“Simply on another level” - Filippo Zana well-positioned but left helpless by Tadej Pogacar and Paul Seixas' blistering Liège-Bastogne-Liège assault

Filippo Zana’s reaction to Liège-Bastogne-Liège offers a clear window into the level required to compete at the front of the race, with the Italian left with little to reproach himself despite being distanced at the decisive moment.

Having positioned himself well and carrying strong legs deep into the race, Zana was in place as the race built towards its defining phase. But when Pogacar and Seixas made their move, the gap in level became immediately apparent. “I was well positioned on La Redoute, but the riders who went clear were simply on another level,” Zana said post-race.

Zana’s assessment is what makes his reaction particularly revealing. This was not a case of poor positioning or missed timing. Nor was it a question of lacking condition. By his own account, he had both. Instead, it was a moment where preparation, form and execution still proved insufficient against the two riders who ultimately shaped the race.

That distinction underlines the scale of the challenge faced by the rest of the peloton, particularly on a day where the race had already been shaken by an unusually aggressive opening phase.

Behind the leading duo, Zana was part of the group contesting the remaining podium places, in a race that remained fast and unpredictable throughout. “We had three riders in the chasing group, and I tried several times to attack, but they brought me back each time,” he explained.

That repeated aggression reflected both his condition and his intent, but also the difficulty of making a decisive move once the race had stabilised behind the leaders.

A reduced sprint followed, a scenario that did not play to his strengths. “A sprint like that, after such a hard race, is always chaotic, and I launched mine a bit too early, but I’m still happy to have finished in the top 10,” Zana added.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2026 was raced at a relentless tempo from the opening kilometres, a factor that only amplified the difficulty of responding in the final. “It was an exhausting day on the bike, with a high pace from the start. Over more than 260 kilometres, we knew it would be difficult,” he said.

That intensity, combined with the earlier chaos in the race, created conditions where only the very strongest could respond when the decisive acceleration came.

Zana’s performance still delivered a first top 10 finish in a Monument, a milestone that reflects both his progression and his consistency across the race. “I can still be satisfied with how we raced as a team today. We really rode like a pack of wolves from start to finish,” he concluded.

But his takeaway from the decisive moment is likely to resonate more widely. On a day where many riders found themselves in position to compete, the difference was not tactical or situational. It was simply a matter of level.

And, as Zana made clear, that level was out of reach.