: _JXI_8rxZqI

Length: 32min 29sec (1949 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 23 2023