Profile & Route Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2026

On the weekend of the 26th of April the riders will be in the roads of western Belgium for the fourth monument of the year, which is also the last of the Ardennes and the spring classics entirely. It is Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race designed for the puncheurs and climbers to fight for a highly prestigious victory. We take a look at its profile.

The race was created in 1892, hence why it's called La Doyenne - The oldest. Léon Houa won its first three editions, and then the race took two extensive break periods - the second of which due to World War I. It is a race that has also been won by some of Belgium's very best such as Rik van Looy, Eddy Merckx, Roger de Vlaeminck, Philippe Gilbert and Remco Evenepoel.

Within this century others such as Alejandro Valverde, Andy Schleck and Primoz Roglic have also won. It used to be an open race, currently less so. The past two editions have been won by Tadej Pogacar, taking uncontested solo wins with attacks on La Redoute.

The race features a whole 259 kilometers making it one of the longest in the calendar. Through the Belgian Ardennes, it's a full day of climbing, although they are short hills. The action gets more intense towards the end, and the race should be decided in the final kilometers that, as always, features several difficult climbs that will split the race before reaching Liège. There will be 4000 meters of climbing, and this includes climbs where the classics specialists can actually struggle and the climbers can make the difference.

A lot of it comes in the final 100 kilometers. There will begin a long sequence of climbs, with virtually no flat roads inbetween. With 82 kilometers to go you have the steepest climb of the day the Côte du Stockeau (1km at 12.8%) and the longest which is the Col du Rosier (4km at 5.7%) with 63 kilometers to go.

With 47Km to go there’s the Côte de Desnié (1.6Km at 7.5%), and the third-to-last climb is the Côte de la Redoute which summits with 34 kilometers to go. It's not being climbed to the top, featuring 1.6 kilometers at 8.7% and right after the summit following a short descent and hilltop where the race can be decided as it has in the past. The Côte des Forges comes after, featuring 1.6Km at 6.9% ending with 23Km to go.

The decisive point of the race may be the Côte de la Roche Aux Faucons. It is the final climb of the day, and the small hilltop afterwards (which I consider part of it) can be just as crucial. It is 1.3Km long at 10.5%, essentially the same data as the Mur de Huy but without such gruesome gradients.

It summits with 13 kilometers to go, will it however see decisive attacks? It may not, as there are only some seconds of rest before a small second hilltop which has 1,2Km at 6.3% (10Km to the finish). This is a weird combination of climbs, where riders risk cracking on the second if they go all-out to make the differences in the first climb. If they save up for the last hilltop, they risk carrying a big group in the wheel, the tactics can be very interesting.

The descent into Liège is fast and only the final two kilometers are flat, if a rider makes it over the climbs alone it'll be near impossible to close gaps.