"If Mathieu wants to be able to win Liege-Bastogne-Liege, it’s now" - Tom Boonen believes van der Poel won't get a better chance to add Liege to monument tally
Cycling
In the quest to win all five of cycling's monuments, the race analysts fear will be most difficult for Mathieu van der Poel is Liege-Bastogne-Liege. According to Classics legend Tom Boonen though, this year could be as big of a chance as the Dutchman will ever get.
“If Mathieu wants to be able to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège, it’s now. The conditions available to him today will probably never come back,” Boonen, a seven-time monument winner in his own right, analyses in conversation with Sporza.
The reason for Boonen's 'now or never' attitude? The vast number of potential winners set to miss out on this year's edition due to injury, including the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert. "Among his biggest opponents, only Tadej Pogacar remains, because the others will not be present in Liège due to injuries,” Boonen explains.
"You shouldn't underestimate the other riders either, of course," the 43-year-old Belgian concludes. "But in principle, Mathieu is at least as good as these riders."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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