"Maybe they look at each other and we can surprise them" - Mikel Landa hoping to shock pre-race favourites Pogacar and Evenepoel at Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Following his impressive ride at La Fleche Wallone, finishing on the podium, Bahrain - Victorious's Mikel Landa is hoping that Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel mark each other out at Liege-Bastogne-Liege allowing the Spaniard to take the win.

"I didn't really have a plan. I just wanted to start in the front group at the Wall of Huy and then my legs would determine my place. I am happy with the result," Landa said of his third-placed finish at La Fleche Wallone. “This result gives me a lot of confidence. After the Tour of the Basque Country I didn't feel so good. I had a hard time recovering. This performance gives me the necessary confidence again for Liège-Bastogne-Liège."

For Landa to stand any chance of upsetting the applecart in Belgium though, the 33-year-old is going to have to overcome the mightily impressive pair of Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. The former two-time Vuelta a Burgos winner is hoping that the duo are so focussed on each other that a dark horse such as Landa will be free to mount a surprise attack.

"That may indeed be better for us. Maybe they look at each other and we can surprise them," he hopes. Landa also has the benefit of former race winner Wout Poels riding in his aid. "He can certainly help me. He knows the game very well, is in good shape and motivated. It will certainly help to have him with me on Sunday."

Bahrain - Victorious for Liège-Bastogne-Liège:

Mikel Landa, Yukiya Arashiro, Pello Bilbao, Santiago Buitrago, Fran Miholjevic, Matej Mohoric and Wout Poels.

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