Tadej Pogacar's 4 main rivals to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2025

The fourth monument of the season and the first of the year arrives this Sunday, April 27, where Tadej Pogacar is the clear favorite to win and break the tie with Mathieu van der Poel when it comes to the total amount of won monuments.

With the Dutchman out (incredibly he decides yet another one not to contest a race that could suit his characteristics well), we try to take a look at those who could beat him if the race doesn't go the way the Slovenian and UAE have in mind. We suggest four names and give you the reasons why: Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and Kevin Vauquelin.

Evidently, the most dangerous for Tadej beyond his bad Flèche Wallonne. Last Sunday in Amstel he proved that he is probably the only rider today who can ride at the same pace as Pogi in a burning classic and managed what seemed impossible: to catch him (he relieved much more than Skjelmose to do so).

So, in a more than likely distant attack by Pogacar, it seems that Remco would have the best chance of following him. His problem to beat him is that in theory he is slower in the sprint, so he would have to be lazy, not to pull too much, to reserve more strength to try to beat him. It's hard to think that he can leave him on any hill, although for a double Liège winner nothing is impossible.

Obviously we have to include in this list the last man who has managed to make Pogacar bite the dust. In Amstel his race was masterful, working with Evenepoel to hunt down the Slovenian and then managing to beat them at the finish.

He has plenty of climbing quality to be among the best, the question is whether he can withstand one of Pogi's attacks on the very hard climbs of a never-ending race. The other question is whether, as Lidl Trek assures us, he suffers no consequences from his crash in Flèche.

His best race of the year was the Strade Bianche where he finished second behind Pogacar. At that time he couldn't hold off the Slovenian and now for the Ardennes he seems to be gradually getting back to form. He was 11th in Brabantse Pijl 9th in Amstel and third in Flèche. Good evolution that shows that he arrives with very good legs to the big goal: Liège. We'll see if his legs are up to the level to hold the best rider in the world.

The Frenchman from Arkéa was second in Flèche and that's why he has to be included in this list. He is very good on hard climbs and in a hypothetical race situation with a breakaway he could hold on and is fast to finish. Obviously it is not easy to think that he could be one of those who could hold a Pogacar attack on a hard climb, but his form is there and he could take advantage of it.