"If he can’t drop Pogacar, he still has a shot in the sprint" - Dirk De Wolf finds 5 reasons Remco Evenepoel can win Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2025

A winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege back in 1992, Dirk De Wolf knows exactly what it takes to take victory at the Belgian Monument. In 2025, the expectation is that it is going to be a head-to-head battle between Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar, and according to De Wolf, his compatriot Evenepoel has a very good chance of taking the win.

In fact, in conversation with Sporza, the 64-year-old has presented five reasons why Evenepoel can defeat the world champion and claim a third Liege-Bastogne-Liege win in four years. “Liège–Bastogne–Liège suits him best. You can’t compare it to Flèche Wallonne, which is shorter and ends in a very specific way,” De Wolf begins his preview. “The climbs in Liège are longer, and you often get false flat sections afterwards, like after La Redoute or La Roche-aux-Faucons. Those are moments where you can really hurt someone.”

“It’s on those in-between stretches that Remco’s aerodynamic advantage kicks in," continues De Wolf. "He can settle into a rhythm that suffocates his rivals. Just look at what he did to Wout van Aert at the Brabantse Pijl. Of course, Tadej Pogacar isn’t 1.80m tall like Van Aert.”

A second reason, is that in his two previous appearances at Liege-Bastogne-Liege Evenepoel has taken the win of both occasions. “That definitely plays in his favour mentally. Although his main rival can say the same - he’s also won it twice,” De Wolf notes, referring to the aforementioned Pogacar. “These two could each end up winning Liège four or five times and start entering the same territory as legends like Argentin and Merckx.”

The weather, which is also previewed to be better than at La Fleche Wallonne will be a boost to the Soudal - Quick-Step leader. “Good weather is a big advantage for riders like Evenepoel. You can ride a bigger gear more easily, everything runs more smoothly,” says De Wolf. “Don’t forget - those are the conditions most riders train in. Remco is also someone who performs exceptionally well in the heat - just think of the Olympics, the World Championships in Australia, or his wins in San Sebastián. Warm weather always favours the lighter riders. If you weigh 70 or 75 kilos, you’re at a disadvantage - you lose too much fluid and burn more calories. Nutrition and hydration become crucial.”

Evenepoel is also fresher than Pogacar in the opinion of the Belgian icon. “He’s mostly just been training, but he already looks razor-sharp. Eight weeks ago, he was still dealing with weight issues, but that’s been sorted,” he explains. “He’ll be ready on Sunday, no doubt. The only problem is that his opponent - whom we thought might be a bit off after Amstel - clearly wasn’t on Wednesday.”

“Remco went deep at Flèche Wallonne, especially in the cold. That can actually be a benefit. It’s never a bad thing to empty the tank midweek with Sunday in mind," De Wolf continues. “He’s had a few more days now to do motor-paced training, to sharpen that top-end speed. And we know he gets even faster when he’s still building form. That’s when those stunning solo attacks become possible.”

And finally, De Wolf has backed his compatriot if it comes down to a sprint between himself and the world champion. “The sprint in Liège isn’t quite like the uphill drag at Brabantse,” De Wolf concludes. “But it’s clear he’s worked on his explosiveness in training. If he can’t drop Pogacar, he still has a shot in the sprint.”