The 102nd edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, with Alejandro Valverde as the favourite in the aftermath of his triumph on the Flèche Wallonne, could maybe see Julian Alaphilippe and Dan Martin get their revenge. ButGerrans, Nibali, Bardet and Froome will also be very much in the mix…

La Doyenne has its whims and tendencies. The long-time domination of Belgian riders lasted just until the 1980’s with 54 triumphs in the first 65 editions, but then it fell to the charms of the Italians, who since have racked up 11 victories, with a few multiple winners (Argentin, Bartoli and Bettini). However, only one Spaniard has taken the spoils and it is none other than Alejandro Valverde. Similarly, the native of Murcia rarely wins outside his Iberian confines. Of his 78 career successes, only 20 have been won beyond the borders of Spain. And for sure his closest relationship with the Belgian Ardennes began ten years ago when he scored his first Flèche-Liège double. The now four-time winner at Huy since yesterday, Valverde looks set to take his fourth win at Liège; such was his dominance on display.

Will the ten riders that finished behind him on the Mur deHuy be up to the task of defeating him on the côte d’Ans this Sunday? Etixx team mates Julian Alaphilippe and Dan Martin, who joined Valverde on the Flèchepodium look to be the best equipped to succeed, but Enrico Gasparotto (5th), Samuel Sánchez (6th), Diego Ulissi (8th) and Warren Barguil (9th) could also pose threats, as could Joaquim Rodríguez, who didn’t put in one of his better rides yesterday (28th).

The characteristics of Liège-Bastogne-Liège are, however, quite different for making these kinds of systematic projections. Even more so as the contenders who skipped the Flèche stand out thanks to their ambitions and qualities. A former winner like Simon Gerrans, two Tour de France champions, Vincenzo Nibali (2nd in 2012) and Chris Froome, former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski (3rd in 2014), Frenchman Romain Bardet (6th in 2015), accompanied by Domenico Pozzovivo (8the) or even Bauke Mollema (6th in 2012), could spoilValverde’s hope for another trip to the top step of the podium on the oldest of the classics on Sunday…

25 teams, the main riders :

South Africa

Team Dimension Data: Anton (SPA), Pauwels (BEL), Cummings (GBR)

Germany

Team Giant-Alpecin: Barguil (FRA), Geschke (GER)

Bora-Argon 18: Huzarski (POL), Nerz (GER)

Australia

Orica-GreenEdge: Gerrans (AUS), A.Yates (GBR), Albasini (SWI)

Belgium

Etixx-Quick Step: D.Martin (IRL), Alaphilippe (FRA), Vakoc (CZE)

Lotto-Soudal: Gallopin (FRA), Vanendert, Wellens (BEL)

Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise: Van Hecke (BEL)

Wanty-Groupe Gobert: Gasparotto (ITA), Thurau (GER)

Spain

Movistar Team: Valverde, Moreno (SPA)

United States

BMC Racing Team: Porte (USA), S.Sánchez (SPA)

Cannondale: Slagter (NL), Woods (CAN)

Trek-Segafredo: Hesjedal (CAN), Mollema (NL)

France

AG2R La Mondiale: Bardet (FRA), Pozzovivo (ITA), Bakelants (BEL)

FDJ: Vichot (FRA), Eiking (NOR)

Cofidis, Solutions Crédits: Jeannesson, Simon (FRA), Navarro (SPA)

Direct Energie: Voeckler, Calmejane (FRA)

Fortuneo-Vital Concept: Sorensen (DEN), Vachon (FRA)

Great Britain

Team Sky: Froome (GBR), Kwiatkowski (POL), Poels (BEL)

Italy

Lampre-Merida: Rui Costa (POR), Meintjes (RSA), Ulissi (ITA)

Kazakhstan

Astana Pro Team: Nibali (ITA), Fuglsang (DEN), L-L.Sánchez (SPA)

The Netherlands

Team Lotto NL-Jumbo: Gesink (NL)

Roompot Oranje Peloton: Hoogerland, Weening (NL)

Russia

Team Katusha: Rodríguez (SPA), Van den Broeck (BEL), Zakarin (RUS)

Tinkoff: Kreuziger (CZE), Majka (POL), Valgren (DEN)

Switzerland

IAM Cycling: Denifl (AUT), Pantano (COL), Devenyns (BEL)