Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2025 is set to be an electrifying event as the cycling world gears up for one of the toughest classics on the calendar. This year, the race will finish in Liège, a change that has been in effect since 2019, and it promises to deliver thrilling action as riders tackle the challenging Ardennes climbs.
The top favorites for this year’s edition include cycling superstars Tadej Pogacar from UAE Emirates-XRG and Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step. These two have shared the last four editions of La Doyenne, making their rivalry a focal point of the race. Alongside them, Amstel Gold Race winner Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl-Trek and his teammate Thibau Nys are also poised to make their mark, as well as notable riders like Tom Pidcock from Q36.5, Tiesj Benoot of Visma | Lease a Bike, and Ben Healy from EF Education-EasyPost.
Notably absent this year is Mathieu van der Poel, who finished third in last year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège. After his victory in Paris-Roubaix, the Dutchman is taking a break and will return to competition in May on his mountain bike.
The race will feature a total of 11 challenging climbs, with the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons being the last and most significant ascent. The climbs include:
- Côte de Saint-Roch: 1 kilometer at 11.2%, passing around 11:55 AM, 70.7 kilometers from the start.
- Col de Haussire: 3.9 kilometers at 6.8%, passing around 1:05 PM, 119.4 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de Mont-le-Soie: 1.9 kilometers at 7.7%, passing around 2:00 PM, 158.7 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de Wanne: 3.6 kilometers at 5.1%, passing around 2:10 PM, 167 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de Stockeu: 1.1 kilometers at 11.9%, passing around 2:20 PM, 173.5 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de la Haute-Levée: 2.2 kilometers at 7.5%, passing around 2:25 PM, 177.7 kilometers from the start.
- Col du Rosier: 4.5 kilometers at 5.9%, passing around 2:45 PM, 192 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de Desnié: 1.7 kilometers at 7.8%, passing around 3:05 PM, 205.3 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de la Redoute: 1.6 kilometers at 9.5%, passing around 3:25 PM, 218 kilometers from the start.
- Côte des Forges: 1.3 kilometers at 7.7%, passing around 3:40 PM, 228.7 kilometers from the start.
- Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons: 1.4 kilometers at 11.4%, passing around 3:55 PM, 238.7 kilometers from the start.
On the women’s side, the 9th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes is set to be equally captivating. Four days after her victory over Demi Vollering in the Walloon Arrow, Puck Pieterse will face her compatriot once again. The rivalry between these two Dutch cyclists is heating up, especially after Pieterse bested Vollering in the 2024 Tour stage and her recent win at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes on April 23, 2025.
Demi Vollering, who has a strong track record in Liège-Bastogne-Liège with two victories (2021 and 2023) and three podium finishes, is eager to reclaim her title. She will be supported by Juliette Labous, who recently finished 7th in La Flèche, and other teammates including Évita Muzic and Elise Chabbey, who was 4th in 2024.
Pieterse will be making her debut in Liège, with support from her Fenix-Deceuninck teammates, including Pauliena Rooijakkers, who finished 3rd in the 2024 Tour, Yara Kastelijn, and Sara Casasola.
The race will also see the return of Anna van der Breggen, the winner of the inaugural edition in 2017. Her health has been a concern following her last-minute withdrawal from La Flèche, but if she is fit, she could be a formidable contender. Additionally, Lotte Kopecky and Mischa Bredewold, the latter having recently won the Amstel Gold Race, will add to the competitive field.
Among other contenders are Kasia Niewiadoma of Canyon//SRAM, who finished 5th last year, and Elisa Longo Borghini of UAE Team ADQ, who has shown excellent form with a 3rd place finish on the Mur de Huy. The Italian champion has narrowly missed out on victory in the past two years, finishing 2nd to Vollering in 2023 and Grace Brown in 2024.
In addition to the fierce competition from the Dutch and Italian riders, watch out for the German Liane Lippert and the Swiss Marlen Reusser, both of whom are expected to make significant impacts. Cedrine Kerbaol of EF Education-Oatly is also a name to watch after her impressive solo attack in La Flèche.
As the race day approaches, anticipation builds for the thrilling battles that will unfold on the climbs of La Redoute and La Roche-aux-Faucons, where the true champions will be tested. With a blend of experience and emerging talent, both men’s and women’s races promise to be a spectacle that cycling fans won’t want to miss.
