OFFICIAL: UAE confirm Liege-Bastogne-Liege lineup as Tadej Pogacar backs in-form Benoit Cosnefroy for key role

Tadej Pogacar will lead UAE Team Emirates-XRG at Liege-Bastogne-Liege this Sunday, with the team confirming a balanced support squad as the world champion looks to continue a near-flawless 2026 campaign.

The Slovenian arrives in the Ardennes as the defining rider of the spring, already a winner of Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders, before pushing Wout van Aert all the way to second place at Paris-Roubaix. That sequence has only reinforced his status as the rider to beat across all terrains, and the clear favourite to add another Monument to his tally this weekend. UAE’s confirmed lineup reflects that ambition, combining climbing depth with in-form support options around their leader.

Cosnefroy in particular comes into the race as one of the standout names beyond Pogacar himself, having placed on the podium at both Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race in recent weeks. His form has not gone unnoticed within the team. “The Ardennes campaign has been pretty solid for the team so far and I hope we can build on that for Liege,” Pogacar said in conversation with the team press office. “The guys worked really well in the other races and Benoit is flying too at the moment, so I think we are in a good place as a team to take a big result.”

That assessment points towards a more layered approach from UAE rather than a simple one-leader script. While Pogacar remains the focal point, Cosnefroy’s current level gives the team a second card to play deep into the finale on a course that often rewards numbers as much as individual strength.

Alongside them, Pavel Sivakov and Domen Novak offer proven climbing support for the decisive phases, while Vegard Stake Laengen and Rune Herregodts provide depth earlier in the race. Tim Wellens, meanwhile, continues his return from a fractured collarbone earlier in the spring and adds further experience to the group after racing his way back through Brabantse Pijl, Amstel Gold Race and La Fleche Wallonne.

Liege-Bastogne-Liege remains one of Pogacar’s most consistent hunting grounds, with three previous victories already to his name. A fourth win would see him draw level with Moreno Argentin and Alejandro Valverde on the all-time list, adding further weight to a Monument record that already places him among the most successful riders in the history of the sport.

With his 2026 form setting the standard across the peloton and a team capable of supporting multiple scenarios, UAE Team Emirates-XRG head into Sunday’s race with both control and options on their side.